Questions that fit all over the place

[SSS and Siren]

So I have questions that have been bugging me and my mind is on overload from life so I am trying to unload at least this. 1. I have read never to put your face/head down to a dogs level. This isn't hard for me to do with Siren....I don't have to "go down" far and for some reason she seems to like it. It gets her attention. It doesn't put her in any sort of an aggressive mode it put her in a oh I love you mommy mode. It redirects her. If I bend a little and say her name she shifts gears and comes to me wagging her tail. Do I need to stop this? 2. I only walk Siren for short distances at this point. Yesterday and almost every time she out of nowhere will see a bug, butterfly, low tree branch something and jump up to get it. K, funniest thing ever but like I said out of nowhere I can't even see the bug until after she jumps. HIGH JUMP! I'm talking gnat. It's a controlled jump on her part not frantic and I have her leash but WHOA. NO running. Trying to think of how this will bite me in the butt 20-30lbs from now. Help me what am I not thinking of? Just never seen such a thing. Honestly, wouldn't even begin to know how to stop it. 3. Holy Nose. Every time Terminix comes or I get my lawn mowed or another dog passes by and goes to the bathroom in my yard. Every time someone touches her grass. Any "offensive" smell to her. She won't potty. She will hold it. I fear she will explode! She is old enough now that she has a very firm grip on not going in the house so she will keep licking herself like she is dying but nope not go. She just smells and sneezes her spots. She is on a very regimented schedule so she will wait until about the 3rd pee pee time before she finally lets it go and hold her poo until her 2nd feeding. The fluffs she lets out - girls don't fart in my house...are sinus clearing! I've tried running the sprinklers an extra cycle to get the smell to go away but that doesn't work. Leaving town again and I need to leave my baby(dog) sitter specific instructions. I don't like leaving and feeling like she isn't well prepared. Leaving the boys home with the doggies this time so that helps but my daughter will be sobbing after about 2 days because she misses them Thank goodness for cell phone videos! Any and all help soooooooo much appreciated as always! Was 102lbs at last vet visit...I left that out of the nail clipping debacle which btw I used the toe nail clippers while she was sleeping to get the tips off and she did fine. HMMMMM. Ferocious dog huh?! Would have done more but her nails were too big to fit in there. Dremel here I come.

[CarolB]

I don't put my face down in a strange dog but do on my own. I trust my own dogs but you never know about a dog you don't know. They could consider it as a threat.

[Angel7292]

1. I have read never to put your face/head down to a dogs level. This isn't hard for me to do with Siren....I don't have to "go down" far and for some reason she seems to like it. It gets her attention. It doesn't put her in any sort of an aggressive mode it put her in a oh I love you mommy mode. It redirects her. If I bend a little and say her name she shifts gears and comes to me wagging her tail. Do I need to stop this?

As Carol said, I wouldn't put my face in a strange dogs face at all. You're just asking to get bit. I wouldn't even lean over a dog to pet them where their face was directed at my face.

My pittie mix has issues and I don't put my face in his face either. I really don't think he'd bite me, but I also don't want to put him in any position that he thinks he needs to either. I set him up for success, not failure. He is my rescue with some crazy things going on. I don't even hug him at all. We have a mutual understanding. He walks up and I smoosh his big head into the side of my leg and make kissy sounds. It makes him a happy dog.

I'd get right in Phin's face and right on his level and do as I please. Phin gives eskimo kisses on 'nose' cue. We have stare down contests until one of us nose bumps the other. I always let him win though and nose bump his nose first. However, I know my dog. He thinks my personal space is his personal space and we should share personal space. There are not many days that go by that he doesn't tickle my face with what I call his 'cat fish' whiskers. He has no boundaries and has no problem with me being in his face and at his level. He says, "Yes, please!"

I think generally speaking, you should not be in a dogs face. Better safe, then sorry. I wouldn't say 'never' though. Some dogs, like Phin, relish the extra attention and want to have their face in your face. It has to be your dog and you need to be extremely confident that the situation is as you think it is. Not all dogs, like my pittie mix, like to have people in their face. Even with me owning him for 6 years, I wouldn't trust him like that. His temperament doesn't welcome in your face interactions. A lot of dogs don't.

[Kumah]

I've always done this with my own dogs. I try to get them used to as much touching, kissing, hugging, etc that I possibly can while their pups so when their grown they know it's OK. That it's my way of giving affection. My girls seem to enjoy it, I really like to smoosh their lips and kiss their nose. That usually gets a good tail wag going.

