Dogs are like those sphinx gates in the movie adaptation of "The Never-ending Story" (terrible compared to the book, which is one of my top 5 favorite books of all time, even as an adult, and the book's Uyulala is way cooler than those sphinxes). Anyway. You can't fake it. Dogs see right through you. Rather, they smell right through you. They can literally smell human emotions. If you're scared of them, they will get scared about you and be weird with you. Don't force people who don't want to interact with dogs to interact with dogs.
@ItsTrainingCatsAndDogs there’s a guy who lives semi-locally who is absolutely terrified of dogs, and he always makes panicked and indecisive movements any time he needs to walk near a dog, which of course attracts the attention of said dog and thus makes the man panic more. It’s such a shitty position to be in 💔
@ItsTrainingCatsAndDogs I used to work in an office where the boss would bring her dog in periodically, despite knowing that one of my colleagues was scared of dogs… “Oh, ha-ha… but he’s so small and friendly!”
This dog was indeed small, and friendly with many people, but he’d growl and bark non-stop at the scared person.
I’m a BIG fan of dogs, but I’d be a pretty shit trade unionist to be ok with people being afraid in their own workplaces, and it can’t have been exactly relaxing for the dog
The scariest situations I have ever been in with cops were cops who were actually from the community they were policing-- cops who knew me and were my small town neighbors. The ones who knew me well wanted to hurt me the most.
Because of this, I never understood why people pushed for that kind of reform-- policing where you are from. It was a RELIEF every time I moved and cops didn't know me.
@ItsTrainingCatsAndDogs@violetmadder my brain doesn’t like screens! Give me a podcast or audiobook so I can let my adhd hands do something! If you make me sit on the couch for screens I’ll just end up reading a book on my phone 😅
I am just wondering why people get dogs who are bred so specifically but then put them in a life that goes against their nature. Like, why do people have St. Bernards if they aren't rescuing people in the Swiss Alps? Do you really think you can make them happy in your condo?
@ItsTrainingCatsAndDogs Some people with disabilities who decide to owner train their service dogs do this and it makes me absolutely wild. Like I am really sorry that you feel like you need a 100 pound Eastern European Doberman pincher to prove what a big macho guy you are, and what a bad ass, but really I don't think this High drive dog is going to work well lying under your desk for eight hours while you do technical support and then go home on the para transit van.
If your kids just pick cats up rudely to move them about, and you haven't had time to teach the kids how to train cats to recall or target, then convince them to use a laser pointer just to move cats around, hands free. There is a reason your cat is more bite-y with your kid. Improve their relationship.
DO NOT USE LASERS WITH DOGS (lasers can make dogs OCD).
@ItsTrainingCatsAndDogs
my cat doesn't care about laser pointers.
it worked briefly, but then she apparently figured out that the dot is not real (or at least boring or not edible or whatever) and now just ignores it
Are they so fucking bored that the only thing they have to look forward to is the next mealtime?
Are they fed unnaturally? (Cats naturally want to eat little bits upwards of a dozen times a day, so two meals is asking too much of more sensitive cats.)
Are feeding times unpredictable? (Predictability is better.)
It is a misunderstanding to think cats don't love us like dogs do, or that they are less social, or that they are lower maintenance and need less attention and care. Cats don't even like it when we go out of our way to greet the dog but not them. They get separation anxiety. They sleep when they are stressed or bored (relatable), so we often misunderstand these emotions in cats. Cats feeling superior, or not needing us, or not caring, makes me so sad for cats, knowing all this to be false.
@bujold Yes-- also, they are very territorial. But rivals will share territories in shifts or even together if resources are plenty enough. You can often improve cats' relationships dramatically just by giving them more than enough resource sites for everyone.
@ItsTrainingCatsAndDogs this one is always so baffling to me, because of you put in the slightest effort to get to know your cats, learn a little bit about their communication/body language, and treat them like an actual being instead of an object, they are simply the best little friends you could ask for! I have never lived with a cat and not built a really nice bond with them, because cats want to have a relationship too
Remembering how I got fired from my daycare job in my early 20s for being sick too much but also because I didn't act neurotypically with the kids. The kids liked me most, so what does that tell you?