Off lead dog running up to onlead dog in street

[Doggingfedup]

name changed as very identifiable.

Aibu to think the ‘rule’ is :

‘if a dog is on the lead - you don’t let your off lead dog run up to them.’

I ask as an assistance dog owner.

Walking today with my dog who literally saves and enables my life (medical alert and mobility dog) today. My Dog is wearing a high vis vest that states ‘assistance dog’ and has a lead slip saying the same. Very clearly identifiable as a working assistance dog.

We are walking together - my dog on lead at heel position. An off lead dog approaches - on a quiet street in a large town. This offlead dog is way ahead of owner.

I immediately move as far over as I can as I don’t want to interact with an unknown offlead dog - which is getting closer and closer.

I call out to the owner politely asking them to recall their dog . Nothing - no acknowledgement at all - I continue trying to walk away and again call out to them pointing out that my dog is a working assistance dog . Dog still trying to sniff and interact with my dog as we are trying to walk away.

owner on my 3rd ‘please recall your dog - mine is working’ says ‘I didn’t realise’

I really don’t think the issue here is that my dog is a working dog . But the fact was my dog was clearly vested and did ignore the other dog as they are very highly trained - but my dog could have been an old or grumpy pet dog that didn’t appreciate being rushed at in the street whilst calmly walking to heel with me.

had my dog not been so calm - it could have been a major issue.

My issue is that I don’t think anyone should allow an off lead dog to approach and bother an on lead dog in the street.

AIBU ? To expect owners to not allow their offlead dogs to approach on lead dogs.

I encounter the same on an almost daily basis with my dogs and it makes me feel anxious and stressed, and I don't rely on mine for independence and for them to be able to work properly and unhindered to keep me safe and independent so there's no wonder you're feeling as you do - there's a lot at stake.
I have taken to standing in front of my dogs (I have trained them to 'go behind' in calm situations) and directing the approaching dog - No! Pointing back towards the owner and saying go away/back, I have tried sit before and it actually worked on one dog, although it's not an absolute, it's cut down on the amount of dogs that actually get close enough to cause an issue getting in my dogs face. I don't know if that would work with how your dog is trained and needs to work though.

I also find that many of these friendly dogs, actually aren't, the owners just cannot read their body language, a wagging tail = wants to play to them and that's not always the case, and even if it is, mine aren't there to entertain other people's dogs. What people fail to care about is that when your dog is on a lead and then gets into a fight, you the human, are attached to that fight, close to it and at risk from being injured - even if you don't or can't intervene.

I've taken to walking mine very early or late to cut down on the people I meet, and it's a pain for me to do, but it feels safer that way.

I don't know what the answer is, there's already a law about having dogs under control in public spaces but it's not enforced therefore not respected.