Greetings, Miss Manners I have two medium-sized, well-behaved dogs. The two of them are on leashes, and the three of us go for a constitutional walk every morning and evening.
I have come across a range of individuals over the years who appear to believe they have the right to call to, play with, distract, pet, or otherwise interact with my dogs.
What baffles me about this new engagement style is when a stranger sees me on the street and asks me right away what my dogs’ names are. For my dogs, the first words in commands are their names, and it’s crucial that they always understand who is giving them instructions. So it seems foolish of me to help strangers address them by name.
Generally speaking, I react as I always do: by grinning a little and continuing. However, the custom of outsiders enquiring, “Hello, what are the names of your dogs?” appears to have horribly spread, almost overnight.
Is there a new social structure where this is regarded as appropriate behavior?
Stories by
Judith Martin
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PERSONAL READER: This seems to be no more complicated than applying human etiquette to the canine world—possibly incorrectly.
No one should approach your dogs without your consent, according to Miss Manners. Giving the dogs pseudonyms would avoid the name-as-command problem if you are prepared to introduce yourself. Miss Manners won’t tell, and she has faith that you, Fluffy, and Gonzo won’t either.
Miss Manners can be reached by email at [email protected], via her website at www.missmanners.com, or by mail at Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
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