Why do ppl let their dogs run up to yrs!!

[MarcoPoloCX]

I was walking my friend's dog this morning who is reactive. So I take care to avoid triggers that would set him off. He's not aggressive but barks like a lunatic if a dog gets too close. We were walking on lead in a field and we saw an elderly lady with her dog. I turned and started walking in another direction. Her dog was off lead and was approaching us. I yelled 'can you recall your dog' She went ' oh it's fine, he doesn't bite, he's friendly' I responded 'well mine isn't fine with other dogs' she tried to recall but the dog wasn't responding and it started my friend's dog barking. I met up with my friend who was ahead of me and he tells me she's always like that, she never recalls her dog. Just makes me angry that a lot of people do not have walk etiquette and that you should not let your dog approach others without asking. I volunteer at a rescue. Dogs could be reactive, fearful, injured, recovering from op, old and young puppies need space. I'm sure most ppl know that. Are they simply letting them roam free and not recall because they think oh it's friendly and they wouldn't get into trouble. The other week a friendly dog frightened the living daylight of this little pup. The owner asked how old the pup was and then suggested the pup goes to a socialisation class while it's still young. Yeah, that would be good if you had asked first and not scare the poor thing to death. Rant over.

[TobleroneBoo]

I agree, I let mine off the lead because he never approaches anybody. If somebody comes near us he does his best to get behind me. Previously a chocolate lab came bounding over and I said so the owner could hear " ooh he's not going to like you" but despite my dog desperately trying to get away, and me saying " come on, away now" then directly asking the owner to take him away, the dog kept pestering mine and as I warned, my dog ended up getting stressed out to the point of snapping

[ggirl]

have you heard of the yellow dog thing , might be worth getting one to spread the word

[tabulahrasa]

I honestly have no idea what goes through some people's heads...

My dog wears a very obvious muzzle (baby blue, Black and Tan dog) he's never off lead, I move way off paths when I see someone coming and call over that he's not ok with other dogs if they look like they might approach us...I still get told it's ok, their dog is friendly - because you know, that magically cures my dog...

[MarcoPoloCX]

Know about yellow ribbons and scarves. There are still many who are ignorant of what it means. Or owners who let their dogs off lead in a busy area that have poor recall. And you get those who cannot be bothered for various reasons.

[MarcoPoloCX]

Treating reactive dogs takes times and a lot of hard work and something like this can set them back. Last week a woman called one of the rescue dogs I walked nasty because he barked. She probably knows nothing about dog reactivity.

[pigsDOfly]

My dog isn't reactive as such but she's a small breed and prefers to play with her ball and do her own thing when we're out.

I've lost count of the number of huge dogs that have been allowed to rush at my dog - yes, I know he's probably 'friendly and he just wants to play' -but he's too big for my dog's comfort and when you see my dog cowering behind me or growling at your dog - depending on her mood - just call your dog back. But no, that's too sensible and obvious.

The problem is, I think, that a lot of these people actually have little control over their dogs and there's no point in them calling them back because the dog has little or no recall.

I also get the 'oh he needs someone to tell him off' thing when my dog gets so fed up with a snappy dog having a go at her that she snaps back and growls (woman with two unpleasant small dogs last week) - that one always seems to come from the owners of small snappy dogs.

Not sure why they think it's my dogs job to train their dogs but as pp said, it's hard to know what goes through some people's heads.

[paxtecum]

I walk two dogs, neither has any aggression whatsoever with other dogs or people (except the postman), but they love doing what comes naturally, which is having a sniff at the dogs they meet.
They soon get the message if the other dog isn't keen on being sniffed.

I can't imagine having to walk them on leads in country parks or to keep calling them away from other dogs. They both love having a good run and interacting with other dogs.

[Lilcamper]

Because people are rude.

I have a young big and bouncy Lab. I do not let him randomly run up to other dogs. I am trying to teach him that staying with me is more rewarding. Every time some one lets their dog run up to us it sets my training back.

There is absolutely no need to allow your dogs to sniff other strange dogs. There is now real need for dogs to have to play with other dogs.

[foolonthehill]

But Pax you are putting your dogs likes ahead of other dogs needs.

My dog was fear reactive and from a rescue. 3 years of training and patience and she is mostly fine, but I monitor and control the way she meets other dogs so it is well within her comfort zone.

When your dogs "get the message" do they run away as fast as possible? Do they roll over and submit or do they bounce around thinking this is a good game whilst my dog becomes anxious, snappy and scared?

Thoughtless owners constantly put my dog back to fearful and me needing to be even more vigilant....why can your dogs not just go and greet their doggy friends whom you know and meet every day? Most dogs you will meet often, you and their owners will know it's ok...just keep your dogs away from my (on lead) dog.

If a dog is on a lead it's usually for a good reason and I am sure you would complain if your dog got bitten.

[SonceyD0g]

I have an ageing collie who is turning into a proper grumpy old man. Hates it when young bouncy dogs come running up wanting to play and will snap at them. Accordingly whenever I see one I put him on his lead and shout sorry he's not friendly. Mostly people call their dog back but you get the odd idiot. Shouting back but my dog is fine. I have a great tactic for dealing with it tho as I also have GSD (who is absolutely fine with other dogs). So I call her and put her lead on. Then they shit themselves and start calling fido back urgently!
Best comment I ever had was when a woman told me I shouldn't walk my dog if he didn't like other dogs!

