So I’ve been wanting a little walking buddy lately. Probably a shih tsu mix or something. Something small that has a good personality and is available at the shelter. I’ve never had a dog myself before though and I had a couple of bad experiences with large off leash dogs when I was a small kid (I don’t think I was hurt but I very much do remember being chased and being very afraid) so I find myself still a little nervous around larger dogs I don’t know, especially if that dog is feeling excited or jumpy. A couple of gentler breeds are excepted in my head (golden and labs) and once I get used to a particular dog, I’m perfectly fine. I can leave other situations just fine by myself but I’m here asking for opinions from more experienced dog people. I suppose I’m afraid that having a dog myself would be like a magnet for other dogs while on walks that I might be uncomfortable with or that my being nervous could make a normal meet and greet go poorly. I just don’t want to adopt a dog and wind up putting it in a bad situation by accident. It’s also super common that I see escaped dogs when I’m out for walks by myself and others who walk their dogs without a leash.
Also, to say out loud, I am addressing my dog fears in therapy. It’s just not an instant cure, you know? It’s also possible I am way over thinking this.
No. You want something that is convenient… dogs are not convenient. They are a responsibility, and they do not have a ‘good personalities’ or ‘bad personalities’ that is something the dog learns from you.
Way too many people adopt dogs without adopting the responsibility of being a good dog owner and the work involved in owning a dog. And when issues happen, they refuse to resolve them or confront them.
Nature and nurture both have important roles in dog behavior. I’m a shitty dog owner, because I put little effort into training my dogs to behave well. I have still had dogs that were very well behaved and those that were poorly behaved. A lot of it comes from the dog itself, and then the owner can make that dog much worse or better with deliberate effort.