Why is everyone only interested in one thing?

Chris_Heilong

So I have noticed a trend while out walking my dog Titan, he is an Alaskan Malamute and has just gone 16 weeks, now a lot of people are impressed with his looks and always make comments while I am passing them "can I pet your Siberian Husky?" or the one I get a lot is also "what kind of dog is that?" fair enough, I have time to enlighten people to the fantastic breed that is the Alaskan Malamute, no problem at all.

The thing that drives me mad is that most(yes MOST) people just seem to be interested in how much Money he cost without asking about breed or how old they simply say "oh, he must of been expensive." and the one I got to day while standing in a que to the ATM was "How Much?" which took me aback as I replied "How much what?" People just seem to think about money:mad:

I had just finished talking to a man I meet on the street about how b2 dogs owned by people he knew had gone missing in St Annes Park and after they put flyers up about the missing dogs they got a phone call demanding €1500 for the dogs safe return, the guy at the ATM happened just 5 minutes after talking to this chap so it made me a little paranoid, anyone else have simular situations to this, as In people more interested in talking about how much your dog is worth rather than about your dog.

Here is a pic for reference.

Damokc

*bites tongue:p

Chuck Stone

SO HOW MUCH DID HE COST?

Chris_Heilong

I usually lie to people and tell them I only paid €200, I dont want them getting any ideas.

EraseAndRewind

He s a stunning dog so gorgeous

TheInquisitor

They normally cost between €800 and €1000 i thought.

Lovely breed

mymo

Luckily my larger dog just looks like a scruffy mutt most of the time, but the people that ask about breed always go straight to "how much?", they always think the little one is a shih tzu, although I was once asked if she was a poodle:eek: (she's a Lhasa Apso).
It does annoy me too, and I do worry about dogs getting stolen as there were a few round here went missing. But I keep mine inside and if asked by someone I don't know just say they are a mix, unless they seem genuinely interested in the dogs.
If asked price by someone I just say why do you want to know?
I find the people that are genuinely interested in the dogs don't really ask the cost.
I have to say there's loads of husky/malamutes around at the moment, all young pups, its scary the amount I've seen recently.

pH

These seem to be really popular, I see lots of these nowadays, seems to be a bit of a fashion thing, as a working sled dog bred for freezing conditions seems an unlikely dog to be living in a 3 bed semi around where I live, yet as I said they're currently "fashionable".

As for the dog-stealing story, I've heard this so much but it's always "a friend of a friend". The story varies, but ransom is common, but "they're valuable" is another one as is "they use them for dogfighting".

Does an adult dog (obviously without papers) have any real value? The only non-puppies I see advertised for money are ones with special training, such as working gun-dogs. Is there any evidence that dogs are ransomed?

mymo

I was advised to put Neutered or spayed, and microchipped on the dogs ID tags (by a local Guarda, even if they aren't neutered), to reduce the risk of dogs being stolen.
He seemed to think they were being stolen for breeding as the 3 round here that disappeared in the same week were all pedigree dogs and all bitches.
Just look at the numbers of pups for sale on certain sites that are non registered purebreds.

ISDW

People don't have the money anymore to pay the prices that were being asked for pedigree dogs. Theres an ad on a certain website at the moment from a siberian husky breeder, with 2 pups being sold at a reduced rate for quick sale, obviously couldn't find anyone willing to pay the original asking price.

Unfortunately there are a lot of people who just think money when they look at a dog. Chris, I would definitely slip it into the conversation next time anyone brings it up that he is microchipped, maybe even lie and say he was cheap because he has an illness, just to make him less desirable to steal? All of my dogs are neutered and I always make sure I say it when someone is making those kind of noises about how much they cost etc etc.

Chris_Heilong

Thanks, good points. I guess it just seemed strange how often people wanted to talk about cost, and other question I get asked is "are you going to breed him?"
Which I just replies I plan to neuter next month.

I actually plan to show him after I get him hip and eye scored and get a few breed judges to look him over to see if he is of show quality. If he is not then I will neuter.

