BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?

Subject: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: dianavan
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 06:51 PM

I have always loved large dogs but I am deathly afraid of those little ones that yap around your feet. I used the term ankle-biters when referring to them. My children grew up thinking that they were actually a specific breed of canine. They are still mad at me for the embarassment this caused them when using the term (and arguing its authenticity) with school mates.

I told them I had a similar experience. My brother and I had a much younger, baby brother. When it was time to feed him, my mother would say it was time for some dinner, and proceed to offer him her breast.
Naturally, we thought that was the name for a woman's breasts - dinners. Imagine our embarassment when casually trying to impress our friends by talking about a lady's dinners. I turn red even now.

How about you? I find that common words can be very confusing, especially if English is not your first language and you are trying desperately to increase your vocabulary.

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 07:28 PM

In the Royal Navy an ankle biter was a reference to ones children

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 07:45 PM

We usually call those little yappy dogs dinner - just find a bun and some mayonnaise and they're perfect!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: Sorcha
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 09:39 PM

I call the really little dogs Lap Yaps. And yes, MOST of them WILL bite you, esp. the hairy faced ones. Hairy faced dogs WILL bite you. Ankle biters are small children to me. I love dogs, but those Lap Yaps...geez.

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: GUEST,CHIP2447
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 11:23 PM

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: GUEST,chipagain
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 11:36 PM

ARGGHHHH!!! I've always called them rat dogs, yippers, or footballs, depending on the prevailing mood.

Gary Larson of "The Far Side" fame has a cartoon that shoes a rat dog squished on the bottom of a man's shoe, with the caption reading

With a muffled thump, Fluffy's incessant yipping suddenly stopped.

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: katlaughing
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 12:02 AM

We always called them "drop kick" dogs; we never did that to them, though! I've met some who were atypical and really like real dogs.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 07:05 AM

When I was a postman, on one of my deliveries I could guarantee at one particular house I would walk down the garden path with a Yorkshire terrier hanging off my ankle. no damage done but a remarkably brave dog for one so small.
eric

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 09:22 AM

My grandmother had a toy Manchester terrier that hated everyone except her. When she died, the family didn't squabble over the division of the estate, but we damn near came to blows over who was going to get to kill the dog.

Bruce

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: Alaska Mike
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 01:10 PM

Several years ago in Valdez, Alaska a midwestern couple pulled in to the Chevron station to fill up their motorhome. She let their tiny Chihuahua out to run around and do his "business" while her husband filled the tank.

Suddenly from out of nowhere a Bald Eagle swooped down, grabbed the little lap-yapper and flew off towards the mountains with the dog. The poor woman was devastated. She ran down the road trying to follow the eagle's flight path, while helplessly calling the dog's name.

Meanwhile back at the gas station, the husband watched the whole thing, then he turned around with a huge smile on his face, did a little dance next to the fuel pump and shouted, "YES"!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: Blowzabella
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 01:25 PM

I must admit, I'm not partial to little dogs either, although I adore most canines, they can irritate me to death but in some ways I feel sorry for them, especially the breeds where they've been deliberately bred to look as ridiculous as possible and are so thin-skinned they need coats in the cold weather etc. Even the tiniest one still thinks it's a wolf and has all the same instincts as something as big as a Great Dane. But I agree - they are annoying. And much more likely to have a go.

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 01:35 PM

Bee-Dubya-Ell, I hope that's a joke, not a revelation of nastiness.

When I was teaching in prisons I asked my students for tips on burglar-proofing my house, and with one voice they said: "Get a little yappy dog."

I was surprised. "Not a big scary dog?"

No, they assured me, the ones burglars really dreaded were the little yappers. They told me it was because they'd alert the neighbours, but actually I suspect it's because burgling a house is a nervy kind of experience, and you don't need the added stress of YIP-YIP-YIP-YIP-YIP-YIP-YIP! - not to mention the fact that you can't listen for someone coming home while it's going on.

A child of my acquaintance used to call breasts foodies, for the same reason as dianayan. I'd forgotten the word until a friend snarled of a woman who was trying (successfully, as it transpired) to steal her job: "She was leaning close to the boss with her foodies dangling at him."

The ineffable power of the foodie.

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: Gareth
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 03:39 PM

Having walked down many a drive with a "Jack Russel" or similar attatched to my ankle, and not wishing to kick the little B****r until out of sight of the elector, well I sympathise.

