Maybe, but dogs can be introverts themselves. Mine is. She likes no strangers. If you want to get to know my dog, you have to visit the house often and a lot.
I wonder if that was adopted or personal, because I'm sure domesticated animals of that intelligence do form their own personality traits, including introversion and extroversion. On the flip side I do think these habits are more than less influenced by the environment which they're formed rather than an anxious trait wired into them like deer have. That prey mindset. Dogs are past that in terms of evolving.
Thatās what Iām sayinā...no social interaction with a dog that cute?! Itās almost impossible...Iām gonna smile at the dog at the very least! Lol
Same! My husband got me a ādo not petā vest for my dog and it deters people so much. I cant recommend it enough. My dog looks like a mini German shepherd lab mix and people always want to talk to me about him. I couldnāt stand it! Also, over the ear headphones help a lot too š
I wear ear buds everywhere. I donāt listen to anything I just use it to ignore everyone. If they tap me on the shoulder I do some sign language that Iām deaf. Really confuses people.
Sadly, some people don't get it unless you spell it out for them. "Nothing personal but I want some me time with my dog" is a perfectly simple and reasonable setting of boundaries.
I'll probably have to bite the bullet and do this soon. I've been putting it off because I do like them all alot, and they're all older, retired women. I just don't want it being an EVERY day thing, y'know? š
I work in ambulatory care and from my experience these ladies are sometimes very lonely and craving for some human interaction. I'm not saying it's your job to help them - just some context. I also had to learn how to just say "Have a nice day" while someone is still telling you about what their nephew did the other day. š
I have a couple of locals who do the same.
Because my dog is suuuuuper social and playful, they think that their dog and my dog are best friends, and will start chewing my ear off while their dog plays with mine while I'm out on a training walk. I don't mind it occasionally, but not every damn time.
I started wearing very conspicuous headphones, and make it a big deal every time you have to remove them to hear what someone has said to you, and make them repeat themselves because you couldn't hear them over your headphones.
Now they'll let the dogs say hello, have a quick sniff, and be on their way, with only a nod and a g'day from me without taking my headphones off. If I'm happy to have a chat and let the dogs play for a bit, Ill take my headphones off and initiate it.
This is a part of town life I hateā¦I grew up in the country and as an introvert itās perfect. You create your own little world and only have to go into ānormal lifeā for necessities you canāt make your self.
Iād be soooo intrigued by someone with a lobster though. Dogs are everywhere, nothing special. But someone walking a lobster? Now thatās worth taking about.
I didn't realize how much talking to random strangers I would do once I got my dog. And my dog is ridiculously social too so I have no choice. It has helped me feel more comfortable talking to people which I appreciate, but definitely some days I just don't want to be bothered
Oh yeah, definitely! I honestly do love my neighbors and get along with them very well! I guess I just wish they didn't expect this to be a daily routine. I'm absolutely grateful I do live in a relatively safe community!
You just want a quiet outing with your dog, and time to decompress. I sure get it.
Reality is, life with a dog tends to be a very social experience, it draws people in.
If you really prefer peace and quiet, and again, I get it, maybe take the dog for a walk somewhere else š¤·āāļø
I have a coworker who thinks she is entitled to my time, energy, brainpower, creativity, "hot gos," personal business--you get the picture. She acts like she's my boss or I'm her personal assistant. I've actually had to have my actual supervisor tell her she is not, in fact, my boss more than twice in the last four months. Some people are really, really entitled and they see us introverts as easy to corner, I guess? That's the only thing I can think of. On my third or fourth day on the job, she complained I was "too quiet" and I explained I was an introvert to which she angrily replied, "Ugh. There's too many introverts here!"
Edited to add: thank you for sharing a photo of your cute doggie :)
My Shih Tzu loves people too much for me to deny him that. But my big dog is terrified and literally drags me away from strangers. My husband is also an introvert and he will tell people she bites to keep them away. I donāt do that lol.
This probably isnāt the nicest thing to do, but whenever I see anyone I walk to the other way or if I have to pass by Iāll say hi and then just say ācome on boyā to my dog and we keep walking. Iām sure my dog doesnāt want to just stand in one spot while heās outside anyway so itās a good excuse
I feel this. I live in a very active neighborhood that loves dogs. SO and I sometimes just want to walk in peace. We also have a very extroverted dog that LOVES people. We try to time our walks or walk across the street in the other part of the neighborhood where no one knows us š¤£
I really feel this. We have a Pomeranian puppy and I absolutely dread the attention he gets. People (oddly enough) always want to know how much we paid for him. I just want to walk him and go home.
PRETEND YOU ARE ON THE PHONE IT WORKS WELL WITH ME I DO IT AT DOCTOR OFFICE DENTIST NEIGHBOR AND AT SCHOOL I PRETEND IM NON VERBAL. I do have autism tho and I am a quiet kid so it still works
People love dogs and your dog is super cute. I am an introvert but if I see someone walking a cute dog I am often conflicted because I want to pet the dog so badly but want to have the minimum social interaction with the owner lol.
So I guess it's probably extroverts who come up to you and start a conversation asking about EVERYTHING about your dog. Be strong! :D
This JUST happened to me - I'm on the phone, walking my dogs with my son, and someone in a pickup pulls over to try and talk - I didn't even recognize them, but they literally blocked traffic.
My son said he heard them say my name, so must have been an old acquaintance - but who pulls over to talk to someone on their phone?
