Aggressive/Reactive dogs

[Stellaris22]

I own a friendly/sociable dog with good recall. I put her on a lead when I see an on lead dog and ask permission before interaction.

I understand it isn’t easy owning a reactive dog. If you know your dog will bite why isn’t it muzzled? XL bullies are muzzled for safety reasons. Responsibility works both ways. I don’t let my dog approach on lead dogs. Please protect other dogs from your dog you know will bite.

Why do they need to if you keep your dog away from them?

How is the on-lead dog a bite risk if you keep your dog away?

Reactive doesn’t necessarily equal bite.

And yes, this!

I have always said this. If your dog is aggressive and likely to bite/attack any dog it comes too close to, surely you should muzzle it? Why take the risk?

Reactive doesn't always mean they'll bite at the slightest provocation. I had a big greyhound who didn't like other dogs being in his space. He would be quick to bark to warn off another dog who got too close to him, but in the 10 years I had him, I never saw him attempt to bite another dog. I did muzzle him as a precaution as 'friendly' dog owners would let their dogs approach him, despite their dogs having no recall, when I asked them to get their dog to back off.

My dog won’t approach yours, no. But plenty of people talk about dogs approaching their on lead reactive dogs.

Other dogs shouldn’t approach on lead dogs. But. If you know your dog is reactive and will bite, the responsible things is to muzzle.

A lot of dogs feel insecure on a lead, when a unleashed dog approaches, so the majority of dogs, in theory, would need to be muzzled.
I could manage my rescue GS, there wasn't a need for a muzzle, just keep within distance of your dog. Are you the poster from the other day? Just because my dog didn't like some other dogs, it didn't make him a danger to children. He always gave a warning to another dog. How is your dog around horses/farm animals/wildlife?

I have a basset, she’s on lead in woodlands as her recall disappears. She’s put on a lead the second I see an on lead dog.

Responsibility works both ways. I control my dog. A dog likely to bite needs to be muzzled.

The responsible thing is not to let your dog run up to an on-lead dog (not you specifically, the general "you").

My dog has never bitten but I know people who don't muzzle because they don't want their dog to be left defenceless.

It doesn’t if off lead dogs aren’t near it. Keep your dog under control at all times, not just when it’s convenient for you.

My dog is under control. My point is about responsibility. All dogs should be on lead unless they have reliable recall. Sadly there are owners who aren’t responsible .

If you know your dog is likely to bite it needs to be muzzled. Same as XL bullies.

Reactivity doesn’t mean it will bite.
If owners know their dog will go up to a dog on a lead they shouldn’t let theirs off.

If off lead dogs have reliable recall they won’t be approaching other dogs so what’s the problem?

Again. Off lead dogs shouldn’t be approaching off lead dogs. Mine doesn’t.

Not all owners are responsible. XL bullies are muzzled. Dogs known to bite should be muzzled. I’m sorry your dog is in this situation, but responsibility works both ways.

So
Off lead dogs should not approach lead dogs.
Problem solved.

Dogs known to wander off should be on leads. Why are you holding reactive dog owners responsible for owners who can’t or don’t keep their dogs on leads. Why do you keep mentioning xl bullies?

Again. I’m not blaming reactive dogs. Responsibility means dogs being under control.

We know from numerous threads on here there are irresponsible owners.

I think we’re missing the point here. You know your dog will bite. You know irresponsible owners exist. Your dog isn’t to blame, but known biting means it needs to be muzzled.

Again. The irresponsible ones are the ones not keeping their dogs on leads. Why is your thread not directed towards them.

I would not permanently muzzle/further restrain my dog for being in fear when another (out of control) dog off-lead jumps on her?
Every dog breed is an animal- since any could potentially bite a threat (even Pugs/Chihuahuas), your theory is every dog must be muzzled in case another free-roaming dog approached them.

Sorry OP not agreeing with you here. My dog is kept close to me and I stand in front of her to block dogs off lead, those owners tend to blame mine if she growls at their dog as it jumps in her face. She is harmless unless feeling attacked which is why I keep her on lead.

Dogs loose, approaching other dogs on leads = not in control, so against the law.

Dogs on lead able to bite if space invaded by above example = still in control. The loose dog can just leave, whereas the leashed dog is restrained there.

If someone attacked you and you defended yourself, I would not say you need putting in a straight jacket

I guess if I had a dog known to bite I’d want to minimise conflict and damage.

In an ideal world only well behaved and trained dogs exist. This isn’t an ideal world and irresponsible owners exist. I know they exist as one bothers my dog and I hate it.

Dogs shouldn’t approach dogs without permission. Irresponsible owners exist. Responsibility = understanding your dog. You shouldn’t have to protect against off lead, badly trained dogs. But they exist (sadly). You know they exist. Muzzle.

I guess if I had a dog known to run away I’d want to minimise conflict and damage.

Any dog would bite. OP, your dog would bite if put in the wrong situation so by that logic your dog (and all dogs) should be muzzled.

There's a spectrum of how dogs interact with each other and how owners perceive other breeds of dogs and how clued up owners are on dog's body language.

I have a 40kg GSD who is really friendly with other dogs, I walk her on a Halti for a bit of extra control (in case she spots a cat) and also on a short lead. She knows not to approach other dogs and isn't given the chance. There's a lady who walks her teacup dog on a flexi lead and makes no attempt to reign her dog in on approaching other dogs. The first time I encountered her, she started speaking frantically about her dog being afraid of other dogs. I held onto my dog by the handle on her harness, even though my dog had instinctively kept her distance and laid a distance back on the grass. She made no attempt to recall her dog or shorten the leash, but let it come right up to mine and start sniffing at her. The interaction was really friendly, no worrying signs, relaxed tail wags on both sides. Every time she's encountered us since, she's treated my dog like she's about to tear her's apart based on nothing apart from my dog being bigger and a 'dangerous' GSD.

My reactive dog mainly barks at other dogs. He has only tried to bite dogs when they are allowed to wander up and stick their face into his while he’s on lead. I don’t see why he should wear a hot sweaty muzzle all the time to mitigate the risk of an idiot owner who doesn’t keep their dog under control and away from us.