It the ones what hid behind the letter box, silent, untill you poke yer fingers through then bite that really get me.

True story !!!!

Some years ago I was delivering leaflets in a "Grand Area" (Joy Lane, Whitstable if any anthropolagist is reading). Up the drive I go, and am stopped by a Rottwieller (SP) - Darn't move. Door opens, a voice booms out "Young Man ! - What are you doing ?" "Trying to deliver some leaflets Madam, but your Dog !" " Well kick his balls - No not those you fool, the ones by the path !!"

Gareth

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: Peace
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 04:26 PM

The dog gets one nip at me (or the threat to do so) and that's it. I don't take any pleasure from the dog's demise. Just business, that's all. I don't like animals that view me as a target. The yippers are a pain, but for them I just leave the room or the house. If it yips in my house, it leaves. I have had some great dogs over the years, and the relationship has been built on mutual respect and a concrete understanding of each other's place in the grand scheme of things. And of course, I will immediately destroy any dog of mine that growls at children. However, I've only ever had to kill four dogs in my lifetime, so that's good. Always felt I did good turns for both humans and canines.

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: Bill D
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 05:39 PM

dianavan...you gotta learn how to ask a question at Mudcat *big grin*...I read it as you asking about confusing use of language, but your example set off a deluge of dog stories by folks whose memories of 'lap yappers' are stronger than their analyses of language. (not that dog stories aren't interesting)

Language? Yep...local or family idioms and slang can get you REALLY funny looks if parents don't clarify the usage before they send you out into the world.
My young cousin said "baitemfritter" for "refrigerator", though that was just silly, not embarassing. I guess the story that comes to mind is of the black couple who were convinced by a prankster that "Urethra" was a cute name for their new baby girl...

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: Peace
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 05:47 PM

Well, franklin BillD, that isn't funny.

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: CarolC
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 06:05 PM

When I was knee high to an anklebiter, my parents used to take my older sister and me to the local drug store soda fountain for ice cream or a soda on Sundays after church.

One day, I decided to sell Kool-aid by the side of the road in front of our house (we lived next to the beach and there were a lot of thirsty sunbathers walking past our house in the summer). So I set up my stand, and put up a sign to advertise. The sign said, "Drug Store". My sister thought I was an idiot. But she was a whole year older, so she knew better.

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: lady penelope
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 07:09 PM

Anklebiters = small children

Small yappy dogs = "Rat on a rope"

I wouldn't necessarily put a dog down for growling at children, though. It would really depend on what the children had been doing to the dog...........


TTFN Lady P.

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: Peace
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 10:43 PM

Should have made that clear: Unsolicited growls.

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 11:06 PM

I once had a job pumping gas. Once a week this well-fed couple in a big cadillac would pull in, the lady clutching a bug-eyed little Pomeranian. The thing hated me, and would go into paroxyms of rage when it saw me. After a few weeks I began to return the favour by waving my fists at the little monster and challenging it to a battle to the death, this driving it into even greater hysteria, and the the owners found it quite funny (or I wouldn't have done it). I'm sure the miniscule fiend would have bitten my ankle if it had ever gotten the chance. I never met a Pomeranian yet that wasn't pretty vicious toward anyone but its owner (invariably a rather large older woman, for some reason...).

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: dianavan
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 12:35 AM

Bill D: Your joke was definitely racist. What difference does it make what colour the "couple" were?

d

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: Teresa
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 01:09 AM

Gareth wrote: !" " Well kick his balls - No not those you fool, the ones by the path !!"

Reminds me of a song.

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 02:09 AM

Gareth, while electioneering, maybe you should bring a pocketful of dried cat food. When you get to a house where there's an angry dog, walk up and knock. The dog will bark a volley. *As soon as it stops* throw it a treat. Not when it's barking or angry. If it starts again, ignore it. When it stops, throw it another treat. When the people open the door, ask them to introduce their dog to you.

The dog's guarding its house and its pack. If it is introduced to you by one of the pack, it'll know you're ok. If it's rewarded for *not barking*, it'll know it's of advantage not to bark.

Subject: RE: BS: Are anklebieghters a rare breed?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 06:02 AM

In truth most dogs, even small ones are not bad, it's the owners. I used to deliver mail to a house where there was always a large German Shepherd in the yard, it went ballistic every time it saw me, the out would come it's owner and give it a good beating, I thought no wonder this dog hates me, every time it sees me it gets beat up.
eric