Dog walking etiquette tips please dos and don'ts

[Asinine]

My new lab pup is not able to go on proper walks yet, as waiting for his second jab, and also too little to walk far. I am new to dog owning and after reading another thread about 'ball stealing' I realise I don't know the unwritten rules of interacting with other dogs and people in the street, park or elsewhere.

So what do I need to know?

Hmm... what can I add?

Expect people to start long and seemingly pointless conversations with you in the middle of public areas. Most of the time you probably won't mind, but even on our worst days we dogwalkers can be confronted with 'So-and-so's mum' (like with kids, you will revert to being called Puppy's Mum) who wants to launch into a story about their dog/your dog/a random dog they saw the other day.

Likewise, expect to be ignored by other dogwalkers.

Eventually, if you regularly walk in the same places, you will learn who is a talker, who's simply a 'nod-and-hi' type and who's not interested in passing the time of day, just as they will learn what type of dogwalker you are.

You may fall over in the mud/rain. You may twist your ankle in a rabbit hole. If you are lucky, your dog will be the only witness to these events.

You will encounter the joys of dog-rolling-in-fox-poo, the worst and most foulest substance known to mankind.

Second the 'always carry poo bags' comment.

Oh, and train early, and train consistently. Dogs are creatures of habit & routine, once they get into bad habits it can be a long and frustrating job to get them to break said habits.

PrinceHumperdink, I've noticed that with the bunny in the park. Very small ones will usually extend one finger and sort of prod the very end of his fur! I always hold him on my knee, though - easier with something that weights 2lb

May I beg that when your dog approaches someone scared (even a middle-aged woman who ought to know better), you say 'don't worry, I won't let him near you' and keep him away rather than 'oh, he's very friendly, he doesn't bite'? Because I'm actually much more scared of the 'friendly' ones. And so are my kids.

I don't know about superpowers, maybe I should make him a cape?

Sounds like he's got a lot in common with my bunny, who likes to jump up behind you in a lapine version of "peep-bo"

"is on a lead for a reason."

Mine is often on a lead as I am struggling/not confident with recall.

He was attacked by a "free" dog.

And no, he didn´t start it.

Dogs are always on leads because they are aggressive.

When my dog is on a lead in an open dog walking space - I have explained to other dog walkers why if we meet another dog and owner- for example when she was spayed - she was on a lead for 10 days . This morning I put her on the lead because we had to get back to car for vet appointment . Sometimes nice to know that dog is on a lead for another reason beside saggression.

Be prepared for your dog to have perfect recall until he spies another dog/person/jogger/child and forget everything he's learned.

That should have been dogs "aren´t only on leads..."

TBH, I don´t see why I should explain.

But my goodness, the rolling of eyes that I have encountered when I am seen with my dog on a lead & they have to bother to call theirs & put a lead on.

Well, of course, if their dog was well trained they wouldn´t have to as it would leave "leaded" dogs alone.

I am being polite with dog owners if my dog is on lead and just passing time of day time of day with them when saying why - I do think that on dog walking - human manners ,politeness and being civil with other dog owners goes out the window.

Thanks everyone, I'm getting a feel for the world of dog walking.

I am working on his recall in the back garden which is enclosed and doing mini walks in the front garden on lead, so that he sees traffic, buggies, bikes and all sorts of people. He will sit, down and come on a long lead in the front garden even when quite excited, but I am using food still although he has to do more for each treat each day.

I am confused about when to use the lead though, for example he will need it on when walking on pavement near a busy road, but if he is learning to walk on lead, he will need practice even in the park?

YES ! Dog needs to be on lead when walking near busy road !

If you want to practice with it iin park thats fine .

Practice in the garden with a lead before venture out .

But not a long lead - he may dart off into the road. A normal lead for walking on pavement etc.

This is dog poo etiquette but is a huge bugbear of mine at the moment.

If you are out somewhere in the middle of nowhere, like a forest or a bridle path that is seldom used. Somewhere infrequently used by hoards of the general public. NOT a park, not a beach and not a well trod public footpath.

If your dog has a crap, move it well off the path, and into the undergrowth as far away from human feet as you, and your boot or flicky stick, or inverted poo bag can manage. And leave it there. Nature will take it's course as it does will all other things poo related.

OR

Pick it up in a bag and take it home, or dispose of it in the nearest bin.

DO NOT for the love of God, pick it up in the plastic bag and then hang it from a tree, or leave it at the bottom of a tree, or tuck it into a little cranny in a fallen log.

Jesus wept. Delamere Forest was festooned with hanging shit bags yesterday.

Dog shit au naturelle under a pile of stinging nettles will degrade, dog shit in a plastic bag hanging for a branch will not.

Other tip is to smile at other dog owners. Smiling is nice and makes people happy.

Slubber - I never ever understand why people do that. I would rather they left it in where it was done than parcel it up and then leave it hanging.

OMG-I don´t understand this either.

Are they wanting someone else to put it in the bin for them?

Someone I knew claimed 'they were going to collect it on the way back '

Yeah, right. They obviously 'forgot'.

My dog is really a bear - she shits right in the middle of the woods !

I have no idea why they do it. Why why why? It makes absolutley no logical sense at all. I did a 4 hour walk yesterday and was a good couple of hours in, deep deep in the forest where the paths are getting quite narrow and overgrown and then, ta daaaa... you would come upon a christmas tree of dog shit bag scrotum-baubles.

I wish I had a private bear shitter Avantia, but no she helpfully does her's right in the middle of the path so I can have a jolly good look

Am becoming most adept at the stick n' flick technique.