Dog walking etiquette thread.

[GrittersWifeAndProud]

That's just it really, thought we should have one.

What are the Do's and Don'ts of dog walking?

Thunderbolt - totally agree with you about some other dog walker being miserable and unsocial. I will say however that they are in the minority.

I have meet some lovely people on my walks and more often than not continue walking with them as our dogs seem to get on well and are running around with each other.

But my big annoyance is people who walk along and seem to be taking no notice of where or what their dog is doing because they are too busy talking on their phone .

If you see someone with two toddlers trying to recall their dog because they have spotted your dog without a lead, please stop and get your dog to wait until I've got mine back on the lead, not saunter bloody past with your stupid little dog who starts chasing mine!! then trips up my 3 year old!

Idiot.

QuietOhSoQuiet... I have a sprollie who does that as well... she hates to be sniffed for too long and has been known to pin dogs to the ground if they keep sniffing or bothering her... there is never any blood... She just tells them off and it just sounds ferocious ... she doesn't do this to polite dogs though... just rude boistrous dogs and excitable puppies

Also if you go to a dog friendly beach... expect to see dogs there! but I am sorry if my dog wee's up your childs sand castle...

Am reading this thread with interest as I am just back from walking my 15 week old pup. We met two big dogs whilst out - their owners were lovely and explained that they were working on recall too but I felt bad that I should've grabbed pup as soon as I saw them and put him on the lead. As it was, they played for a bit and then we called them back (mine was first to come [proud])

So I'd just like to check - if new puppy owner is effusively apologetic and obviously trying to get it right, is that okay even when pup runs off and trys to jump on your dog?? (I did lead him and avoid four other dogs on this walk who were also on leads)

I think your attitude is key. All dogs disgrace you at some point. The important thing is to react quickly, apologise profusely, and if the other person is angry/frightened, not to get in to a slanging match. Apologise and remove your dog. Most people are reasonable and understanding if you seem genuinely sorry, ime :)

Not read the whole thread so it may have been covered...

Can people stop encouraging my dog to jump up at them - he is a rehomed dog and we are trying to break him of the habit and patting your chest and saying 'come on lad you're friendly' isn't helping - he is a big dog and when he nearly tried it on a little old lady standing on the ice in winter it could have gone horribly wrong if I hadn't managed to get hold of him in time.

I'm reading this with interest and taking notes! My pup is 14 weeks and only just starting to go out now after all his jabs. I've only taken him out locally and luckily not come across any big dogs yet and I'm a bit nervous about what will happen when I do! Wish you responsible lot all lived near me

petitdonkey and other puppy owners I think it is worthwhile considering the needs of another section of the dog community; Dogs in need of space.

Dogs In Need Of Space are good dogs. They may not want to socialize with your dog, but they have the right to walk with their owners, on leash, without harassment from strangers who insist on a forced greeting. Their owners do not want to cause a scene or yell, in a panic, at strangers. They don?t want their dog to act inappropriately, get hurt, backslide on their training, or frighten anyone. Please, dog lovers of the world, allow these dogs and their people some space and, if they are walking or turning away from you, keep your dog close by and pass them without comment.
All they want is to walk their dogs in peace, without having to hide under a park bench in order to escape the relentless pursuit of dogs owners who call out... ?My dog is friendly!?

I have a dog in need of space. She is genuinely frightened when (I have to say it tends to be over-friendly large breed adolescent dogs) jump all over her, particularly when she is on and they are off-lead. We are working hard on overcoming this but all it takes is a single encounter with an over friendly dog and it will set us back in our training.

I do appreciate how hard training a puppy, genuinely I do, but profuse apologies won't help my dog overcome her problems, problems that have been caused in the first place by 'my dog is friendly' dogs. She does't understand English after all.

make sure your dog is under close control on cycle paths. Round here this is the norm but I gather not the case everywhere. I always say 'thanks' to good dog owners - and if its a beautifully controlled off-lead dog praise them too, its delightful to see it being done properly.

Quote taken from this blog. I was pretty unaware of all this until I got a reactive dog myself.

Slubber - points duly noted, it's good to hear all perspectives. So far, I've managed to always put pup on lead when I see other dogs on a lead and we give them a wide berth. I will remember your wise words

Slubber, that blog is absolutely brilliant! Spot on. I was talking very recently with another rescue volunteer whose dog was carrying an injury. They had managed to impale themselves on a piece of wood - he found it very difficult during the recuperation period when his injured dog with stitches was still being bounced.

Our darling old girl is 13. She has arthritis, her eyesight is going (in fact, has gone, in large measure). She is a small, and very elderly skinny old girl. We worked hard to socialise her when she came to us but unfortunately she's just had too many painful (and I mean that literally) encounters with offlead dogs. Understandably, she is now very crotchety around dogs she doesn't know as she is heartily fed up with being knocked sideways by a cannonball in furry form.

On our regular weekday walk we know most of the other dog walkers and the idiosyncrasies of their dogs so that's usually fine. Also we deliberately choose to walk in an area where there is plenty of space to "escape" - yet still we get followed!! Genuine understanding and apologies are lovely - what really amazes me is that we are walking quietly along minding our own business, well away from anyone else, dogs on lead and muzzled. Cannonball bounces over, gets well and truly barked at and cannonball owner seems bewildered by less than welcoming reception , and then gets shirty with us... Sigh.