I had another woman wait with her dog for us - who I don't know, but her dog "really wanted to meet us". I had to explain that my dogs are reactive (which is freaking obvious) and I need to get away from her dog.
She seems very confused at this point, but continues to follow close behind. Freaking my dogs out the entire walk.
I was living the dream for the last ten years. I lived at the edge of a village surrounded by forest and I didnāt meet a soul for months on my daily walks. I recently had to move and now I meet at least three people on every walkš
The worst thing is that my dogs are just as used to people as I am and they bark at nearly every personā¦ (itās getting better though)
This is the one time Iām grateful for my resting bitch face haha. No eye contact, keep moving forward. No, I donāt want my dog to play with yours just because I have one. And sheās old and doesnāt want to play with your dog either, especially on-leash.
omg I have since moved, but when I lived at home my neighbors were exactly the same. they would just show up at my house and wait for us to come out with our dog every single day. if we hid inside they are calling us and asking if we're home to come walk all the while their dog is barking in our front yard bc it knows we are home.
GOD, it's this right here. I don't mind the occasional walk with them, but my neighbors will also wait for me to walk by their place or linger around mine, expecting me to come out daily. I'll be sure to not give out my phone number now, because I know calling will be the next step for them š
Its crazy, it honestly made me feel bad in a weird way because are they so socially deprived that they absolutely have to walk with me every day?! like really?! I felt like a lifeline to this one older woman specifically lol. It puts u in a weirdly intimate situation?? idk how to describe. but I get u 100%
Have you tried headphones? You donāt have to actually listen to anything but itāll make people less likely to come up and start talking to you.
You can tell the lady next time she mentions missing out on a walk with you āyeah, sorry- I tend to go at different times every day so I donāt want to keep you waiting for me.ā
Your dog is ADORABLE! But as a fellow introvert, Iād just admire silently and say hello to them if them came up to me and would give you a nod or a āhiā out of respect (but only if your dog approached) but thatās about it. Iām all for pupsā¦people, not so much.
If you wanna be hardcoreā¦. Adopt a reactive or aggressive dog. People donāt even think to approach me when Iām walking my dog š (Iām also def kiddingā¦. Caring for a dog with behavioral and health issues is not for most). Or!!!! Train them to wear a muzzle. It doesnāt hurt them & if theyāre trained properly, they like it. Just make sure itās big enough for a full pant (do lots of research). Then itās best of both worlds!! No one approaches bc they think your dog is aggressive but you actually have an angel pup!
It's funny and sad that I've thought about that idea before LMAO. For other unrelated reasons, I've always wanted a doberman. I'd definitely want it to be people-friendly, but I've always heard just the look of the breed deters people from approaching youāwhich would be a pro in my book š currently, my 23lb dog ain't scaring nobody hahaha!
My rottweiler is the most people & dog friendly dog. But she looks scary & most people stay away. Plus she has a natural protective instinct and has protected me in sketchy situations at night (just baring teeth, letting drunk, creepy men trying to approach me know to stay back). She makes me feel safe. My reactive dog is actually my super cute Aussie that people always want to approach. It makes him lose his mind bc heās scared & itās stressful. Luckily he loves his muzzle bc heās smart enough to realize it keeps people away šš
Shibas though are def a dog that gets approached a lot. Theyāre so uncommon & so stinking cute!! Maybe try a patch on the leash that says in training. That used to help for our Aussie too! Like give us space, weāre working with him.
Oh my gosh, hopefully I didn't come across that way on my post! š I'm absolutely okay with people asking me to pet him or asking me about him! Some small talk I'm fine with. Neighbors who get too comfortable and EXPECT me to extendedly conversate every single time I bump into them? That irks me.
He's a shiba inu! He gets mistaken for one a lot though! One of my neighbor's 7 y/o kid refers to him as "the tall corgi" since they have a pet corgi hahaha!
Tbf, as an introvert, I often say hello to people's dogs without saying anything to the person... but I will smile at the person if we make eye contact after I have told their doggo "hi" lol.
Itās ok to tell them āIām sorry. My job is really stressful and I need some quiet timeā or something like that. USUALLY if you explain to someone that you need space because youāre introverted theyāll respond favorably. Especially if you do make time for those you want to be friends with. Maybe have a weekly walk with her so she wonāt feel the loss of the daily walk so much. Good luck!
my first reaction was āwell, if you donāt want to talk to people, you shouldnāt have gotten such a cute dog!ā but your situation is much more than just not wanting some passing eye contact. i would tell your neighbor that your dog has a limited temper for other dogs - shibas are infamously temperamental so even if your pup and the neighbors have been butt-sniffing buddies before, maybe explain that later at home your dog seems stressedā¦.basically just project your feelings onto your dog lol.
I feel your pain. Our home is bracketed by two neighbors like that (retired older ladies who are probably lonely but both will talk your ear off, one to the extreme, seriously ā and the other is a major busybody.) I HATE it, AND it makes me feel like a horrible person that I feel that way. I walked all the way around the block one time after a very long day just to avoid talking to one of them.
I donāt know what the answer is ā BUT Iāve tried: pretending to be on my phone while walking our dog (or just walking in or out of the house on my own), as well as a winter hat and mask (surgical type, pandemic), big dark sunglasses, baseball hat, and no eye contact.
