that poor dog...

[KMMCurly]

When I was too young to know any better, I grabbed the cat's tail in both hands and bent it double. She instantly reached out with a paw and smacked me across the face, I screamed, mom came running in prepared to see blood everywhere...

...amazingly, Livia had kept her claws sheathed (there wasn't even a mark). Mom said later it was like she was disciplining a kitten; no actual aggression, just *bop* "now don't do that".

That reminds me of two of my cats, Pippin and Harry. Smack you with their paw or bite with just enough pressure to let you know 'I'm do not like this crap. Stop.' without doing any damage. Old gents the both of them.

[shankyknitter]

*flies into frothing at the mouth rage*

*ahem* sorry you had to see that.

The best dog I ever had growing up was named Sheba, she was a chow/shepard mix. She'd been abused and for the first 12 months of her life she'd been used as a bait dog for a dog fighting ring. She spent another 6 months in doggie rehab to make her trust people and other dogs again. When she was put up for adoption my dad was taking a huge chance with her, since he had an 18 month old and a 5 year old. The 5 year old being me.

Sheba took a while to warm up to us and calm down in the house. Especially around the other dog we had at the time. But she eventually realized we weren't going to hurt her and became the sweetest dog ever.

People who abuse animals bring out the worst in me, since I keep picturing Sheba as the one they're beating or hurting or neglecting.

[Eisa]

*frothy mouth rage as well*

That reminds me of a story relating to my own dog [who had to be put down a few years ago ]. When he was a puppy, I was around...oh...8, I think? And my sister was 5 or 6. This was a German Shepherd, and as you know, you do not pull on a puppy's ears. If they are supposed to stand upright and you pull on one while they're growing, that ear will flop down.

Well, my parents actually TOLD my sister that she couldn't pull on them [which I think was a bit silly, since I don't think she would have thought about it on her own]. Her friend came over and she told her friend that...and then they both pulled his ear! So for the rest of his life, that one ear could NOT stand up.

It didn't really hurt him, I don't think, but he [and the rest of us] were not happy campers with my sister or her friend. I would say 5-6 is old enough to understand that at least you're not supposed to do that, even if you don't understand why.

Heh. Another time, we were dressing him up in my mom's clothes... Made the mistake of trying to put socks and cowboy boots on him [while he was lying down...NOT while he was standing up, that would have been bad!] and he bit my sister so that it bruised down to the bone. Normally, he was pretty good about just a nip if you pissed him off or hurt him, but that time he meant business! And we obeyed.

Although before that, it was semi-hilarious when we put him in my mother's bikini, put apples in the top [he kept trying to root them out and eat them ], and had him greet my mom home from work.

[shankyknitter]

yeah Sheba used to suffer through tutus, costume pearl clip on earrings and necklace, skirts, dresses and all other indignities that a small girl could put her through. And she'd just sit there with this long suffering look on her face until my father came home and took it all off her. Needless to say she loved my dad, he was her hero from abuse and small child alike

[chainedbarista]

yep, animals have a warning system; i had a cat that would 'tolerate' me picking her up and holding her, but after about a minute, she would give me 'the look,' signalling that she wanted down.

i never had to find out the consequences of what disobeying 'the look' entailed.

that's my thoughts on the matter; if you mess with an animal and they give you a warning, you got what you deserved. choose not to stop and get something nastier, oh well, you were warned.

[Magpie]

yep, animals have a warning system; i had a cat that would 'tolerate' me picking her up and holding her, but after about a minute, she would give me 'the look,' signalling that she wanted down.

When they get old and cranky their warnings get much shorter. "I didn't draw blood, that was clearly a warning". Either that or my inability to read people extends to animals too .

[LingualMonkey]

Too many people view animals as objects. Sadly, that kid will not learn differently.

[blas]

I used to paint Bear's claws with nail polish when I was a teen. I don't think she really minded it. She didn't like me using scrunchies to make her ears into pigtails, though.

[morgana]

I have a very short fuse for garbage like kidlet pulled. I would probably have thumped the back of his head (oh, lightly, lightly) and hissed "what do you think you're doing?" at him. And if Momma had had the nerve to take me to task for it, she *might* have got bitten.

Wouldn't be the first time . . .

Animal lover? Me?

Well, yes, actually . . .

[tropicsgoddess]

Oh HEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL NO! If that was my kid, I would've scolded him in public for doing that to the poor doggie! Glad they got escorted out of the store, serves them right!

[Red_Dazes]

Hell even if it WASN'T my kid I would have gave him a public tongue lashing. If mom isn't going to do it he better find out from someone... or else when he gets older someone is going to deck him for hitting their dog/cat/furry friend......

I'm surprised the poor pup reacted as well as it did. All the dogs I have ever owned have been very well behaved mutts ((my dad would tolerate nothing below absolute obedience lol )) but even they wouldn't have stood for being smacked in the face.

I remember my favorite dog (her name was Nobody) was the sweetest dog ever, sheep dog/rottie mix, when I was little one time I remember smacking her on the nose with a barbie...she let me know real quick that was NOT okay, nipped my arm and took the doll with a growl. I never heard her growl before or after that, then again I was never stupid enough to think hitting the puppy was okay after that... My dad just laughed at me when I told him what happened...called her a good girl and patted her head.

[Flying Grype]

We've had more than one cat who would slap a kid without claws if the kid was being an ass. T would even bite gently if her paws weren't in a convenient location for slapping. The only cat we had who would bite or scratch hard was B, who we were pretty sure had been abused (she hated it when people walked behind her, and she would run and hide if anyone picked up a broom, mop, hockey stick, etc. in her sight).

[BeeMused]

We had a budgie when I was a small kid, I loved him dearly! He would let me grab him and wouldn't even bite me, as I grew older he would, so I learned fast to handle him gently. I remember having him sit on my finger and telling him stories and him twittering his replies.
He was 16 when he died, quite old for the species.