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Comment by bdcravens | Hacker News Reader

A few years ago I was getting some appliances delivered and installed. One of my dogs, a dachshund, got out the front door. As I'm corralling him, I see one of the installers sprint out the front door, slamming it behind him, in obvious fear for his life. Turns out my pit-lab wasn't in her cage, and she wanted to play with the new guy in her house. Of course, he didn't known that, and assumed she was a murderous beast wanting to go for his jugular.

It's a funny story, but had he been in law enforcement (or at least armed, which will be very easy in Texas beginning September 1), I believe that same assumption would have resulted in the death of a sweet family pet.

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Do not think this is funny or smart. Here if this happens he can denounce a dog and it will get picked up by the police if we do not have a good story. And this is not a good story. Be more careful I would think, what if the guy tripped and broke something even if the dog did nothing bad but wanted to play?

Then the same would be true of the dachshund, or my cat, correct?

Or maybe he had an irrational fear of dogs. Maybe he went through a trauma or something in the past. How is it funny?

It's not funny, as much as illustrative of stereotypes: he didn't seem worried about the dachshund, who is always more demonstratively aggressive.

A rational person is more concerned around a trained tiger than a house-cat, despite both having the same capricious-but-usually-peaceful temperament. A rational person considers not only the temperament of the animal, but also the damage it could do. Numerous grown adults have been killed by pitbulls. Dachshunds? Not so much.

I think you understand this, but are pretending not to. Let me tell you, feigned ignorance is not persuasive.

It's not a funny story. Maintain control of your dog or don't have one as a pet.

Yeah, I don't really see why you're getting downvoted here. The poster let one of his dogs escape his house and left another one loose while an appliance installer who didn't know anything about the dog was there.

When I have people in my house who aren't familiar with my dogs (who are friendly), I put the dogs away and let the people know exactly which door they should not open.

If nothing else it's just very, very rude to leave your dog loose in the house when a worker comes in, unless they say it's okay. You don't know if they're allergic or scared of dogs, and they're there to do a job. Show them the respect of allowing them to do their job uninterrupted by your dog (and don't let your dogs escape your house... that's just basic stuff).

While I mostly agree with you, it was literally a chaotic situation. And like most installers, they weren't stopping to ask what was going on or if it was ok to proceed, they just start carrying stuff in like they own the place. Waiting 1-2 minutes to allow us to grab the one dog and put the other dog in her cage would have been enough on their part.

When people come to the door and you have loose dogs at home, you crack the door and say "one minute, let me put the dogs away," then close the door and put the dogs away. Or you just put them away before you open the door. It's crazy that you think appliance people coming to your door to an appointment you've scheduled with them is some uncontrollable environment in which you couldn't have done anything. It's your job to keep your dogs safe.

“ When I have people in my house who aren't familiar with my dogs (who are friendly), I put the dogs away and let the people know exactly which door they should not open.”

And then they go and open that exact door anyway. I’ve had that happen to me.

Okay, well that's still a very different scenario than just leaving your dogs loose and letting one get out when someone comes to the door.

Someone was literally walking around in my house. The dog wanted to play. Not sure I understand "maintain control" in that context. If someone stepped on my cat's tail not looking out, would the same criticism apply?

Better to run and look like a coward than to get bit. Looking like a coward in front of a stranger costs you nothing. Misjudging a dog and getting bit can cost you disfigurement or death. You know your dogs; the appliance installer doesn't.

Also, I think it says something about the temperament and worldview of the owners of these dogs that they so often seem very concerned with appearing brave or cowardly.

Yes, and the dachshund is actually the barker and the biter. The installers didn't seem concerned with him.

"worldview of the owners of these dogs": What kind of dogs? Dachshunds? Pits? Labs? In the my experience, "these dogs" is a bit of a code phrase, similar to when politicians have said "you people". As for my worldview, I am opposed to stereotypes and discrimination and do my best to consistent in that.

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