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TIFU by not socializing my dog to wheelchairs

Happened today. My sweet 3-year-old rough collie, Mimi, is an absolute sweetheart. I got her as a puppy at 10-weeks, and read all about socializing them as much as possible when they’re young. So that’s what we did. Big dogs, small dogs, kids, people with beards, guys, gals, kids, puppies, old dogs, cats—I tried to cover it all. (For you puppy owners out there, don’t do this until they’ve had their shots!)

And it worked! She’s a spunky, chill girl, and even tries to make friends with dogs that actively snarl at her lol. She goes up to everyone on walks, tail always wagging, because she loves people. She’s a sweetheart.

… unless they’re in wheelchairs. I live in a city, and was going to get ice cream with a friend. I tied up my dog outside the store, and proceed to go inside to order. Within five minutes, I hear DEEP barks. Now my dog barks, but not like that. She has a relatively light bark, unless something is seriously wrong. So the moment I hear it, I tell the cashier to wait a sec as I run outside to see what’s going on.

And she’s barking, tail between her legs, LOUDLY, at a guy being pushed in a wheelchair (by what I assume to be) his partner. That’s when it dawned on me. She had never seen a wheelchair.

I rush over to my dog, apologizing profusely. They don’t seem too bothered by it, sorta awkwardly laughing. The lady proceeds to push the wheelchair past us, and as she does, smiles, looks at Mimi and says “it’s okay, it’s okay, he doesn’t like it either!” <\3

I felt so embarrassed. So, if anyone has any suggestions on how to fix an ableist dog, I’m all ears

TL/DR Didn’t expose my dog to wheelchairs. Proceeded to bark profusely at a nice couple, one of whom was in a wheelchair.

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