To have assumed it was common courtesy among dog walkers

[SomewhereInbetween1]

To put your dog on a lead if you see another owner do so to their dog once they've spotted you? Especially if your dog's recall is a little sketchy? I've seen a lot of owners put their dogs on the lead at the sight of other dogs because they may, for instance, not get along with other dogs. But if the other dogs are off the lead and so still able to approach the one on the lead, it entirely defeats the effort. Anyone had any experience with this?

Rightly or wrongly I always assume off lead dogs just allowed to hassle everyone have poor recall. I love seeing these dog owners panic tryimg to get their dog under control when I hint my dog might eat theirs (she really wouldn't but sometimes you get desperate) 90% of the time they cant do it making themselves look bad. Is it because these dogs don't have much recall training I wonder? Even if my dog is off lead (in a big field with no dogs around) I call her intermittently for no reason other than to praise her for returning. Do off lead friendly dog owners practice this? Or do they not bother because they don't think they need to?

Cross post somewhere that wasnt aimed at you!

You are doing great and it sounds just as hard work!

Common courtesy can no longer be described as common IMO, sad but true.

Have had dogs for over 50 years, they are all different, one of mine is "edgy" on the lead, no problem off it. If they are off lead anyone comes along with dog on lead, I simply tell them no or leave, and they do. My toy was attacked a few months ago, now he doesnt like strange dogs, he tells them get out of my personal space. Course everything looses something in translation on here. When I said it you must have an agressive, I meant knowingly taking on a dog, that IS aggresive or some folk encourage this. I have met people who have rescue dogs, and small kids, the dog has been muzzled and they have said its a rescue and aggresive! I have had rescue dogs, with problems, countlesss folk I know have lovelly rescues.Someone recently complained to me about people walking bitches in season! because she has an intact male, yet, thinks ALL bitches should be spayed. My toy was playing on the beah with my ther dog, tide out when he was attacked, lady said her dog didnt like small dogs! Lucielucie thank you for talking some sense.My dogs dont bounce in peoples faces. A friend at work was attacked by hr staf last year, she is middle age proffessional woman, the dog ripped her face really badly nearly took her nose off, she felt bad abut having the dg put to sleep, it could have killed one of her children or someone elses.

Minesapintofwine I wasn't trying to defensive, really sorry if it came across that way. I absolutely agree with your post 😊 I wouldn't ever want to be the reason another dog felt backed into a corner. And we do that too! Just randomly call her back to make sure she keep the connection between coming back to us and treats. I'd like to think most off-lead owners do the same but you can never be sure.

Minesapintofwine I wasn't trying to defensive, really sorry if it came across that way. I absolutely agree with your post 😊 I wouldn't ever want to be the reason another dog felt backed into a corner. And we do that too! Just randomly call her back to make sure she keep the connection between coming back to us and treats. I'd like to think most off-lead owners do the same but you can never be sure.

"Rightly or wrongly I always assume off lead dogs just allowed to hassle everyone have poor recall."

I don't know if it is that... I mean sometimes it is.

I don't usually mention the breed of my dog on threads like this because there's a certain amount of prejudice attached, but he's a Rottweiler...

But in RL, the prejudice works for us, because some people recall their dogs from any Rottweiler, having a muzzled one gets a certain reaction.

So you see people's frantic efforts when their dog has dodgy recall.

There are people though who just don't try and don't seem particularly bothered that their dog is running up to a muzzled Rottweiler while I shout over that he's not ok with dogs and he gives off a whole load of back off body language.

It is strange how people react Tabula.

Sometimes, people look horrified that an apparently 'cute' Border Terrier can kick off. Then we get those who laugh and put it down to 'Terrier feistiness', saying 'that's what they do' and don't realize how stressful it is.

No doubt, if I had a large breed dog, the responses would be different.

I do worry when a large dog persists in following us. Not because of the dog per se. But because mine will inevitably come off worse, and she seems to think she is in fact, Rottweiler sized. I've resorted to picking her up on the odd occasion. Once, a man said 'she'll never get better if you do that.' Promptly popped her back down knowing she'd growl at his dog. He then tells me off for her doing that!

YOU. JUST. CAN'T. WIN.

Somewhere it's ok I know you weren't! ItsYou sound very sensible and aware. Its the whole 'well my dog wants to make friends so I'm going to let him make friends with the whole world' and then come across all holier than thou when fearful dogs react,they are pretty poor dog owners imo. You are not though!

