Now that the weather has settled, I have been walking the girls in town again. They both have prongs on for power steering. They both heel next to me, Sadie is on the outside, then Thalie, then me. They walk nicely with me and when ever I see someone approaching on the sidewalk they turn around and go the other way? Do we look scary or something?
Did you ever wonder...........
- Dutchringgirl
- Global Moderator

- Posts: 5692
- Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:05 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am a mom of 6 life forces - 2 kids and 3 dogs 1 hamster. I live in Ct. I have trained Ringsport and Agility and have 2 DS, one 15 and 7 and a Basset Hound Cookie who is 2
- Location: Ct, USA
Did you ever wonder...........
Why when you are walking two DS other people either turn around or go waaaaay over to the other side of the street??
Now that the weather has settled, I have been walking the girls in town again. They both have prongs on for power steering. They both heel next to me, Sadie is on the outside, then Thalie, then me. They walk nicely with me and when ever I see someone approaching on the sidewalk they turn around and go the other way? Do we look scary or something?
Now that the weather has settled, I have been walking the girls in town again. They both have prongs on for power steering. They both heel next to me, Sadie is on the outside, then Thalie, then me. They walk nicely with me and when ever I see someone approaching on the sidewalk they turn around and go the other way? Do we look scary or something?
Lisa, Thalie CGC & Sadie, Cookie the Basset, CT




- felixone123
- Working Dog
- Posts: 1076
- Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 7:08 pm
- Tell us about yourself: Rescued our first DS male on Dec 27, 2011. Approx 4 yrs. Rescued from NADSR. His name is Odin. Adopted a 2nd DS from NADSR June 27, 2012. Kai - 6 months.
- Location: Fishkill, NY
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
Yes. You are so used to seeing your dogs all the time, but to the average person they are very intimidating and most people have never seen or heard of a Dutch - plus you are walking 2 of these scary creatures!!Dutchringgirl wrote:Why when you are walking two DS other people either turn around or go waaaaay over to the other side of the street??
Do we look scary or something?
Barbara, Odin & Kai
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Sugars Mom
- Working Dog
- Posts: 1734
- Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2011 12:16 am
- Tell us about yourself: I adopted a Dutch Shepherd mix (without knowing what she was) from the SPCA here in Victoria BC and am now trying to learn everything I can about this breed. My husband and I work from home most of the time so I thought it was time to get a puppy! We have his 2 boys here half the time and we wanted a nice family dog.
Sugar looks like a miniature Dutch Shepherd with floppy ears, and has every ounce of DS traits in her little body!
I hope to learn from other DS owners and share doggy experiences. - Location: Victoria BC
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
Heck, I even have people who are nervous around my tiny little Sugar snack!
Sue (and Sugar)

- roxanne
- Green Dog
- Posts: 135
- Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2012 2:23 am
- Tell us about yourself: Hi.....my name is Angela. I have 2 daughters and 1 granddaughter. All of my dogs (and cats) are rescues. I have a puppy that we just adopted that I think could be at least part Dutch Shepherd. We also have a 2 year old pug/min pin mix and an 11 year old border collie and possible lab mix.
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
I had people do that all the time with my GSD mix and she was tiny!
Angela
UCD URO1 El Tango De Roxanne CD CGC
(Dutch shepherd mix)
Emmy (pug/min pin mix)
UCD URO1 El Tango De Roxanne CD CGC
(Dutch shepherd mix)
Emmy (pug/min pin mix)
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CaroleBoaz
- Training Dog
- Posts: 592
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 2:52 am
- Tell us about yourself: I am currently the Secretary and Treasurer of the Dutch Shepherd Club of North America. We are the national breed club for Dutch Shepherds, and have the support of the Nederlandse Herdershonden Club in our endeavours to record the Dutch Shepherd breed in the United States and Canada through the American Kennel Club. dscna.com Join us on Facebook.
- Contact:
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
I would. If I don't know the dogs, I keep my distance.
- LyonsFamily
- Training Dog
- Posts: 947
- Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2012 3:08 am
- Tell us about yourself: Odin 5 years
Elli 5 years - Location: Michigan
- Contact:
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
We "pull over." Odin has been working on his halting command for competition obedience, so if we see someone that might be uneasy, or a group of people coming towards us, we move over to the curb, and he sits to my left. People seem to be appreciative of it, especially those with young children and strollers.
The best reaction was from a group of 20 something girls. He really seemed to impress them. When we stepped aside so let them walk by they all said "awww, what a polite little doggie" and "he's such a gentleman!."
The best reaction was from a group of 20 something girls. He really seemed to impress them. When we stepped aside so let them walk by they all said "awww, what a polite little doggie" and "he's such a gentleman!."
Stephanie
'Odin' NV PTA Odin of Another Kingdom RL1
'Elli' Drawing Our Own Constellations RL1 CGC CGCA
'Odin' NV PTA Odin of Another Kingdom RL1
'Elli' Drawing Our Own Constellations RL1 CGC CGCA
- Dutchringgirl
- Global Moderator