"make sure your dog is under close control on cycle paths. Round here this is the norm but I gather not the case everywhere. I always say 'thanks' to good dog owners - and if its a beautifully controlled off-lead dog praise them too, its delightful to see it being done properly."

I love the people who say thank you :), but really get irked by those who don't ring their bell! Bikes are quite quiet and come up fast. I always get my dogs under beautiful control, sat by me, completely still, but I need to know the cyclist is coming! So many times, I turn around and there is a cyclist right behind me, virtually running over my dogs, who of course, then panic and run around - so dangerous!

It also annoys me a bit when I get them sat beautifully off the path and then the cyclist whizzes past without a word - I've made the effort, it doesn't take much in return to say thank you. So, thank you, loud bell ringing cyclists, and to those who glare at me because my dogs aren't under control, if I know you are approaching, they will be!

petitdonkey , thank you.

Scuttle it's good isn't it. toboldlygo linked it a while back. There is a poster that goes with it, I've printed off a couple and carry them round in my (already bulging) coat pockets to give to MDIFs after their dog has mugged mine. I too get fed up with either other owners lecturing me on how to 'man up' my dog or indeed the shirty responses.

Even if you take dogs with behavioural needs out of the equation there are as you point out elderly dogs and little dogs that for their own physical safety need space from galumphing friendlies.

Keep your dog on a lead when walking in built up areas, walking along in front of your dog ignoring it pooing on the pavement OR ON MY LAWN is no excuse.

When your dog is off lead and runs towards me walking mine on a lead and muzzled and I shout "call your dog back please" JUST DO IT.

The grass verge of the East Lancs Road IS NOT A PLAY AREA, get your stupid dog on a lead or take it to a field or park.

Thank you Musicposy, you've expressed my feelings about cyclists beautifully. Can I add, if you are riding a horse and see someone ahead with a group of dogs, please wait while she recalls them and gets them on the lead, rather than charge through at a canter shouting 'Fuck off'.

Its just about awareness and respect, really...if I see someone looking anxious and turning away with their on-lead dog, I call my (friendly and well behaved) mutt back and avoid them. But where we live, there are loads and loads of dogs, on and off lead, and most of them are dog-friendly - they are on-lead because of poor recall and/or the owner's convenience (think little old ladies with small dogs pottering about the Common).

Its neither practical nor necessary for me to avoid all on-lead dogs, or call Mouse away from all of them. But I keep my eyes open, am on alert for anxious on-lead dogs, and Mouse - to be fair - picks up 'go away' cues very fast too.

Cyclists: my dog never bothers you, please don't use walking paths at 30mph and run him over. Or run my kids over. And please use your bells and stop swearing

Always pick up poo (major campaign going on in our area over this, quite rightly).

My collie is definitely a Dinos dog.

She won't rush up to another dog and attack it but will react if they come up to her. She has developed a habit of lying down whenever she sees a dog coming which is actually not all that convenient! I think this come from us putting her in a down if we are unsure of the dog that is approaching...but I wish she'd come back before lying down in the middle of the path!

We met a snack sized tiny and absolutely adorable terrier puppy yesterday. The puppy was so sweet and rolled on her back and jumped up at my legs (all of about 3 inches off the ground as she was so small) unfortunately she also jumped up at my collie, I held my collies mouth shut so she couldn't accidentally inhale it bite it. She seemed a bit unsure of whether it was a dog or a small clump of fluff blowing in the wind!

My spaniel who usually avoids other dogs and rarely interacts was completely in love and gave her his ball, which was the same size as the puppy!

I wanted to pop the little terrier it in my pocket and take it home!

Another Dinos dog here. It is possible that other dog owners can make you feel a bit odd so thanks for that link!

Bloody Hell. Reading this thread and making notes. Our cocker spaniel pup is 6 months and so excited about every person and dog that she meets. I do apologise profusely when she bounds away from me and tries to go and say hello and I get her on the lead as soon as I can. Very often I'm walking with my two year old, and we try to go to really quiet spaces so that I can keep a watchful eye.

The thing that upsets me is that her recall is amazing, and we are training her every day, several times a day. But it's not perfect, and when I read that we are supposed to have her on the lead until her recall is perfect, it annoys me. How is she supposed to learn her recall if she should be on the lead the whole time?

No way should you have her on the lead till her recall is perfect...a ridiculous notion. Do the best you can AllOverIt, that is all you can do. my pup is 4 month old and his recall is pretty fab but again no pup is faultless.

Thanks shouty. You want to be as polite a dog walker as you can, but unfortunately, she often doesn't think the same way! We're doing dog training, and training her at home so she is getting better. Obviously we're having to counteract the fact that she's so little and the fact that she's a spaniel!

That works until you pass someone with 7 dogs as we do most days, I'm not sure she would manage them all on one side

All this recall being perfect , pah nonsense! - just ignore AllOverIt .....where are these flawless well behaved dogs and exemplary owners I wonder? I walk in the New Forest where the norm is off lead (only other dog walkers about as a rule) and from my observations only 10% of dogs (or less) return dutifully to their owners the second they are called....it's rarely a problem