[htDgExh8]

...please refrain from feeding my dog. I know you mean well, but frankly it's just...rude. Do you also go up to other people's children and shove hershey bars and diet cokes in their hands?

I do so appreciate it when you ask first; because then I can give you one of the many reasons why I don't want you feeding my dog...what is probably a crap treat that I would never in a million years allow to enter my dog's mouth.

Do you not consider that some dogs have allergies and should not just be eating any old thing? Do you not consider that you just became the source of the only ingredient from outside the US that my dog has consumed since 2007? Do you not consider that my dog could be on a diet?

Thank you for putting me in a postion where my only 2 choices are to allow my dog to eat...*god knows what* or to create a small scene involving physically removing the "treat" from her mouth thereby giving my anxious/fearful dog one more thing to have flashbacks about.

Thank you for not only not asking me if she can have a treat, but for waiting until I am in the process of negotiating a debit card payment to come by and cram a hunk of junk in her mouth.

I guess my complaints are not the usual. It's nice for Veronica to get so much positve attention and nice that I am in an area where I don't have to deal with any "OMG, It's a Pit Bull Run for your Lives" discrimination. It's nice that people want to say "Hi" and give her pats and tell her she's a "good girl"...just please stop trying to feed my dog!!!

[casinobonusa]

That employee would have gotten quite the earful from me! Though in reality, my first instinct would have been to kick their hand away from my dog

[mpxricyNimb]

I'm glad the girls I work with are half educated in that sense, and the newbies just copy what we do.
I'd be pissed if someone was just feeding my dog too.

[htDgExh8]

That employee would have gotten quite the earful from me! Though in reality, my first instinct would have been to kick their hand away from my dog

With any other dog I could have done that.

With Veronica, the next thing I know she's likely to develop a fear of...pet stores, interactions with strangers, strangers reaching out to her...who knows how her convoluted mind works...she makes some weird ass associations and they stick.

[leijggigf]

maybe you could get her a bandana to wear that says "please dont feed me"

or bring your own treats to hand people to give her instead of the biscuts they have

[casinobonusa]

With any other dog I could have done that.

With Veronica, the next thing I know she's likely to develop a fear of...pet stores, interactions with strangers, strangers reaching out to her...who knows how her convoluted mind works...she makes some weird ass associations and they stick.

Ohh. I forget she's sensitive like that sometimes

or bring your own treats to hand people to give her instead of the biscuts they have

I know that I personally don't want my dogs expecting to be given food from people. My dogs are food whores... so if you give them food once, they're going to think that anyone who sorta but not really looks like you is going to feed them too

[Loonakind]

I sometimes allow the dogs to get treats, but I do not like it when I am not asked first. There are some treats I do not feed my dogs and I would prefer people have enough respect to ask.

[htDgExh8]

maybe you could get her a bandana to wear that says "please dont feed me"

or bring your own treats to hand people to give her instead of the biscuts they have

I always have my own treats on me. V. dog reactive (among other things ), so even after 6 years of training she still needs paw holding to be able to keep her mouth shut and behave around other dogs.

When people ask if they can give her a treat, I always do give them one of mine; unless they tell me exactly what they're giving her and it's on the "approved treat" list.

But this woman came out of nowhere. She was working at the register next to the one I was checking out at. I was literally in the process of sliding my debit card when out of the corner of my eye I see this woman reaching over and stuffing a big hunk of something in Veronica's mouth.

[Lypepuddyu]

I'm lucky my dogs don't have any allergies/food sensitivities, etc....AND they can handle a little junkfood (okay, more than a "little"!)
So, people at the pet stores get to treat my dogs -- most of the time, people do ask...

[Lydiaswingert]

People aren't allowed to give my dogs treats with out me asking. I make my dogs work for their food...period. NILIF in my house. If they ASK and I approve the treats (because some crap is just to horrible for my vacuum cleaners to eat) I'm lucky that none of them have food allergies...but it's only polite to ask. I ALWAYS ask if they can have 'a cookie' and if asked I let people know exactly what kind it is (various flavors of Blue Buffalo cookies) if they say no, ok that's fine with me.

[Loonakind]

People aren't allowed to give my dogs treats with out me asking. I make my dogs work for their food...period. NILIF in my house. If they ASK and I approve the treats (because some crap is just to horrible for my vacuum cleaners to eat) I'm lucky that none of them have food allergies...but it's only polite to ask. I ALWAYS ask if they can have 'a cookie' and if asked I let people know exactly what kind it is (various flavors of Blue Buffalo cookies) if they say no, ok that's fine with me.