- Posts: 5692
- Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:05 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am a mom of 6 life forces - 2 kids and 3 dogs 1 hamster. I live in Ct. I have trained Ringsport and Agility and have 2 DS, one 15 and 7 and a Basset Hound Cookie who is 2
- Location: Ct, USA
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
I know my girls look very scary. I was goofing around. When I just had Thalie people used to avoid us, now with Sadie who is twice as tall with HUGE ears, Im sure we look like we are going to devour anything in our path. AND with big metal collars on. I really get a kick out of it though, we know our dogs are sweet but no one else does.
Lisa, Thalie CGC & Sadie, Cookie the Basset, CT




-
Lauren
- Training Dog
- Posts: 540
- Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2011 11:29 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am a wife, mother of 2 kids, 3 cats, 1 Standard Poodle (10 yrs) and Xena, a Dutch Shepherd Puppy.
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
People have been avoiding little Mr. Thor since he was 11-12 weeks old! It makes it hard to properly socialize him when everyone backs away.
Xena on the other hand gives off such, waggy, sweet, smiling signals that most people understand that she is friendly. They ALWAYS ask, though.
Xena on the other hand gives off such, waggy, sweet, smiling signals that most people understand that she is friendly. They ALWAYS ask, though.
Lauren from Western NC
- Marjolein
- Working Dog
- Posts: 2078
- Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 7:17 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I'm a Dutchie myself ;-) but live in Germany with Johan and my two DS's Cobber-Dingo and Knivil (Dingo and Ivil to friends...)
- Location: Warbeyen, Germany
- Contact:
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
whaha, I remember walking around proud with my baby Dingo, everyone liked him, came up to us, let their dogs sniff etc. When he turned 8 months, suddenly people crossed the street? No dog could come near him, moms dragged their kids away from us etc.
I learned to appreciate it tho
I learned to appreciate it tho
- alspyce
- Working Dog
- Posts: 1222
- Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:51 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am in New York State. Got my first DS about 14 years ago (more or less as a rescue- lost her in Nov.). After years of GSD's, and a few dogs of other breeds (Rotti/Beauceron/Ger. Shorthaired Pointer/ Yorkie and my current Jack Russell) I now have another DS, 4mo female, no name yet, tho I have a few in mind.
Also have a horse-old quarter horse mare-32.
Can't wait for all the snow to get gone! Spring is coming too slow this year! - Location: Corinth, New York
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
I would certainly appreciate that!!! (Not real fond of kids here!) Maybe I should think about one of those beautiful Dingo babies, I like them much better.Marjolein wrote: moms dragged their kids away from us etc.![]()
I learned to appreciate it tho
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." Anatole France
Chris Carlton/Lyric
Chris Carlton/Lyric
- Dutchringgirl
- Global Moderator

- Posts: 5692
- Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:05 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am a mom of 6 life forces - 2 kids and 3 dogs 1 hamster. I live in Ct. I have trained Ringsport and Agility and have 2 DS, one 15 and 7 and a Basset Hound Cookie who is 2
- Location: Ct, USA
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
HAHAHA, I had a guy come by yesterday to look at a retaining wall in my back yard, Sadie was in her crate but Thalie was out, He knew there was a dog behind the fence but when he opened the gate he yelled "Wolf!!". It was in a funny way, he wasnt scared but looked at Thalie like " what the hell are you?"
Lisa, Thalie CGC & Sadie, Cookie the Basset, CT