[NeverHadHaveHas]

This really irritates me too. I

have two small dogs, one of whom is blind in one eye. She is very reactive and doesn't like other dogs as I think she feels a vulnerability on her 'blind' side. I don't have her off lead around other dogs and make it obvious that she doesn't appreciate company by keeping well away if we see another dog, but so many people let their dogs bound up to her and then get all cats bum mouth when she barks.

Our other dog is the opposite and totally submissive. The other day some idiot let his lab bound over and take my dogs ball for FIFTEEN minutes, while laughing and saying 'I hope you weren't planning on going home for tea' as he aimlessly followed his dog around trying to get the ball back and half heartedly shouted 'come here you naughty dog'. The dog had zero recall and totally ruined our walk as my poor boy just sat behind me looking very dejected and once we finally got the ball back it was time to go home.

Some dog owners just have no appreciation of how their dog can be a PITA.

[0x530x610x750x630x79]

They soon get the message if the other dog isn't keen on being sniffed.

with my dog the first clue she doesn't want to play is when she bites your dog, ok she is only a cocker spaniel, but still.

She just hates certain dogs sniffing her bum.

[MarcoPoloCX]

Then you risk being reported if it bites If you dog barks or lunges on leads, people will look at you as the one with the bad aggressive dog.

[0x530x610x750x630x79]

Which is why i have her on a lead and try to control her interactions.
And the "oh it is ok she's friendly" people really get my goat.
I shout back "well mine isn't"

[meyesmyeyes]

Another who hates that.

My dog is like the OP's dog. He is very friendly, towards people but doesn't mix well with other dogs.
If another dog (off lead) comes bounding up to him, he reacts in an aggressive manner.
This in turn, makes the dog off the lead become aggressive, then before I know it I am in the middle of a dog fight.

It doesn't matter how friendly your dog is, keep it on a lead!
I suppose you will blame me if my dog then bites your dog

[paxtecum]

I wouldn't blame anyone if either dog got bit.

I don't do a cat's bum mouth either.

There is a less than one % of dogs (and owners) that we meet on our walks who aren't friendly, happy for the dogs to sniff each other and maybe have a play whilst the humans pass pleasantries about the weather.

[tabulahrasa]

"They soon get the message if the other dog isn't keen on being sniffed."

If they're close enough to sniff or realise that my dog doesn't want to be sniffed then they're way way too close for my dog...

My dog is dog aggressive because he has arthritis in both elbows and a spinal problem, he can physically cope with walking on lead, but not with being bounced at or jolted by other dogs, because people like you let dogs come over his experience of other dogs is that they cause him pain, so he tries to get them first before they hurt him.

Weirdly I'd like his last few months to be as stress free as possible for him and me, I don't enjoy having to wrestle with him to protect other people's dogs, I don't enjoy the fact that I get bruised doing so.

I especially don't enjoy the thought that every time he reacts to another dog he actually causes himself far more pain than anything else would and it makes having to decide when the right time to have him PTS is closer and closer...

But hey, at least the other dog gets to sniff and the person walking them doesn't have to call them back to the path they're walking on for a few seconds

[MarcoPoloCX]

I had a mastiff type dog attacking one of mine on leads because it got too close and mine started barking. The owner went on to blame my dog's barking for causing it.

[SnakeyMcBadass]

Ah, my brethren.

Bastard Spaniel loathes being approached at speed from behind. If we see a dog approaching, he looks at me in a 'help' way and we smartly change direction. A lot of dogs and owners recognise this as a sign, and leave us alone. But gobby fuckwits keep on coming then give me a mouthful of abuse when I firmly shout NO and clap at their dog to stop its approach. Having a reactive dog is bloody hard work.

[0x530x610x750x630x79]

i will try a yellow ribbon, and spread the word, but why isn't it a red ribbon to match horses?

[Lilcamper]

Dogs Need Space

[LimeJellyHead]

It upsets me too. It is the one thing that can really spoilt our dog walks. It happened again yesterday. What annoys me is being told it's OK or he is friendly. No it's not OK. Then they look at you like your dogs have the problem. My dogs are 14 and 15 years old, blind, deaf, heart problems, dementia.... they do not want dogs racing over to them. But no... apparently it's OK. Grrrr.

[StarsInTheNightSky]

It really is infuriating. We're not in the UK anymore and its much much better here (thank goodness) but you still get the odd idiot who thinks its OK not to recall their dogs. It isn't actually natural for dogs to go charging up to another dog and start sniffing them, they'd get torn to pieces if they did this in the wild as it isn't ok for dogs to go barreling into an unknown pack without being given doggie permission first.
Recently I had a stupid twerp say (when I called to him to put his dog on the lead as mine weren't friendly) "oh he'll be fine, my dog will teach yours some manners". I was stunned and horrified, the man had a small terrier type dog and I have two adult Caucasian Ovcharkas who were not happy about the snarly yappy dog getting near DS and I anyway! One of our dogs roared at the terrier and it ran away whimpering. Where we are dogs are not allowed off the lead in public so I was even more annoyed. My dogs are very very highly trained and extremely and immediately obediant, but they will not tolerate another dog snarling at us.
Selfish owners really do spoil things for everyone else.

[foolonthehill]

having read lilcamper's link I am tempted to rush up to the next inconsiderate human, hug, kiss and stroke them...except i really couldn't, I value MY personal space too much...might make them think though!

[TwigletFiend]

Fool, you should give them a lick too