[nagdu] Changing my Petting Policy

[Tami Jarvis]

Julie,

It seems I get fewer pet requests since we moved away from dog-friendly 
Portland. Folks here seem pretty well educated about working dogs, 
although there are very few moving about. I would have thought it would 
be the other way around. /shrug/ Of course, I'm not passing as many 
folks per outing as I did in the city with its greater population 
density, so that probably makes a difference, too. I get the impression 
Mitzi appreciates being allowed to do her job and mind her own business 
more, so that she is less interested in interacting with people who do 
want to pet her. Anyway, local culture and number of people per square 
mile do seem to play a role. I know her poodle adorability can attract a 
lot of attention, and the fact that her "back-off" look is more cute 
than scary.

Tami

On 04/29/2014 01:07 PM, Julie J. wrote:
> Just out of curiosity, how often do you guys get asked if someone can
> pet your dog? and how often do people pet without asking?
>
>> From reading the messages, it appears that others are getting a lot more
> requests to pet and petting without asking than I experience.  I'm going
> to venture a guesstimate that I get a request to pet at a rate of once a
> week or maybe once in two weeks.  People who pet without asking are
> rare, maybe 2 to 5 times in a year.  Although Monty makes it difficult
> for people to pet without asking because he will move away from
> outstretched hands.
>
> I'd love to know what it is that makes such a big difference in the rate
> of interest/petting.  Is it the location?  the behavior of the dog?  the
> demeanor of the handler?  how dogs are viewed in the community?  some
> sort of service dog education program in the schools?
>
> I am really curious,
> Julie
>
>
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