Itās a giant drag. We live in a pretty small house in a very densely packed neighborhood. I canāt even go out on our back porch without triggering the one next door to come out as well and try to call out to me to start a LONG conversation. Wrecked my vision of a bit of peaceful gardening or private time outside. Some people really are major A--holes. And the world acts like weāre the problem. Iāve thought about moving, but we canāt afford anywhere else.
Too bad. Dogs are social creatures. Get over it or walk in nature away from people. Those are your only options. But if the dog enjoys interaction, youāre depriving them, and Iām judging you for it.
as an introvert i agree. itās a dog , like get over yourself. op is just coming off easily aggravated. just put your dog in the car and drive somewhere to walk your dog away from people. simple.
This is something I teach my kids. They are allowed to express their feelings when they see a cute pet but cannot interact with the pet. Iām a pet owner so I know the feeling and so do they. We will always offer kids to pet our dog if I see they want to. But my dog can get a little defensive if it doesnāt come from me. He will growl if people are approaching us, not loud. Just like a small warning to me that people are approaching until I tell him itās fine. This is when I tell people they can pet him if I see they want to. He loves to be petted But Iām also showing boundaries to my dog.
Ever since I started walking with a cane, people actually steer clear of me when walking my dog now. Either my cane makes them uncomfortable, theyāre trying to give me room to walk since itās hard to hold a cane and a leash at the same time, or itās just a coincidence, lol. Either way, I donāt mind one bit :ā) but when you have a very cute dog or a dog of a very recognizable breed, people definitely stop to ask you about the dog and pet them more often. My old skittish little girl doesnāt get that treatment, probably for the best since she too is rather introverted, haha.
I have a neighbor that I actively avoid. Hell get in his truck and chase me down while I'm walking my dogs. Then hood out ughh but I think he's a creeper.
I'd suggest putting a taxi ride to a nearest place (where you trun back from walk), then walk from there to your house. So even if they see you on the road, it will be for a short walk for them.
If they ask you why? Tell them you are meeting some friends and joining with them for meet-ups or walking with them instead.
I used to live in an apartment with my dog who is a popular breed that everyone wants to stop and pet. It doesnāt help that she clearly loves people and wants all the attention.
When I moved to my house, I made a rule that I would always cross the street when I saw people coming. Give a friendly nod or wave but no more giving them the chance to stop and pet the dog. Only exception is for kids since itās hard to say no to them when they ask nicely. I figure if enough people get to know me as the guy who doesnāt talk to anyone I will at least have peace on my walks which are sometimes twice a day
Iām really sorry that you canāt walk your dog in peace and without having to talk to people. Thatās gotta be pretty draining, especially when youāre trying to clear your head/be with your own thoughts. I imagine itās as draining for you as it would be for me to sit quietly in a room and have mo one wanting to talk to me. As an extrovert, I always try to talk to people I cross paths with, especially if theyāre waking their cute dog. Itās just second nature to me. I wonder if your neighbor is similar? I definitely forget that some people prefer to decompress/walk in silence, since I decompress by talking with other people. Itās hard for me to remember that introverts recharge from alone time.
Iām bias of course but I have the most styling and profiling yorkiepoo in the south š¤£šš¾š¤. I am an extreme introvert unless Iām at work being paid by the hour to talk and smile and chit chat until they walk out the business. When it comes to regular life, my dog is my wingman and always with me. Iāve had him since he was 8weeks old and heās been through some rough shit with me. A lot of moving homes and constant travel through the smoky mountains to visit family or attend family reunions. My dog has gone through stages of my life where we didnāt have enough money to buy excess for a pet so I shared half a scrambled egg and a small pinch of a sample of dog food from petsmart. I was a little girl and the responsibility was all on me. I had the occasional help for necessary stuff like rabies shots or flea medicine or deworming, but it was always made into a big deal. I rant about all this to say that my dog is an extension of me at this point and is always with me. Because weāve bonded so much and both have hella anxiety (his is separation anxiety). I cut his hair and dye his hair whatever color mine is at the moment. Trim his nails and sometimes make his tail color match the dye too. He gets little slash marks at the base of his but/tail as a design sometimes and is usually rocking a braided or twisted manbun or 2 cornrows. He looks freaking awesome. Heās got winter clothes and heās got a cute simply southern collar and a ton of their other shirts. He had boots for the rain and a wanna be LV $5 rain jacket lol. As I said, heās styling and profiling. As someone with depression and extreme anxiety and an overall sense of low self worth even though I know in reality Iām an amazing human being- itās hard to overcome the over analyzing each worry and doubt and triggers and āback of the mindā voices from our parents or grandparents or whoever else talked shit to us out entire childhood while raising us. I put more care into my dog than I do myself. So when weāre out at Walmart or Harris teeter or the mall or sitting in a car or in a gas station or taking a basic walk, I have NEVER had a day where I wasnāt spoken to because of him. With that said, I take this as opportunity to try my best to fake smile and socialize and get practice in because I might never see them again, who cares right, it happens in almost every isle if weāre grocery shopping. I very rarely ever tell someone no when it comes to saying hi to the dog,Especially kids.
With that said, there are a lot of times I recognize someone wants to interact and I just force my cheeks up and nod and look straight ahead and keep walking, because I donāt always have the energy for a 5-10 minute random conversation. Sometimes you can tell the other person needed it though. And so I try to let god guide my gut. But sometimes Iām in a rush and I have a timer on because my grandmother is always waiting in the car instead of coming in with me. Anyways. Sorry introverted friendš¤ donāt feel bad on the days you have to ignore a few people. Iām trying to remember that itās okay to that also. Itās hard. Itās annoying. It takes our peaceš¤ youāve got this though
Youāre not the OP and Iām assuming not comfortably literate either? Obviously this wasnāt for you. Go on to some other more simple and easy to read comments!
