A little Unsure

Very interesting chat this after noon with a few elderly ladies (community workers) they live in a certain block of flats close by kinda of like their own community, they walk several miles a day being nosey really if i'm honest then they go to their little meetings and talk whether they seen alot of litter or alot of dog mess lol and then take it up with the community itself and the council etc.
Anyways after i walked my lot up the line (very nice walk) only done 7 miles not the usual 8, On our way back i parked my self on one the benchs my lot were off leash and these lady doing their walk up and down my alot appraoch them for fusses they were very good no jumping at all they just adored the ladies it started with one woman next thing i knew there were about a dozen of them forming a circle around my lot all getting in a good petting alot of awws and ahhhs going on then they were talking and one of them asked me if i would bring my lot to their community meetings once a week as alot of the elderly people who are unable to do the walks would benifit from my lot as in therapy dogs, I wasn't sure to be honest especially with Cassie as she tries to jump and give kisses. next thing i know i was the one surrounded by the grey ladies not my dogs all nagging as they do, that i should bring my lot to the community center every wednesday evening....Anyways they left assuming they would see my lot there.
I'm a little unsure whether too or not really, I am not at all a social person i can hardly hear anymore so i get frustrated and anxious when it comes to people talking to me, and i simply do not like people if i'm honest, I think the dogs would love it an hour of fusses and it'll be good for them as well...but not me, what should i do?

I think you have to be very careful and what if one of the dogs knocked one over you dont really know what could happen having said that it would be good for you and the dogs to make new freinds as youve just moved area I know there old and that but maybe you would enjoy it just the same as them.

With one I'd say definatly yes, so maybe take one at a time and build up the visits. My god you could do with some nicer people around you and as Gem said it would be good for both parties

i go for walks with billy in the woods with a lady who is nearly 70 and has a walking stick, she is fab, a mins of information, but she has to hold on to me cause billy is so strong and i would hate for him to knock her over.

so yes go for it but be careful and keep a very beady eye look out

I don't even enjoy talking to a single person in the street I get to anxious i simply do not enjoy peoples company (don't get me wrong i wont be rude or anything), in such a large group of people I think my anxiaty would be off the scale, I don't want my lot to pick up on that and take advantage of it either, I think it would be good for the dogs and their image but then i also don't if they pick up my energy, I could lose all the people socialising i'v work with them on, I know what some will say that i'm holding my lot back but i can't be doing it too much or they would horrible around people.
I enjoy the company of elderly people more so than people my age, I was up my nans every day until she passed i just respect them a heck of alot more. So I don't know.

give it a try for a few mins and if you and the dogs dont feel confortable then say you have a dentist appointment or something

You haven't anything to loose by giving it a go Claire. You might meet some nicer people than the muppets you usually meet!

janey wrote:

You haven't anything to loose by giving it a go Claire. You might meet some nicer people than the muppets you usually meet!

True. Just keep an eye on your lot & make sure they're not getting stressed. If you or they start to get a bit fidgety, just say that's enough for the first time, and leg it!

A lot of elderly people don't get to talk to different people - just the other elderies they mix with - and I'm sure they'd love to give the dogs a fuss.

Why don't you try it just once and see how you and the dogs get on. If you dont like it you can stop, but if you don't try you will never know. You could be surprised and it might work out well all round.

Good Luck

Alright i'll give it ago, i'll work on my lot brushing up on some basic training, they do it a few minutes aday anyway but i'll add a few more minutes to it and a little more excitment.

Maybe just take one dog to start off with, so there easier to control?

let us know how it goes

I think i will only take one
But who?
Taz would be perfect but his labrador tail and staffy head would most definatly cause bruises. When he is excited he tends to sway his * around and he is a complete lap lump.
Blondy she loves attention once it has started but quickly loses interest or doesn't get interested in the first place.
Cassie loves people contact, she's very light so wouldn't injure someone with her head or tail etc. she's very sweet looking when she wants attention and acts very sweetly too, but if she gets too excited she may jump up to lick faces and she has given given a few thick lips from doing so.

judging from your description above, I would take Cassie
if you explain to people what they can expect from her, they shouldn't be surprised if she starts jumping and licking faces. and this is rather harmless

Staffs seem to have an inbuilt understanding of children & elderly people. I remember I took Bandit to see my eldely & frail gran. He was only 18 months old, and full of life, but he just sat quietly at her feet & let her stroke him.

Sounds like a really good thing to do, I think taking Cassie would be best, but just explain to them beforehand that she does jump. It would be a good opportunity for you to work with her one on one getting her to sit and be fussed and not jumping. I agree with Caryll though about them being more careful around children and old people, so fingers crossed she will be fine. But it will benefit you too, as you build confidence up being around people and becoming less anxious. Good luck with it!

See now i would suggested Taz because he a floor dog meaning he doesn't jump, Cassie will only jump though if your across the room and you call her excitedly and she dives through the air to you....I don't lake in confidence around people in the slightest I just don't like their company but again its different with elderly people I barely tolerate my family lol but the respect is there.
Taz he also listens to every word i say and he has this cute way of talking to you if he gets excited and he can do many commands.
Cassie on the other hand having her for over a year only recently i got her to give me her paw and to actually listen to certain commands.
Blondy is more of a lap dog but i don't think she will be interested in the people there though.