It's hard owning and training a dog as everyone has advice based on their own ownership. I think we know our dogs best and should train them accordtrain, but I wish people would please remember that all dogs are different and show awareness of this fact.

"Then we get those who laugh and put it down to 'Terrier feistiness', saying 'that's what they do' and don't realize how stressful it is."

I have huge issues with small dogs, where the owners of them also seem to think it's what they do, so their dog kicks off, mine goes, woah, I'm not having that so he'll bark back and then I get dirty looks or actual comments.

I always want to go, well yours started it mate, it's not my fault it tried to pick a fight with a big dog - I mean there's no actual fight, they're usually on lead as well, but they seem to think it's somehow different when their dog does it.

My dog has no clue what size he is, he thinks he fits on my lap for starters, lol

If I see another dog walker and their dog is off the lead, mine stays off the lead. If they make a move to put their dog on the lead, I do the same. If I see them with a dog(s) already leashed then I recall mine and put him on the lead too. Simples. Some people are idiots though and don't do this.

Violet can we clone you please?

I'm not an idiot thank you.
My dog is off lead and so are countless others. A smaller number are on lead. We walk past them every day and there's never any bother. Sometimes she goes up to them and they both have a sniff and perhaps a play. Sometimes not. Have never had any trouble with on-lead dogs and their owners in 8 years of walking her. Nor do the other off-lead dogs to my knowledge. If it aint broke it don't need fixing.

Robinia just because you've never encountered any problems it doesn't mean you never will.

I think I must inhabit a very different dog walking area as there have never been any problems.
The risk-benefit analysis of leaving my dog off lead for every on-lead dog that passes is something like 0.01:99.99.
And as she'd end up being on-lead for at least half the walk I'd give up and take her somewhere else.

You wouldn't be likely to encounter a problem with my dog Robinia as she has been trained not to react, but other dogs can still make her nervous and I know the best thing for her is to walk on by quickly. It's not fair on my dog that other dog owners let their dogs come up without checking first.

Is that 0.01 risk worth it though? What if the only occasion you encounter a problem your dog is seriously hurt? Or killed?

It sounds as though you have a great dog walking area robinia populated by mainly well-socialised dogs. That's fab, and I'm mildly envious that you're able to frequent such places at peak dog walking times. Chances are that the owners of any fear aggressive dogs in your locale are avoiding the places and times where and when you walk because they know it's Dog Central.

You would only be an idiot if you ignored clear body language or verbal requests from another owner to pop your dog on its lead while they passed by. If you've never been asked so far, that's great. But if you ever are asked, please remember this thread and the stress that some of us go through trying to manage our reactive dogs, and continue to not be an idiot by complying. Then you'd be able to continue your walk with the warm fuzzy glow that in a small way you'd helped to make a fellow dog lover's life easier rather than harder.

somegoodtips

mines if anyone dared to attack my dog with an advertise spray they'd be in big trouble.

People seriously need to get a grip.

Humans are causing their dogs more stress by keeping them on leads they never learn how to socialise with other dogs.

Then owners being all uptight when a dog comes near is triggering a fear reaction in their dog every time.

Really LucieLucie? Because that's not what owners are saying on this thread...

There's at least one person who misunderstood what socialising meant, let their dog off lead to approach other dogs and is now dealing with the fear aggression that resulted from that, dogs that were attacked, rescues with a dodgy history and mine, who was originally on lead because he has joint and spinal problems.

But yeah, letting them off lead would have solved all that...

Lucie my dog was attacked by an off lead dog which is why she is now wary. The owner couldn't have cared less. I've had to spend a LOT of time training and controlling her subsequent fear aggression. When dogs approach her too assertively it can undo years of training. As her fear and fight or flight instinct can take over.

Mine was on lead having a quiet stroll while recovering from heart surgery still strapped to a chest drain. He was attacked by two dogs 3 times his size. He was 6 months old and in agony as they bit him over and over where he had been stitched a week before. These were 'friendly' dogs whos owner was a dot in the distance.

Now he attacks before he is attacked and I don't blame him. Socialisation is the wrong thing for my dog, as confirmed by a veterinary behaviourist and also a second opinion behaviourist which is why I don't want him to meet your friendly dog.

Doubt letting him off would have solved any issue. I'm not stressed, he is though.

The world is seriously messed up when people think that a dog under control on a lead is more of a pest than one running up to anyone (humans or dogs) off a lead. The mind boggles