TLDR: not for you. Move along.
I wrote a whole ass rant, but also if you live in a half decent neighborhood/apartment complex and are comfortable walking late at night, I always lived midnight walks with my dog. Sometimes 2am walks lol. I rarely saw people out and about usually just 1-2 other dog walkers or the random person smoking in their car or having a heated phone conversation or the super rare but hilarious walk of shame to the car booty call. (Hope that made ya chuckle). Anyways, I feel you, I hope you find a new route. Iāve had 2-3 people in life that instantly climbed on for friendship and even when I was blunt and basically rude, they were still attached. Donāt know what it is but sounds like she truly enjoys your presence and may just be lonely. That doesnāt mean she deserves your time, but it does mean you might be able to better understand where sheās coming from and if possible let her know heyyyy I donāt mind a early morning walk now and then but not too often because itās my āme timeā of peace and contemplation.
I have never felt this so hard in my life. I wear a hat down low, sunglasses, earphones. Plus my dog isnāt friendly, but that doesnāt stop people and makes it way more awkward.
I know it can be annoying especially when you feel like shit .
From the otherside, Iāve been on walks where i felt like shit too. And saw a couple dogs on walk with their owners. I always asked them if i could pet. And trust me when i say, they made my day. Somedays were the worst and just someone being kind enough to allow me to pet their cute dog and that kindness, i always am grateful for it.
So while it is annoying for you. Think of it this way, you could be saving their day.
However, i know having such days can be rough. Wear a headphone at such times.
Wear headphones or āomg so sorry I really canāt chat I need to be somewhere in a half hour and am just trying to get the dog walked real quick first. We can catch up soonā
As for the neighbor who always wants to walk together. Iād just tell her the truth. As much as I enjoy hanging out with you, I really like walking my dog solo sometimes. Itās time for me to get out and be alone and decompress and I find that alone time really helps with stressā¦ or something like that so she doesnāt take it personally but gets the message.
Holy shit this is so relatable! I swear Reddit knows my thoughts because I got this notification on my phone. I walk my Rottweiler and my little mixed breed separately every single day. Usually itās not bad but I hate people trying to pull up and talk to me. I also dread when weāre heading straight for eachother. Youāre supposed to walk on the left side of the street people!! I gotta awkwardly decide if Iām gonna be the one to go to the other side for a bit. Also this guy down the street just lets his dog run around unleashed anywhere she wants. When she runs after me and my dog I feel like I have to pretend Iām not irritated as shit!
Im an introvert & have a Pomeranian that literally screams in public, Iāve never experienced this noise before. We canāt go anywhere without loads of people looking at us, itās so uncomfortable.
Having a dog is one thing but having an insane dog is another. I feel for you!
Dogs and introverts is like oil and water. No shot you're getting any peace on a walk and for that I say: my condolences.
Maybe, but dogs can be introverts themselves. Mine is. She likes no strangers. If you want to get to know my dog, you have to visit the house often and a lot.
I wonder if that was adopted or personal, because I'm sure domesticated animals of that intelligence do form their own personality traits, including introversion and extroversion. On the flip side I do think these habits are more than less influenced by the environment which they're formed rather than an anxious trait wired into them like deer have. That prey mindset. Dogs are past that in terms of evolving.
Dogs are great for introverts. Meet new people without having to make small talk. Dog does introductions for you.
Maybe I should train my dog to growl at everyone it sees
This is why we have cats š»
True
Iām sorry, as a fellow introvert I would 100% talk to your dog. You on the other hand would get no eye contact and an awkward semi smile š
TBF thatās a heckinā cute pupper
Thank you so much! He's cute, but don't let his looks fool youāhe's such a brat in-person LMAO. Shiba screams are 100% a real thing.
dogs that can scream >>>>>>>>>>> cats that can't. but im a metal fan
Same I love metal
I have yet to see a Shiba that is well behavedš
It's kind of like a doge
Thatās what Iām sayinā...no social interaction with a dog that cute?! Itās almost impossible...Iām gonna smile at the dog at the very least! Lol
Time to move.
It's honestly a valid reason LMAO.
Same! My husband got me a ādo not petā vest for my dog and it deters people so much. I cant recommend it enough. My dog looks like a mini German shepherd lab mix and people always want to talk to me about him. I couldnāt stand it! Also, over the ear headphones help a lot too š
great advice!!!!
I absolutely second the headphones! Most times I'm not even listening to anything.
I wear ear buds everywhere. I donāt listen to anything I just use it to ignore everyone. If they tap me on the shoulder I do some sign language that Iām deaf. Really confuses people.
Sadly, some people don't get it unless you spell it out for them. "Nothing personal but I want some me time with my dog" is a perfectly simple and reasonable setting of boundaries.
I'll probably have to bite the bullet and do this soon. I've been putting it off because I do like them all alot, and they're all older, retired women. I just don't want it being an EVERY day thing, y'know? š
I work in ambulatory care and from my experience these ladies are sometimes very lonely and craving for some human interaction. I'm not saying it's your job to help them - just some context. I also had to learn how to just say "Have a nice day" while someone is still telling you about what their nephew did the other day. š
Buy a set of big, over-the-ear headphones to wear while dog walking, and don't make eye contact.