I'm not sure there's really a way to stop the jumping for bugs and stuff, because she sees it before you do. I'd just try to keep redirecting her once she's done it, and I think she'll eventually out grow the behavior.
As for the not going potty, try walking her around the block. Just walk slower, but walking will get everything moving and she'll eventually go. You just have to keep her outside long enough. I think this is kind of like a picky eater situation, don't give in, if she doesn't go don't let her back inside until she does.

Kumah is a very picky potty-er, we go outside and Nala goes at the snap of a finger. Kumah on the other hand, takes like 10 minutes to find a spot worthy enough to pee on. She has standards, and if it doesn't meet them it's off to find a different spot lol. I literally sometimes have to walk her for 10-15 minutes before she'll finally go, not ideal when I'm running late for work

[mnmouse]

Mouse LOVES when we cup our hands completely around his nose and give him a big smooch on his smushed up lips lol. He comes back for more more more. Your face in your dog's face isn't bad if it's affection, play AND they like it. If I did the same thing to some random person on the street, they'd probably deck me or have me arrested, though! Same thing with random dogs lol

[jrturk]

Agree, I wouldn't put my face in a strange dog's face but Lola likes it. I also try not to let my boys (ages 1 and 3) see when I kiss Lola's squishy face, because I don't want them to think it is OK to do that to other dogs.

[Charlene]

He thinks my personal space is his personal space and we should share personal space. There are not many days that go by that he doesn't tickle my face with what I call his 'cat fish' whiskers. He has no boundaries and has no problem with me being in his face and at his level. He says, "Yes, please!"

oh, this describes samson to a "t"!!! the 7 months i had that sweet boy, i HAD no personal space. i loved every minute of it and i miss it SO much!

olivia does not like strangers in her face. although she is a gentle old soul, she WILL curl a lip if somebody gets in her face. i always tell people just please don't do it. i don't think she would bite but i'm not taking any chances.

on the other hand, she absolutely loves it when i hug and kiss her. she leans her head into my cheek and can't get enough. i will put my mouth on her cheek, just below her eye and make those silly "popping" kissy noises. she will lean so hard into my face with her head, it's like she's gonna knock me over.

[SuzanneRM82]

I get in Eisen's face all the time, and he gets in mine at least twice as often lol. He doesn't even usually care if strangers do it (though I do intervene when they try), you just have to beware of tongue. Fergus is a bit more iffy about it. He usually does not care, but if he's not in the mood will turn his head away. I'd never ever ever do it to a strange dog though.

[SSS and Siren]

The face thing is different than kisses and hugs. All of my dogs get smashed in the face with both of those by everyone in my family and I mean literally smashed. They LOVE it. MY 2 youngest are careful to not bother them while sleeping, eating ect. My oldest and I on the other hand being the main caretakers have a little more room for error I guess? Of course no one likes to be startled but I guess he and I being older are just much more in tune to the dogs. Siren's lips are my most favorite thing they get a lot of action from my lips... I almost suck them off her face! She is kissing back at this point or at least laying on top of me or relaxing. The other is occurring when I want her to do something and I am trying to get her attention. Like when you say a child's name 10 times and say "look at me when I am talking to you!" It is more lowering myself to her level and then she brings herself to me...to my face. I believe every individual knows their OWN dog better than anyone else however I also love that I can come here and drop questions and learn from all of your wisdom and experience so I can stop over analyzing myself to death and just move on and relax and enjoy or address issues before they become problems! Thank you!

[SaraJewel03]

Moose is very choosy about his potty spot too. He will only pee in HIS backyard. I walk him around the neighborhood, take him on a car ride to the vet, or we can take him out with us for the day and somehow he holds it until he's back home in his yard.

We will play in the front yard for an hour then put him in the back and he immediately does his business.

I sort of feel the same way about using "public" restrooms though

[21softballstar]

I get in Willow's face all the time....or, rather, she gets in mine But I would never get in another dog's face or at their level. You just don't know them.

Just had to bring this up because it happened yesterday. I took Willow some place with me and this couple came up and immediately started commenting on her small size and, "She can't be a year old, can she?"

"Well, actually she's 18 months." They asked if they could pet her, and I said yes, to which the guy then got down on his knees RIGHT level with Willow and I was over here like . Then he commented on her small lip as well (sighh). The lady then put her hand under Willow's face, brought her chin lightly up, and began kissing her right on the lips! Willow was perfect throughout it all, but REALLY people, are you asking to get bit??