See, that is exactly what I want out of a pet store employee, just to simply ask if it is ok. I do not give certain treats to my dogs, such as the "shredded Rawhide sticks" my local pet store hands out. However petsmart and Lemos I alow them to have treats IF they work for them.

[andrekuper]

Lol I don't really take my dogs into the pet stores but when I take them into work the things my supervisors try to feed the dogs is ridiculous! The first time I brought in Nero my boss fed him a rice crispy treat because he was out of dog treats. Happiest day of that dogs life probably.

[scewLacysmazy]

I've never really had a problem with employees not asking about the treat-giving thing, IME they have all asked permission first. I always tell them that my dog has to sit nice first, and that it is just a tiny treat because usually we have just come back from training and she already is at her treat quota....

I do find it quite humorous though, is that when going through the Tim Hortons drive through they always ask now if my dog would like a timbit.... Stupid me, I always say no that it would give her the runs, when I SHOULD be saying sure and then eating it myself!

[zuhraliyana]

I don't think I've ever not been asked if my dogs can have a treat. Unless its at a store where we are regulars and they know its ok. Even at stores we don't go to very often, they always ask me first, then ask my dogs to sit before treating them.

[RLRWai4B]

Hades won't eat crappy treats, Roxy wouldn't either.

The vet used to have special treats in the mini fridge that she would give them because the normal hard cookies would get politely taken (trying not to let their mouths touch it to much) then dropped promptly on the floor accompanied by an; I'm sorry, it looks yucky! (from Hades), or a; WTF is wrong with you?!?! (from Roxy).

I just tell people Hades is allergic, even though he isn't. I figure it's nicer than saying; Sorry, that's a cheap, full of shit filler and my dog doesn't eat that!

I would work on V's leave it so she avoids when people offer her food. Than that gives you a chance to BS and say she's allergic and hand them one of your own treats to give to her. Win, win.

[rionetrozasa]

At our store, our registers are stocked with milkbones. Once in a while, we'll get something different (the Nutro blueberry/apple/carrot cookies, or maybe a Great Choice selection) because a bag accidentally got sliced open, and why not make use of it. Milkbones are the staple, though. I ALWAYS ask, though. Milkbones aren't the greatest quality, and I know how concerned people are about what gets put in their pets' mouths. Most people are thrilled when their dog is offered a treat, but once in a while, I have found a dog who's on a diet or has allergies. No biggie. Even the people who work with me, when they come in with their dogs, I find myself wanting to ask first, right before the owner reaches over and grabs a handful, lol

[Uhmavano]

okay this thread just made me realize how often i frequent the pet store. they know Peanut and no longer ask me or try to give Peanut anything he instead gets pets except the feed store i let them give him treats because they give him stella and chewys and they even know not to feed him beef.

seriously though when i check out and i see a brand new employee and as they ask if he can have a treat (like a petco where its cookies) i tell them thanks for asking but he is fed raw and doesn't eat cookies but he gladly accepts pets and i haven't been met with any negativity and usually that gets them asking me more about his diet.

[Lydiaswingert]

When I bring then dogs into work with me, everyone already knows that they have to ask me first and then make them do something for their food. Most of the time I'll give them some kibble to use for them. But every once in a while they get a special cookie.

[dolaBeetCeage]

When I bring then dogs into work with me, everyone already knows that they have to ask me first and then make them do something for their food. Most of the time I'll give them some kibble to use for them. But every once in a while they get a special cookie.

I use kibble as a treat as well actually. No matter how normal the treat is to my dogs normal diet, just the fact it's coming from my hand makes it a treat. And my dog never gets a treat without earning it. Nor do I allow anyone but my wife to give the dog anything to eat ever!

[casinobonusa]

i haven't been met with any negativity

I've yet to have anyone get weird over my saying no thank you. They usually just love on em some more lol.

There was even one girl who worked at Petco (when I'd go there often just for the hell of it because it was next to the craft store lol) who, when I told her Ruger was allergic to pretty much everything, asked exactly what he was allergic to and found a treat to give him that was safe. She was awesome! Unfortunately, it entirely ruined his training and I had major problems with intense drooling at check out counters after that, which is how I learned that I don't want people giving my dogs food LOL

---------- Post added at 09:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:46 PM ----------

I use kibble as a treat as well actually. No matter how normal the treat is to my dogs normal diet, just the fact it's coming from my hand makes it a treat. And my dog never gets a treat without earning it. Nor do I allow anyone but my wife to give the dog anything to eat ever!

I use my dogs' kibble for training. They only get treats if we're starting something new and I want to make it EXTRA awesome, or if they've done something fantastic (like passed a CGC, did well at a competition, etc.)