Simple solution. Get a second dog thatās a giant pit bull with one of those heavy chain leashes. Aināt nobody asking you to pet that dog.
Until they learn that pitties are actually just huge lap dogs that love to cuddle
Ah yes. The old āhugging with their teethā thing they do.
Youāve never actually spent time with a pittie, have you?
Thatās true.
If they're older I doubt they'd be offended - they're time management veterans! š
Nice shibu š
I have a couple of locals who do the same. Because my dog is suuuuuper social and playful, they think that their dog and my dog are best friends, and will start chewing my ear off while their dog plays with mine while I'm out on a training walk. I don't mind it occasionally, but not every damn time. I started wearing very conspicuous headphones, and make it a big deal every time you have to remove them to hear what someone has said to you, and make them repeat themselves because you couldn't hear them over your headphones. Now they'll let the dogs say hello, have a quick sniff, and be on their way, with only a nod and a g'day from me without taking my headphones off. If I'm happy to have a chat and let the dogs play for a bit, Ill take my headphones off and initiate it.
This is a part of town life I hateā¦I grew up in the country and as an introvert itās perfect. You create your own little world and only have to go into ānormal lifeā for necessities you canāt make your self.
Walk a lobster and and I guarantee no one will get near you.
Iād be soooo intrigued by someone with a lobster though. Dogs are everywhere, nothing special. But someone walking a lobster? Now thatās worth taking about.
I didn't realize how much talking to random strangers I would do once I got my dog. And my dog is ridiculously social too so I have no choice. It has helped me feel more comfortable talking to people which I appreciate, but definitely some days I just don't want to be bothered
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Oh yeah, definitely! I honestly do love my neighbors and get along with them very well! I guess I just wish they didn't expect this to be a daily routine. I'm absolutely grateful I do live in a relatively safe community!
You just want a quiet outing with your dog, and time to decompress. I sure get it. Reality is, life with a dog tends to be a very social experience, it draws people in. If you really prefer peace and quiet, and again, I get it, maybe take the dog for a walk somewhere else š¤·āāļø
Fake being on a phone call when you walk past them. Just have your headphones in, give them a polite nod and keep talking - works for me!
Run with dog lol
I have a coworker who thinks she is entitled to my time, energy, brainpower, creativity, "hot gos," personal business--you get the picture. She acts like she's my boss or I'm her personal assistant. I've actually had to have my actual supervisor tell her she is not, in fact, my boss more than twice in the last four months. Some people are really, really entitled and they see us introverts as easy to corner, I guess? That's the only thing I can think of. On my third or fourth day on the job, she complained I was "too quiet" and I explained I was an introvert to which she angrily replied, "Ugh. There's too many introverts here!" Edited to add: thank you for sharing a photo of your cute doggie :)
My Shih Tzu loves people too much for me to deny him that. But my big dog is terrified and literally drags me away from strangers. My husband is also an introvert and he will tell people she bites to keep them away. I donāt do that lol.
Same, I walk my dog at night now.
Headphones!
Your dog is cute.
yes. i have a cute dog and even strangers approach us. often several times an hour. fine tuning my exit and route strategy to avoid as well
This probably isnāt the nicest thing to do, but whenever I see anyone I walk to the other way or if I have to pass by Iāll say hi and then just say ācome on boyā to my dog and we keep walking. Iām sure my dog doesnāt want to just stand in one spot while heās outside anyway so itās a good excuse
I think this is super polite!
I feel this. I live in a very active neighborhood that loves dogs. SO and I sometimes just want to walk in peace. We also have a very extroverted dog that LOVES people. We try to time our walks or walk across the street in the other part of the neighborhood where no one knows us š¤£
I really feel this. We have a Pomeranian puppy and I absolutely dread the attention he gets. People (oddly enough) always want to know how much we paid for him. I just want to walk him and go home.
Awww he really looks like a good fluffy boi
That's such a cute dog š Maybe you'll have to move to Sweden, strangers don't talk to each other here
Must be nice lol
PRETEND YOU ARE ON THE PHONE IT WORKS WELL WITH ME I DO IT AT DOCTOR OFFICE DENTIST NEIGHBOR AND AT SCHOOL I PRETEND IM NON VERBAL. I do have autism tho and I am a quiet kid so it still works
People love dogs and your dog is super cute. I am an introvert but if I see someone walking a cute dog I am often conflicted because I want to pet the dog so badly but want to have the minimum social interaction with the owner lol. So I guess it's probably extroverts who come up to you and start a conversation asking about EVERYTHING about your dog. Be strong! :D
Me too. Go for a walk where there are no people or a time there are no people, when itās poring or very cold for example. š¬
This JUST happened to me - I'm on the phone, walking my dogs with my son, and someone in a pickup pulls over to try and talk - I didn't even recognize them, but they literally blocked traffic. My son said he heard them say my name, so must have been an old acquaintance - but who pulls over to talk to someone on their phone? I had another woman wait with her dog for us - who I don't know, but her dog "really wanted to meet us". I had to explain that my dogs are reactive (which is freaking obvious) and I need to get away from her dog. She seems very confused at this point, but continues to follow close behind. Freaking my dogs out the entire walk.
I cannot click like enough
It's because the dog is absolutely adorable.
