My dog is too big!

[extremepie]

I was out walking my girl GD the other day, she was on her new head collar, being very well behaved and such like.

We walked past the bank and some woman with an umbrella bumped into me (fine, she probably didn't see me) but upon seeing my dog exclaims 'Oh my GOD, that dog is TOO BIG' followed by 'why would you even take that out in public'!

I was

Just to clarify extremedog did nothing to her, not even sniff her!

Well, since apparently my dog is too big to be out in public, any ideas from knowledgeable dog people about how to, y'know', make her look a bit smaller and more outside-friendly?

Or should I just never allow her outside except under cover of darkness so she doesn't offend anyone's delicate eyes?

if that woman thinks my girl is big she should see my boy

[BoatingLakeDiva]

i think you should blindfold passers by. Poor dog having to look at horrendous old bags like that . They are not worthy

[TeaTeaLotsOfTea]

Sorry whats a GD?

[TeaTeaLotsOfTea]

I think you should have told the woman that she shouldn't be allowed out in public as she is clearly far too rude to converse with strangers

[BoatingLakeDiva]

Great Dane?

[Scuttlebutter]

I tend to make a beeline for GDs when I'm out but it's because I love them to bits, and usually want to go and admire them

You could be evil and say "She's done very well on a diet of fresh meat while smiling in an evil sort of way, fondling your chainsaw, then wander off muttering "Squeal, piggy, squeal"....

Or you could be very sensible and mature and grown up and just make allowances for the unaccountable fact there are numpties in the world who don't adore GDs, and in fact their world is greatly impoverished by this.

[TeaTeaLotsOfTea]

Ah silly cow how can she not like scooby doo

[wildfig]

You need to dress her in vertical stripes - they're meant to be slimming. And make sure she wears flats, like Princess Diana. And get yourself a pair of stilts so the beautiful GD looks a more manageable size for passers-by.

(You might scare small children by looking like a giant, but hey ho.)

[AdoraBell]

Well, I saw a lady hand feeding her huge dog when I was over there last year. It wasn't a GD but almost as tall and just as wide as it was tall. Monstrous thing, could have been mistaken for a young bull, that kind of big. I wish I knew the owner now, I'd fly over and invite her round your way so we can all walk our gentle giants together. I have a large GS, he's like a teddy bear.

Maybe members of the public who are "too expressive" shouldn't be allowed out unaccompanied. Or "too much of a numpty" you could start a campaign to replace numpties with giant dogs

[MiseryBusiness]

I luffs GD's! Owners may think I'm a bit rude though as I tend to stare a bit

There is someone round here with an Irish Wolf hound and it is bigger than any GD I have ever seen, it is huge! Honestly it makes my dogs look like mice in comparison!

[havingabath]

Hee hee I have a pair of wolfies and think GDs are sweet little things:)

Do get some extreme passer by responses and owners who grab dogs and flee before me.

[havingabath]

Meant to say they are sweet less hairy things! My GDs have always been lovable and dim...boys though.

[TimrousBeastie]

My parents have a great dane and i'm amazed at the number of people who presume just because he is big, he is dangerous. I've had people tell me that
I shouldn't bring him out when other people are about, and how dare I walk him when I have my children with me. On the other hand, people have come up to us and ask to get there photos taken with him and he loves all the attention.

He's he lovely dog, well apart from the drools that is .

[extremepie]

There were so many things that I wanted to say to her but I just stood there with my mouth open like

I should have asked her if she felt the same way about my husband (who is 6ft4!)

I love it when people stop and stroke her or ask questions, I've had 2 people even stop their cars!

Timrous I've had the exact same thing! I've been told that she is too big to be off the lead, had people scoop their dogs up to keep them away from her and it does annoy me sometimes but never mind, I guess those people will never know the joy of a great dane cuddle :D

[thestringcheesemassacre]

We had a GD when i was little. Daftest most loveable dog, half the time he was my babysitter. My parents still miss him, 30 odd years on.

[bronze]

Someone I know has a harlequin gd. He's a big soppy gorgeous thing and I rather covet him

[extremepie]

I have a blue harlequin and a black :)

They are gorgeous and they love kids although they couldn't eat a whole one :D

[AdoraBell]

Not in one sitting, anyway, eh extremepie

[kindleholicsannonymous]

I get that with my very average sized JA My boy is not as big as the 2 donkeys shetland ponies AA's that one of our local guys owns. He's 6ft4 and they both come up to his waist

[BoatingLakeDiva]

JA?

[kindleholicsannonymous]

JA= Japanese Akita AA=American Akita

AA's tend to have stronger Mastiff influences ie broader chest and generally bigger and heavier

JA's here have stronger GSD influences and are about the size of a full grown GSD, maybe slightly larger.

Full bred Akita Inu are generally imported from Japan as there has been a revival of the pure form of the breed and have very strong Spitz influences. They tend to look more 'foxy' in face shape and colour.

[BoatingLakeDiva]

the doghouse is an education. Thanks kindle :-)

[kindleholicsannonymous]

NP I luffs my 2 daft JA's!

[extremepie]

The funny thing is I usually find that big dogs are more gentle and more placid than smaller dogs and yet more people are afraid of them!

Love wolfhounds and Akitas too :D

[bronze]

I think it's because a small dog can yap and snap and if it's pulling you can just hold it. If a larger dog did that you couldn't stop it so they have to be trained better.

[FuckingBeeStrainer]

My earliest childhood memory is being pinned to the floor with a GD foot to the chest, staring at its tonsils whilst it gently holds my head in its jaws! We had 2. I barely remember them, but I always have a soft spot. One day maybe...

P.s. next time, tell her to piss off!