Who cares how much he cost :eek::eek:
He's such an adorable baby!!!

ISDW

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

Thanks, good points. I guess it just seemed strange how often people wanted to talk about cost, and other question I get asked is "are you going to breed him?"
Which I just replies I plan to neuter next month.

I actually plan to show him after I get him hip and eye scored and get a few breed judges to look him over to see if he is of show quality. If he is not then I will neuter.

If you want to show him then I suggest you start before you get him hip scored, as you can't do that until he's at least a year old, and in fact in a breed like the mal its recommended you wait until 18 months- 2 years to allow him to grow up. Check out ring classes near you and take him along, see what the instructor there thinks, then maybe enter him into some puppy classes at shows when he's old enough, I think its 6 months, but I've never shown, so that could be wrong. But, this summer there will be plenty of shows you can take him along to, see what the judges think of him.:D

star-pants

He's gorgeous! and to think of the size he'll be when he grows into his ears :P

People stop me a lot (I've two Lhasa Apsos) and again, they think they're shihtzus, and for some reason always think they're male? Some are just being nice asking do they take a lot of looking after/hard work / are they related etc. But occasionally someone might ask were they expensive or if we bred any. I'll always make a joke over how much and let them know they're both neutered.
Dogs have been taken from outside shops around here before, Maltease and some other dog I can't recall. Most likely to be bred/sold on. Some have been taken from gardens in areas. You just have to be very careful, don't give out too much info without seeming rude obviously, and just make sure your dog is as secure as possible at all times.

Chris_Heilong

ISDW wrote: »

If you want to show him then I suggest you start before you get him hip scored, as you can't do that until he's at least a year old, and in fact in a breed like the mal its recommended you wait until 18 months- 2 years to allow him to grow up. Check out ring classes near you and take him along, see what the instructor there thinks, then maybe enter him into some puppy classes at shows when he's old enough, I think its 6 months, but I've never shown, so that could be wrong. But, this summer there will be plenty of shows you can take him along to, see what the judges think of him.:D

Yeah, I know about the 2 year mark for Mals, I was planning to do the puppy classes and the National show center is not too far from me also, I have been looking into join the malamute club of IRELAND. Cant wait for the next pet expo, really want to see the guys from Tails'n'Trails again and their wounderful dogs.

boomerang

Looking at that gorgeous photo, I would have to say he is priceless.


Anyways I would dodge the question by saying I got him from a rescue. People are always amazed that yes, you can find purebred dogs like Titan in a rescue. And it might encourage them to investigate that option next time they get a dog, as well as looking at the classifieds.

Edited to add: Oh, and if you're worried the person asking is a bit dodgy, tell them he was NEUTERED and MICROCHIPPED by the rescue before you got him.

Cherry Blossom

Why don't you lie and say you got him in a rescue and use the opportunity to make people aware of numbers of these dogs being abandoned because they are not what people thought and aren't able to look after them etc. Or that you got him in the pound . Use peoples own idiocy to educate them. Everytime I go out in public with my 'small white fluffy' I get to teach some child that they should always ask both the adult that is with them and the adult that is with the dog if they can pet the dog before they do and I explain why. I get the benefit from it of owing an extremely well socialised dog.

Chris_Heilong

adrenalinjunkie and boomerang, thats a great idea, dont know why I didnt think of it.

Shanao

I'm so sick of people asking me the same question about my two. I usually just change the subject and dont answer, but I think I'll start saying they're from a rescue. They both have microchipped and neutered on their collars as well. No offence to people, but i hate when young lads start asking me about them; they're going to be big dogs after all and far too attractive to them. Never leave them out of my sight now though, far too many people have asked me about them. I really hate how so many people have asked me if i'm going to breed them.

imbroglio

What a lovely doggy! I've never seen one before in real life, he must make quite an impression!