-
alexis
- Green Dog
- Posts: 180
- Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2011 9:42 pm
- Tell us about yourself: Live in NYC with Zane
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
It's funny, the super in my building asked if Zane was part wolf-dog yesterday. Evidently some dude who used to live in the penthouse had two wolf-dogs that terrified everyone else in the building.
Mostly, people on the street tell me how cute and well behaved he is, but I've had some girls run away screaming if he walks within a couple feet of them (not even paying the slightest bit of attention to them).
Mostly, people on the street tell me how cute and well behaved he is, but I've had some girls run away screaming if he walks within a couple feet of them (not even paying the slightest bit of attention to them).
alexis & zane in NYC
- Marjolein
- Working Dog
- Posts: 2078
- Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 7:17 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I'm a Dutchie myself ;-) but live in Germany with Johan and my two DS's Cobber-Dingo and Knivil (Dingo and Ivil to friends...)
- Location: Warbeyen, Germany
- Contact:
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
Dutchringgirl wrote:HAHAHA, I had a guy come by yesterday to look at a retaining wall in my back yard, Sadie was in her crate but Thalie was out, He knew there was a dog behind the fence but when he opened the gate he yelled "Wolf!!". It was in a funny way, he wasnt scared but looked at Thalie like " what the hell are you?"
woohahaha! That's too funny
I remember when we were building, these really rough tattood guys coming inm being all tough and all, untill they saw a dog... sissy's
- Dutchringgirl
- Global Moderator

- Posts: 5692
- Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:05 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am a mom of 6 life forces - 2 kids and 3 dogs 1 hamster. I live in Ct. I have trained Ringsport and Agility and have 2 DS, one 15 and 7 and a Basset Hound Cookie who is 2
- Location: Ct, USA
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
HA, It does seem like the big burly guys are sissys when it comes to our fluffy friends.
Lisa, Thalie CGC & Sadie, Cookie the Basset, CT




- vneerland
- Global Moderator

- Posts: 1547
- Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2010 10:10 pm
- Tell us about yourself: *
- Location: Tex@s
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
Yes, you do. I have not seen your girls, but I had a big, powerful KNPV malinois who was a dog to beware of. And a lanky goofy teenage boy brindle who I was fostering for the drug dog school in Holland. Walk with mal alone and nobody steered clear of me. Walk with the brindle and mothers would grab their children and scurry to the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street! Crazy! (and I have gotten used to it now. My brindles during detection searches will cause several panic attacks -based on appearance- per scheduled visit)Dutchringgirl wrote: Do we look scary or something?
Judith Van Neerland Dutch Shepherds 
- ZodiacT
- Green Dog
- Posts: 117
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 2:50 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I was introduced to the Dutch Shepherd breed during my time as an Army veterinary technician working with Military Working Dogs. I fell in love with the breed and by pure chance happened to meet a DS in a local rescue who was a police K9 washout and was up for adoption. We adopted Zodiac right away and she has been an important part of our family ever since. We currently compete in Rally-Obedience and participate in Agility.
- Location: Andrews Air Force Base, MD
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
Zodiac ignores people when we walk past them but as a courtesy to people who may be fearful of dogs I always either cross the road or give as much space as possible to oncoming people. Even so, recently while I was walking on the opposite side of the road a little girl who must have been about age 4 began to scream from fear, then shouted "Wolf! Mommy it's a wolf!" while pointing at Zodiac from across the street. Her mother and I both laughed, I reassured her that it was not a wolf, and then the mother began asking me questions about Zodiac's breed commenting on how pretty she is
What bothers me much, MUCH more than the people who avoid us are the people who run up to Zodiac with the intention of petting her without even asking first
.
What bothers me much, MUCH more than the people who avoid us are the people who run up to Zodiac with the intention of petting her without even asking first
Hayley St.Pierre-Thomas and Zodiac RL1-AOE, RL2-AOE, CGC