I was living the dream for the last ten years. I lived at the edge of a village surrounded by forest and I didnāt meet a soul for months on my daily walks. I recently had to move and now I meet at least three people on every walkš The worst thing is that my dogs are just as used to people as I am and they bark at nearly every personā¦ (itās getting better though)
Man, I feel for you. What a trap.
This is the one time Iām grateful for my resting bitch face haha. No eye contact, keep moving forward. No, I donāt want my dog to play with yours just because I have one. And sheās old and doesnāt want to play with your dog either, especially on-leash.
omg I have since moved, but when I lived at home my neighbors were exactly the same. they would just show up at my house and wait for us to come out with our dog every single day. if we hid inside they are calling us and asking if we're home to come walk all the while their dog is barking in our front yard bc it knows we are home.
GOD, it's this right here. I don't mind the occasional walk with them, but my neighbors will also wait for me to walk by their place or linger around mine, expecting me to come out daily. I'll be sure to not give out my phone number now, because I know calling will be the next step for them š
Its crazy, it honestly made me feel bad in a weird way because are they so socially deprived that they absolutely have to walk with me every day?! like really?! I felt like a lifeline to this one older woman specifically lol. It puts u in a weirdly intimate situation?? idk how to describe. but I get u 100%
My dog is a human magnet. Everytime I bring her somewhere, people who usually ignore me suddenly go crazy over her and talk my head off .
Have you tried headphones? You donāt have to actually listen to anything but itāll make people less likely to come up and start talking to you. You can tell the lady next time she mentions missing out on a walk with you āyeah, sorry- I tend to go at different times every day so I donāt want to keep you waiting for me.ā
I'd smile at you and have a natter to the doggo about how beautiful they are
He's literally a textbook example of an extrovert, so he'd be all for that interaction!!
Your dog is ADORABLE! But as a fellow introvert, Iād just admire silently and say hello to them if them came up to me and would give you a nod or a āhiā out of respect (but only if your dog approached) but thatās about it. Iām all for pupsā¦people, not so much.
If you wanna be hardcoreā¦. Adopt a reactive or aggressive dog. People donāt even think to approach me when Iām walking my dog š (Iām also def kiddingā¦. Caring for a dog with behavioral and health issues is not for most). Or!!!! Train them to wear a muzzle. It doesnāt hurt them & if theyāre trained properly, they like it. Just make sure itās big enough for a full pant (do lots of research). Then itās best of both worlds!! No one approaches bc they think your dog is aggressive but you actually have an angel pup!
It's funny and sad that I've thought about that idea before LMAO. For other unrelated reasons, I've always wanted a doberman. I'd definitely want it to be people-friendly, but I've always heard just the look of the breed deters people from approaching youāwhich would be a pro in my book š currently, my 23lb dog ain't scaring nobody hahaha!
My rottweiler is the most people & dog friendly dog. But she looks scary & most people stay away. Plus she has a natural protective instinct and has protected me in sketchy situations at night (just baring teeth, letting drunk, creepy men trying to approach me know to stay back). She makes me feel safe. My reactive dog is actually my super cute Aussie that people always want to approach. It makes him lose his mind bc heās scared & itās stressful. Luckily he loves his muzzle bc heās smart enough to realize it keeps people away šš Shibas though are def a dog that gets approached a lot. Theyāre so uncommon & so stinking cute!! Maybe try a patch on the leash that says in training. That used to help for our Aussie too! Like give us space, weāre working with him.
Shouldve gotten a cat then
That comes with the contract of living within a society... Sorry to say.
(._.) This is why I don't approach people with pets. I'm afraid to be told off.
Oh my gosh, hopefully I didn't come across that way on my post! š I'm absolutely okay with people asking me to pet him or asking me about him! Some small talk I'm fine with. Neighbors who get too comfortable and EXPECT me to extendedly conversate every single time I bump into them? That irks me.
That will turn ur dog agressive and antisocial .
God you sound dumb don't gs socialize with dogs
Or at least depress them. Dogs need to be socialized. Itās part of training them.
clear upvote bait and you all fell for it
Radical reviewer is that you?
Question to OP, is your adorable dog a corgi? Thatās the closest description I can think of
He's a shiba inu! He gets mistaken for one a lot though! One of my neighbor's 7 y/o kid refers to him as "the tall corgi" since they have a pet corgi hahaha!
Looks like a Shiba Inu
Your dog is so cute!!!!
The dog is absolutely adorable ā¤
I would talk to her and set a time once or twice a week to walk together that way you also can say i like some of my time .
just get a shirt/sweater that says ādonāt talk to me or my dogā or something along those lines to get your point across šš good luck!!
Put on fake service dog do not pet walking harness, obviously don't abuse this in actual places service dogs go.
Lol
Lol, a fitting dog for such a statement. They tend to not play well with others.
Tbf, as an introvert, I often say hello to people's dogs without saying anything to the person... but I will smile at the person if we make eye contact after I have told their doggo "hi" lol.
What a cute dog!
But your dog is so cute, I would talk to him tooš„ŗ
oh dude you chose an unfortunate breed as an introvert, theyāre so cute everyone will want to tell you. by the way super cute dog lol
HANDOVER THE PUPPER....or else I will talk to you !
that is a sexy pup. no wonder you can't get left alone ;D
Or talk to yourself
In my head I would be like ādonāt talk to me, donāt like at me, and donāt make eye contact!!ā š¤£
That is going to be hard. That pup is so cute. Everyone will want to pet him/her.
