[nagdu] Changing my Petting Policy

[Julie J.]

Just out of curiosity, how often do you guys get asked if someone can pet 
your dog? and how often do people pet without asking?

>From reading the messages, it appears that others are getting a lot more 
requests to pet and petting without asking than I experience.  I'm going to 
venture a guesstimate that I get a request to pet at a rate of once a week 
or maybe once in two weeks.  People who pet without asking are rare, maybe 2 
to 5 times in a year.  Although Monty makes it difficult for people to pet 
without asking because he will move away from outstretched hands.

I'd love to know what it is that makes such a big difference in the rate of 
interest/petting.  Is it the location?  the behavior of the dog?  the 
demeanor of the handler?  how dogs are viewed in the community?  some sort 
of service dog education program in the schools?

I am really curious,
Julie