For what it's worth, I think pushy is good. I'm very pushy in my day job, landscape architect for the National Park Service. That's because I am very secure in what I know. Knowledge enables a person to be strong. Conversely, photographing puppies is more tenuous for me, so I tend to get pushed. Getting pushy as a photographer will come in time, I am sure, as I develop my skills. Pushy is good.