Posts from the ‘DINOS’ Category

Dec 14

Living with DINOS™: A Resource Guide

Living with DINOS isn't always easy, but you're not alone and there is help! Check out the tools, classes, and techniques that have made a difference for the DINOS community...

Dec 7

29 Comments

You Know You’re Living with DINOS™ When…

Ah, life with DINOS! It’s filled with quirks, isn’t it? If you live with DINOS you’re actually part of a super cool group of humans. I like to call them Team DINOS. We’re willing to do all kinds of oddball stuff in order to enjoy safe, happy dog walks. Are you part of the team?

You know you’re living with DINOS when…

Your dog walking equipment consists of a leash, poop bags, high value treats, a cell phone, and…a head lamp, so you can walk your dog before the sun comes up.

You’ve caught yourself browsing for Direct Stop on your lunch break.

You drive your entire dog walking route, to search for any trouble spots, before going for a walk.

The unexpected sound of keys jingling makes your stomach do a back flip.

You know what a Happy Muzzle is and think they’re super cute.

Blind corners are scarier than a Hitchcock movie.

You’ve considered adding “excellent horizon scanner” to the skills section of your resume.

You’ve stood around, pretending to admire someone’s mailbox, while trying to keep enough distance between you and the slow moving dog ahead.

You’re considering teaching your Great Dane how to use the toilet.

If you win the lottery, you’re buying a private dog park.

You’ve criss-crossed the same block more than three times to avoid other dogs.

You have a preference for the kinds of cars you like to hide behind.

Your hamster’s exercise ball is starting to look like a good idea for your dog, if only you could build one large enough for your Lab.

You know where all the fenced-in baseball fields, tennis courts, and other non-dog park spots are located. And you go there at 10 o’clock at night.

Your neighbor hasn’t looked you in the eye since “that time” you told her where she could stick her roaming off leash dog.

You day dream about what kind of privacy fence you’re going to install.

You’re excited to walk dogs in the rain or snow, since bad weather means fewer dogs to bump into.

You’ve whispered “be very, very quiet” to your dog, as you tip-toed past a sleeping dog in a yard.

You’re not afraid to jump a fence, squeeze behind a dumpster, or cut through someone’s back yard to avoid an oncoming dog.

You think Plastic Man and Inspector Gadget were on to something with those extra long arms. Perfect for catching off leash dogs at a distance!

You bought equipment for a home gym, but you already have a gym membership. The treadmill is for the dog.

On your walks, you wear poop bags on your hands, like mittens, so you can scoop and run.

You’ve got your trainer, your vet, and animal control on speed dial.

What else? Share the quirky stuff you do with your DINOS in the comments section!

Dec 4

16 Comments

DINOS™ Handouts are Here!

Want to spread the DINOS message? Check out these pdfs of your favorite blog posts!

Dec 4

13 Comments

DINOS™: The Cartoon, a PSA in Pictures

Feel free to share with credit to http://www.doggiedrawings.net

Wow, what a week this has been! Thank you to everyone who has turned one dog walker’s lament into an internet sensation. The DINOS™ concept has taken off and in the past few days, I’ve had requests from all over the world to share the blog in newsletters, public spaces, and adoption packets. The message is spreading, folks. How cool, is that?

And if that wasn’t exciting enough, I was thrilled to discover that Lili Chin, illustrator and mom to a DINOS named Boogie (just like my dog Boogie – what are the odds?), created this fabulous illustrated version of our message! You can see the original post on her blog here.

Many of you have contacted me to see if there are t-shirts and other merchandise available for purchase. I’ve teamed up with a graphic designer (she’ll be revealed soon), who shares her life with DINOS and has agreed to help me turn my slogans, both funny and serious, into gear for a DINOS Cafe Press store. In the not-so-distant future, you’ll be able to warn MDIFs in style!

I’ve also had requests for some sort of unique and clear DINOS symbol for our dogs to wear, in the hopes that MDIFs will be able to recognize DINOS and give them space. I heard your demands and it’s in the works. Details will come later, when it’s more clearly mapped out, but let’s just say it involves the color red and after the holidays I’ll plan for an International DINOS Day to launch it. Stay tuned…

Finally, thank you to all of the dog trainers, dog clubs, rescues, and DINOS families that have shared the blog and joined us on Facebook. There is a movement building that is larger than anything I could have imagined and the potential to educate the public is here.

So, keep an eye here on the blog and on the Facebook page for updates, plus resources and tips for Living with DINOS…We’re Taking Back Our Space!

Viva los DINOS!

p.s. don’t forget to check out Lili’s work at Doggie Drawings!

DINOS © Copyright Jessica Dolce 2011

DINOS Dogs In Need of Space© Copyright Jessica Dolce 2011

Dec 2

34 Comments

DINOS™: A Manifesto

It is our position that DINOS (Dogs in Need of Space)™ are good dogs with the right to enjoy walks in public without the harassment of other dogs and their people.

Therefore we demand the following from our fellow dog lovers:

Obey Leash Laws: Outside of a dog park, or otherwise sanctioned off-leash area, you must leash your dogs. This is not our opinion, it’s the LAW.

Ask Permission Before Approaching: Stop moving and ask, “Is your dog friendly?” or “Can my dog say hi?”

Listen to our Response: Give us time to respond. And no means no.

Respect Our Space: If we move to the side, so that you can pass, do not let your dog approach us. Please shorten their leash and continue walking. It’s not rude, promise.

Do Not Give Chase: If we abruptly turn the other way or cross the street, we do not want to interact with you or your dogs. Yes, we saw you. No we don’t want to say “hi”.

Lock your Leashes: If you walk your dog on a retractable leash (aka a Flexi Lead), please retract and lock your leash, so that we may pass by without engaging with your dog. Better yet, skip the retractable and use a flat leash. Retractable leashes break.

Zip it: Keep your judgments and nasty comments to yourself. One day, due to illness, trauma, or other circumstances, you too may find yourself the loving owner of a DINOS. Until you walk a (paranoid) mile in our shoes, we implore you: If you don’t have anything nice to say, just keep on walking.

No Matter How Nice You Are, the Rules Still Apply: You may think that because you and your dogs are really nice and very dog savvy, that it’s ok for you to break these rules. Look, we believe you. You seem really nice and so does your dog. We wish we could meet you under other circumstances, but trust us, we know our dogs better than you do. We reserve the right not to interact with you, no matter how nice you are.

In return, the DINOS pledge to uphold the following standards:

We will always leash our DINOS when out in public.
We will muzzle our DINOS, if necessary.
When it is possible, we will always create distance between your dog and our DINOS, so that you too can pass us without incident.
We will tell you our dogs are DINOS. No mind reading necessary.

Subsection 4A: Don’t Deny Your Dog is a DINOS.

DINOS Deniers are wide-spread. They refuse to believe that their dog is one of the following: inappropriate, rude, or aggressive. They fool unsuspecting dog owners by saying their dogs are friendly, but in reality they are not. Typically, after an incident occurs, they admit it has happened before, as in: “I don’t know why, but my dog almost always bites when he’s at the dog park.” Stop denying the truth. You have a DINOS and you owe it to your dog and everyone else’s dog to create safe interactions. If you own DINOS, you must be responsible for understanding your dogs.

DINOS, The Time to Take Back Our Space is Now!

DINOS Unite!

printer friendly pdf: DINOS Manifesto

Looking for a Kinder, Gentler Manifesto? If you’re a shelter, trainer, or just a really nice person, check out this less snarky version, with printable pdf!