Slightly unrelated, but I have a rescue dog that is a pure-bred. Whenever I met fellow owners of the same breed, I am often told "Oh, well, I paid €500 for my dog!", as if their dog is somehow better than my free version of the same thing!

steph1

Beautiful dog Chris

Officer Giggles

I know how you feel I have a 7 month old Newfoundland and that is usually one of the first questions I'm asked, real annoying

Tripp

Shanao wrote: »

I'm so sick of people asking me the same question about my two. I usually just change the subject and dont answer, but I think I'll start saying they're from a rescue. They both have microchipped and neutered on their collars as well. No offence to people, but i hate when young lads start asking me about them; they're going to be big dogs after all and far too attractive to them. Never leave them out of my sight now though, far too many people have asked me about them. I really hate how so many people have asked me if i'm going to breed them.

Im always asked about my Akita too Shanao.
How much? Does it fight? Is it a bitch? Are you breeding her? How much for a pup? etc etc. Its ridiculious.
I try my best to tell people not to get an Akita because they require so MUCH work and training, most people only get them cause they look like a wolf(same goes for malmute,husky ).

Shanao

A woman asked me about the akitas one day and as we were talking, she came out and said; "I was wondering what to get as my next dog and now I know, it'll definitely be one of them." I had only been talking to her for about two minutes!! I very quickly had to jump in and mention that they're extremely stubborn, need an awful lot of work, and they're a restricted breed. Not to mention blowing their coat twice a year and eating like horses!! She quickly changed her mind then.
People see them, think they're lovely and want one, which is ridiculous. I love my guy but I would never reccommend them to someone who hasn't had large, headstrong breeds before. Wouldn't reccommend sibes and mals to anyone unless they've had them before either. People just see the 'cool' dog and want one.

In saying that though, your fella is an absolute beaut OP

SophieSakura

Really cute dog

It is kinda scary though how many husky or malamute puppies you see around, which is fine if the owners will take proper care of them, but I'm sure a lot of people get them and don't really realise how much work they could be.

I have Cavaliers so the people who come up to me talking about the dogs are usually old ladies or mothers will young kids The mothers sometimes ask how much they cost as puppies, because the kids are always asking can they get one! My older 3 all look old so I'm sure they wouldn't be stolen for breeding or for selling on, but any dog could be stolen for bait for fighting dogs

But my puppy is only 8 months and gorgeous so I'd be scared of her being stolen. At least people can't see my dogs from the road, so most people wouldn't know I have them. The puppy has a name tag with phone number and a I-am-microchipped-tag, but maybe I should get an "I am neutered tag", though she already makes enough noise with two tags

liquoriceall

Have to say that the tread title made me think you were talking about something else!!!

Discodog

liquoriceall wrote: »

Have to say that the tread title made me think you were talking about something else!!!

You're not alone - same here ..............I'll get my coat

shinikins

God only knows why its so important to other people how much my dog cost, or how pure bred she is, its really not an issue to me! I think its a sign of snobbery in lot of cases, bragging rights can be assumed when you buy a dog with papers(no matter how spurious those papers may be)

I have no problem when i'm asked what breed my dog is, as you can have some really interesting conversations about dog breeds with different people, but its no-ones business how much she cost. If i'm asked I always answer with a very direct look and "why do you want to know?" That usually weeds out the nosy parkers from those who are truly interested to know. And those who truly want to know are usually far too busy asking about the dogs temperament and possible health issues to ask about money:p

angelfire9

I always stop & chat to anyone I meet that has a gorgeous new dog in the neighbourhood
I love dogs and would love to get one but circumstances at the moment don't permit it

I'd never dream of asking how much the dog costs though
I'd ask about how much time it takes to groom and how far people bring it for walks and all kinds of questions about temperment & habits etc etc so that when the time comes and I can actually get a doggie i'll have an idea of what i'm looking for and what would not be suitable

I think the OP is right to be concerned re theft if people are asking those kinds of questions
I genuine dog lover wouldn't be interested unless they actually wanted to get one of the same breed themselves and if that was the case you'd know from the questions that would precede the cost question