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?

Blimey, we have a daily hour long walk, off lead. Must meet 50 dogs.
Never encountered any of this

You can rehabilitate dogs I've been there, done that and got the tshirt.

Oh I did have a crazy lady with a pug literally running circles around me and my dog, round and round, it was hilarious. Hers was on a lead and mine wasn't interested. Why she just couldn't pull the dog away I do not know.

Sloth, I like you!! Well said!! 😃

I would, and have, gently pushed another dog away. Can't see a problem there: would never do more than that.

There is some truth in that dogs will pick up on their owner's nervousness and possibly act out. The fear aggression in mine came before that, and then yes, I inadvertently made it worse. We've had a two year learning curve. I've learnt to put mine first, stop allowing strange interactions, and have much more confidence in dealing with strange dogs. Walks are now (usually) pleasant.

Tabu, r u nuts? How about the street?

"No tabu, I think not! Take the dog training, to a reputable trainer."

Oh I have, trainer, behaviourist, vet's...weirdly none of them managed to make irresponsible dog owners train their dogs...

"My point is just because someone doesn't automatically put their dog back on a lead as soon as they spot you doesn't mean they are letting their dogs run riot."

Well in fairness, they don't need to put their dog on a lead if they've got decent recall, that's what the OP was on about and what I meant.

I don't care what someone else's dog is doing if it's not coming over to mine

Well socialised dogs approach at a normal pace, they read the other dogs body language to see if they're welcome or not, they don't run over and bounce if the other dog is giving off very clear signals that it's not going to welcome them.

Badly socialised dogs with decent owners get called away because I'm moving out of their way, with an on lead dog and warning them that he's not ok with other dogs...

Navy, don't walk it in a park then fgs! Not difficult.

"Tabu, r u nuts? How about the street?"

I still meet off lead dogs, or ones on unlocked flexi leads...

Not as many, but more than you'd think.

I think anyone who has a dog with issues shouldn't walk them in a place where they know other dogs will be off lead, such as a park. When the dog with issues has had appropriate training, then it may join the non aggressive ones!! Job done!! 😘

Yes, a well mannered dog should detect 'back off' signals and leave.

I had to call the police on a "mine is friendly" woman two months ago. Her two GS's kept following mine. No recall whatsoever. Zoomed across a field. Leaping on head etc. Scrabble didn't (though would have been justified in doing) kick off. When she caught up, I asked her to please recall them and what did I get? All sorts of swear words and threats of violence. I'd say there was a correlation between her dog's behaviour and hers. Feel sorry for them with an owner like that (turns out she's a known entity ...).

Hmmm so let me summarise this thread.

Opinion 1: all dogs should be allowed off lead to run up to others because they are dogs. If you don't like that walk somewhere else.

Opinion 2: If other dog put on lead and your dog won't recall or walk past without running up put on lead until you have passed.

I doubt we are ever going to agree. Wishes I win the lottery to buy massive area of forest that is just for me and my dog

When I am walking my dog along a pavement by a road he is always on a lead, however, on a footpath or out on the playing field I nearly always have him off lead. I never take him in the local park since he knocked over a toddler though Tbh in my experience dogs are more friendly to one another when they are off the lead - try it one day! They feel constrained, restricted and defensive when on lead. My stupid dog was once having a shouting match with another dog through a wire fence - I knew the owner and we agreed to let them both off. We did and they both stopped barking immediately and sloped off in opposite directions literally with tails between their legs

Mine is off the lead, if we see a dog on a lead I call him and he comes back. It's not difficult!
He was once pinned down by a snarling bigger dog while its owner stood nearby and giggled 'oh it's ok, he's only playing' I was keen to tell her it wasn't f'ing ok and to shift her dog or I would!
Something else that makes me mad... people taking their dogs out while on heat and freaking out at any owner who's dog goes up to theirs.... FFS!!!

Those with unsociable animals shouldn't be in a public place

Total bollocks.

Those who have no concern for others shouldn't be in a public place.

I like option one sharky, although the way you put it sounds a bit one sidey and not at all how the option 1 camp would have said it! But yeh.

Non aggressive dogs don't own the entire field. I expect to be able to keep away from others without having a dog zoom across from a hundred yards. I don't deliberately take her near other dogs, and now think it's the other owner's lookout if they can't keep their dog away (we're doing our bit).

Soup, what planet r u on? It's a two way thing I it not?

My dog is a rescue dog who was picked up as a stray. They had countless hours of rehab in the rescue and a previous owner also put countless hours into her before returning her to the rescue when they got bored. We've put endless time into our dog because, believe it or not, we don't like having to prevent or break up dog fights. But some dogs just don't like other dogs! We feel with ours they missed the stage as a puppy in which case she simply will never be OK with other dogs.

This is NOT our fault. This is NOT our dogs fault. It's simple respect that if a dog is on a lead or the owner has ducked off the path with it there is a reason so don't let your dog follow it.

My dog is 50lbs in weight and of all dogs hates terriers and small dogs the most, the kind of dogs that jump up and into her face and belly. Do not be surprised if your badly socialised dog gets a nasty bite from my on lead dog if you cannot get it back under your control.

We give ample warning if one is approaching her, we try and get her away from the other dog, we sit her down and get her to fix her gaze at us if it's too late but why shouldn't she defend her space if you can't control your dog?

Navy, I guess it depends what dog you've got really. I don't give a damn if mine get's started on, he'll learn his lesson.

I have a dog aggressive German shepherd (and a normal one!) and funnily enough very few people allow their dogs to approach mine.

My dog is like this because of the stupidity of other people not being able to control their animals not because I'm shitting my knickers. In all fairness if your dog was to be bitten by mine who is on lead then by law you would be at fault anyway. The off lead dog is the one classed as out of control.

Dogs with no recall are as badly trained as an aggressive one. My trainer actually works to teach dogs to focus completely on the owner at all times and ignore other dogs. I would rather my dog was like this than running up to everyone getting themselves in trouble.

My dog can't read doggy body language. She wants to play, off lead she has a sniff and just when we think it's going well it's snarling spits at dawn. She's socially awkward. I will not put her or another dog under that stress.