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GSDNanny
- Training Dog
- Posts: 615
- Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 4:13 pm
- Tell us about yourself: Dogs are my life, what can I say. GSDs primarily for nearly 50 years til bringing in my first DutchShep about 4 years ago. GSD rescue for 9 yrs, nearly 200 thru my home, rehabbed, adopted out. Been involved in AKC ob, herding, tracking, agility; Schutzhund-DVG; scent detection (HR-water)&narcotics, some patrol work. Mostly herding training at present on my little farm.
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
My grandchildren call Zip, the "The big bad wolf", as she plays the part well. I was walking Gris the other day and someone actually asked if she was part 'hyena'.
I giggled because I remembered reading on one of the recent posts here that others' DS had been referred to as hyena. I do get a lot of inquisitive looks when I have mine out in public. Most everyone gives us a wide berth but I remember working with a k9 security group at a mud fest years back and some drunk that night stumbled over toward me and said, oh what a tiny puppy police dog (referring to Zip). It was dark and all I could see were Zip's white teeth and the guy stumbling, scrambling to get away. Oh yeh! I didnt let her nail him although it was so very tempting! 
Denise Gatlin & Zip, Shooter & the K9 crew
Livin' in the deep south - Louisiana
- k9katet
- Training Dog
- Posts: 443
- Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 8:04 pm
- Tell us about yourself: We current own 1 Dutch Shepherd - ThunderHawk's Child of Lilith "Mazikeen"
And we have loved and lost 3 - Vrijheid's Amie "Vada", Vrijheid's Hafwen "Letty" and Sather's High On Life "Narcotic".
We train/compete in mondioring and agility. - Location: Minnesota
- Contact:
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
One time a drunk guy - friend of a friend - showed up at our camp site. I had Copper and Vada in their crates in the van. Suddenly I saw the guy had opened up Copper's crate and was sitting in it petting him. Thank God Copper didn't bite him. He totally got in the wrong crate as I trust Vada way more than Copper. But she's black and has pointy ears so people make assumptions. She has dark eyes too and likes to stare at people confidently. Probably more people are scared of her than I know. Almost no one ever asks to pet her and when they do they are surprised how soft she is. Letty is lighter and has lighter eyes and people stare at her all the time (which gets them barked at - although less now) and want to pet her.
Heather Sather & Mazikeen
http://www.k9katet.com
http://www.k9katet.com
- Diesel
- Green Dog
- Posts: 160
- Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:11 pm
- Tell us about yourself: Hello, my name is Ashlee. I have a Dutch Shepherd who will be 5 this summer. We live in Northwest Territories Canada. Diesel is a typical Dutch Shepherd, very high intelligence and extremely high energy.
- Location: Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
I have a pretty complicated yielding rule list (that I made up over many sidewalk walks):
For example, if I am walking and one person is walking towards me, sorry you have to yield to me and my 2 pups. (but if they don't budge I will move)
If 2 or more people are walking towards me, I will yield.
Kids, always yield.
Person on a bicycle riding on the sidewalk, I am not moving. And the list goes on.... I think it's fair but I evaluate each situation individually.
For example, if I am walking and one person is walking towards me, sorry you have to yield to me and my 2 pups. (but if they don't budge I will move)
If 2 or more people are walking towards me, I will yield.
Kids, always yield.
Person on a bicycle riding on the sidewalk, I am not moving. And the list goes on.... I think it's fair but I evaluate each situation individually.
Ashlee, Diesel and Halo
- Dutchringgirl
- Global Moderator

- Posts: 5692
- Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:05 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am a mom of 6 life forces - 2 kids and 3 dogs 1 hamster. I live in Ct. I have trained Ringsport and Agility and have 2 DS, one 15 and 7 and a Basset Hound Cookie who is 2
- Location: Ct, USA
Re: Did you ever wonder...........
I guess Thalie is pretty scary looking, she is small but stocky and has big eyes. Sadie, well, I guess she may be scary, she is tall and has the huge ears. I have pretty much the same rules as Ashlee, I wont yeild for one person, but two or more and other kids and dogs, Ill pull to the side and have them sit.
Lisa, Thalie CGC & Sadie, Cookie the Basset, CT






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