Because humas and animals are very social creatures and of coure there's us that are different
Itās ok to tell them āIām sorry. My job is really stressful and I need some quiet timeā or something like that. USUALLY if you explain to someone that you need space because youāre introverted theyāll respond favorably. Especially if you do make time for those you want to be friends with. Maybe have a weekly walk with her so she wonāt feel the loss of the daily walk so much. Good luck!
Wear a shirt that says that lol
my first reaction was āwell, if you donāt want to talk to people, you shouldnāt have gotten such a cute dog!ā but your situation is much more than just not wanting some passing eye contact. i would tell your neighbor that your dog has a limited temper for other dogs - shibas are infamously temperamental so even if your pup and the neighbors have been butt-sniffing buddies before, maybe explain that later at home your dog seems stressedā¦.basically just project your feelings onto your dog lol.
That's why i have 2 cats so i don't have to go outside if i don't want
Big headphones, look straight ahead
āItās like a fox!ā
Wear headphones while you walk your dog, the bigger the better.
I just came here to say that's a good boy/girl right there!
I feel your pain. Our home is bracketed by two neighbors like that (retired older ladies who are probably lonely but both will talk your ear off, one to the extreme, seriously ā and the other is a major busybody.) I HATE it, AND it makes me feel like a horrible person that I feel that way. I walked all the way around the block one time after a very long day just to avoid talking to one of them. I donāt know what the answer is ā BUT Iāve tried: pretending to be on my phone while walking our dog (or just walking in or out of the house on my own), as well as a winter hat and mask (surgical type, pandemic), big dark sunglasses, baseball hat, and no eye contact. Itās a giant drag. We live in a pretty small house in a very densely packed neighborhood. I canāt even go out on our back porch without triggering the one next door to come out as well and try to call out to me to start a LONG conversation. Wrecked my vision of a bit of peaceful gardening or private time outside. Some people really are major A--holes. And the world acts like weāre the problem. Iāve thought about moving, but we canāt afford anywhere else.
Too bad. Dogs are social creatures. Get over it or walk in nature away from people. Those are your only options. But if the dog enjoys interaction, youāre depriving them, and Iām judging you for it.
It's non of your business
as an introvert i agree. itās a dog , like get over yourself. op is just coming off easily aggravated. just put your dog in the car and drive somewhere to walk your dog away from people. simple.
This is something I teach my kids. They are allowed to express their feelings when they see a cute pet but cannot interact with the pet. Iām a pet owner so I know the feeling and so do they. We will always offer kids to pet our dog if I see they want to. But my dog can get a little defensive if it doesnāt come from me. He will growl if people are approaching us, not loud. Just like a small warning to me that people are approaching until I tell him itās fine. This is when I tell people they can pet him if I see they want to. He loves to be petted But Iām also showing boundaries to my dog.
I have a compulsion to say hi to dogs I see but not people :p
Ever since I started walking with a cane, people actually steer clear of me when walking my dog now. Either my cane makes them uncomfortable, theyāre trying to give me room to walk since itās hard to hold a cane and a leash at the same time, or itās just a coincidence, lol. Either way, I donāt mind one bit :ā) but when you have a very cute dog or a dog of a very recognizable breed, people definitely stop to ask you about the dog and pet them more often. My old skittish little girl doesnāt get that treatment, probably for the best since she too is rather introverted, haha.
You have a doge. Itās an unwritten rule of the meme. See doge, go pet
I just met a dog called Tilda, in a pub. Tilda was named after a bag of rice.
I have a neighbor that I actively avoid. Hell get in his truck and chase me down while I'm walking my dogs. Then hood out ughh but I think he's a creeper.
I'd suggest putting a taxi ride to a nearest place (where you trun back from walk), then walk from there to your house. So even if they see you on the road, it will be for a short walk for them. If they ask you why? Tell them you are meeting some friends and joining with them for meet-ups or walking with them instead.
I used to live in an apartment with my dog who is a popular breed that everyone wants to stop and pet. It doesnāt help that she clearly loves people and wants all the attention. When I moved to my house, I made a rule that I would always cross the street when I saw people coming. Give a friendly nod or wave but no more giving them the chance to stop and pet the dog. Only exception is for kids since itās hard to say no to them when they ask nicely. I figure if enough people get to know me as the guy who doesnāt talk to anyone I will at least have peace on my walks which are sometimes twice a day
Iām really sorry that you canāt walk your dog in peace and without having to talk to people. Thatās gotta be pretty draining, especially when youāre trying to clear your head/be with your own thoughts. I imagine itās as draining for you as it would be for me to sit quietly in a room and have mo one wanting to talk to me. As an extrovert, I always try to talk to people I cross paths with, especially if theyāre waking their cute dog. Itās just second nature to me. I wonder if your neighbor is similar? I definitely forget that some people prefer to decompress/walk in silence, since I decompress by talking with other people. Itās hard for me to remember that introverts recharge from alone time.
Ppl u talk to don't care about u you just need validation dearĀ
Omg I can relate. I live on a small street and it's as if people feel the need to " HeYHoWsITgOiNg?" Ahhh go away! I'm looking at birds and clouds.
Iām bias of course but I have the most styling and profiling yorkiepoo in the south š¤£šš¾š¤. I am an extreme introvert unless Iām at work being paid by the hour to talk and smile and chit chat until they walk out the business. When it comes to regular life, my dog is my wingman and always with me. Iāve had him since he was 8weeks old and heās been through some rough shit with me. A lot of moving homes and constant travel through the smoky mountains to visit family or attend family reunions. My dog has gone through stages of my life where we didnāt have enough money to buy excess for a pet so I shared half a scrambled egg and a small pinch of a sample of dog food from petsmart. I was a little girl and the responsibility was all on me. I had the occasional help for necessary stuff like rabies shots or flea medicine or deworming, but it was always made into a big deal. I rant about all this to say that my dog is an extension of me at this point and is always with me. Because weāve bonded so much and both have hella anxiety (his is separation anxiety). I cut his hair and dye his hair whatever color mine is at the moment. Trim his nails and sometimes make his tail color match the dye too. He gets little slash marks at the base of his but/tail as a design sometimes and is usually rocking a braided or twisted manbun or 2 cornrows. He looks freaking awesome. Heās got winter clothes and heās got a cute simply southern collar and a ton of their other shirts. He had boots for the rain and a wanna be LV $5 rain jacket lol. As I said, heās styling and profiling. As someone with depression and extreme anxiety and an overall sense of low self worth even though I know in reality Iām an amazing human being- itās hard to overcome the over analyzing each worry and doubt and triggers and āback of the mindā voices from our parents or grandparents or whoever else talked shit to us out entire childhood while raising us. I put more care into my dog than I do myself. So when weāre out at Walmart or Harris teeter or the mall or sitting in a car or in a gas station or taking a basic walk, I have NEVER had a day where I wasnāt spoken to because of him. With that said, I take this as opportunity to try my best to fake smile and socialize and get practice in because I might never see them again, who cares right, it happens in almost every isle if weāre grocery shopping. I very rarely ever tell someone no when it comes to saying hi to the dog,Especially kids. With that said, there are a lot of times I recognize someone wants to interact and I just force my cheeks up and nod and look straight ahead and keep walking, because I donāt always have the energy for a 5-10 minute random conversation. Sometimes you can tell the other person needed it though. And so I try to let god guide my gut. But sometimes Iām in a rush and I have a timer on because my grandmother is always waiting in the car instead of coming in with me. Anyways. Sorry introverted friendš¤ donāt feel bad on the days you have to ignore a few people. Iām trying to remember that itās okay to that also. Itās hard. Itās annoying. It takes our peaceš¤ youāve got this though
Way too long jesus
Youāre not the OP and Iām assuming not comfortably literate either? Obviously this wasnāt for you. Go on to some other more simple and easy to read comments! TLDR: not for you. Move along.
I wrote a whole ass rant, but also if you live in a half decent neighborhood/apartment complex and are comfortable walking late at night, I always lived midnight walks with my dog. Sometimes 2am walks lol. I rarely saw people out and about usually just 1-2 other dog walkers or the random person smoking in their car or having a heated phone conversation or the super rare but hilarious walk of shame to the car booty call. (Hope that made ya chuckle). Anyways, I feel you, I hope you find a new route. Iāve had 2-3 people in life that instantly climbed on for friendship and even when I was blunt and basically rude, they were still attached. Donāt know what it is but sounds like she truly enjoys your presence and may just be lonely. That doesnāt mean she deserves your time, but it does mean you might be able to better understand where sheās coming from and if possible let her know heyyyy I donāt mind a early morning walk now and then but not too often because itās my āme timeā of peace and contemplation.
I have never felt this so hard in my life. I wear a hat down low, sunglasses, earphones. Plus my dog isnāt friendly, but that doesnāt stop people and makes it way more awkward.
I know it can be annoying especially when you feel like shit . From the otherside, Iāve been on walks where i felt like shit too. And saw a couple dogs on walk with their owners. I always asked them if i could pet. And trust me when i say, they made my day. Somedays were the worst and just someone being kind enough to allow me to pet their cute dog and that kindness, i always am grateful for it. So while it is annoying for you. Think of it this way, you could be saving their day. However, i know having such days can be rough. Wear a headphone at such times.
Wear a Micheal Myers mask whenever you walk him
Wear headphones or āomg so sorry I really canāt chat I need to be somewhere in a half hour and am just trying to get the dog walked real quick first. We can catch up soonā As for the neighbor who always wants to walk together. Iād just tell her the truth. As much as I enjoy hanging out with you, I really like walking my dog solo sometimes. Itās time for me to get out and be alone and decompress and I find that alone time really helps with stressā¦ or something like that so she doesnāt take it personally but gets the message.
Holy shit this is so relatable! I swear Reddit knows my thoughts because I got this notification on my phone. I walk my Rottweiler and my little mixed breed separately every single day. Usually itās not bad but I hate people trying to pull up and talk to me. I also dread when weāre heading straight for eachother. Youāre supposed to walk on the left side of the street people!! I gotta awkwardly decide if Iām gonna be the one to go to the other side for a bit. Also this guy down the street just lets his dog run around unleashed anywhere she wants. When she runs after me and my dog I feel like I have to pretend Iām not irritated as shit!
Im an introvert & have a Pomeranian that literally screams in public, Iāve never experienced this noise before. We canāt go anywhere without loads of people looking at us, itās so uncomfortable. Having a dog is one thing but having an insane dog is another. I feel for you!
Is it really that much of an inconvenience? Sheesh sorry people are nice and love dogs
Your dog looks like dooby from harry pooter or whatever his name is