Quick multiple choice question: if you see someone coming towards you with a dog on lead, and your dog is off-lead, do you:

[TheKitchenWitch]

a) put your own dog on lead
b) call your dog to you and hope it walks to heel as you pass the other dog
c) let your dog go rushing up to the other dog barking furiously while making no attempt to call it back whatsoever?



c) Part Two: also, when the owner of the on-lead dog asks you to call your dog back, do you then say "why don't you let yours off? mine won't do anything" even though you have met this particular owner and dog numerous times, and she has painstakingly explained to you that her dog is highly reactive and has to be on lead when passing other dogs in order not to lunge at them?

[Asleeponasunbeam]

I call mine back and ask, if in shouting distance, if they want him on-lead or not. I know he's completely uninterested (ball-mad), but they don't know that. He looks like a bouncy, over-eager springer. In fact, he's bored by people and would rather avoid dogs (in case they nick his ball).

I'm always happy to put him on lead though, even if only for a few seconds while someone passes.

[musicposy]

I've 3 shelties and a jack russell cross. The shelties are so disinterested in other dogs there's never an issue, they walk past as if the leaded dog does not exist.

The Jack Russell x is a different matter. She loves other dogs and wants to play chase with every dog going, so I put her on lead. Unfortunately this means she barks crazily at the other dog. However if I leave her off lead she tends to bound up to them wanting to play and I always assume a dog on lead does not want to be greeted.

I find the whole scenario stressful, though, as she's great with other off lead dogs - just my heart sinks if I see a dog on lead. If anyone on here has any tips on handling it better I'd be grateful.

[TheKitchenWitch]

moosemama that is a very good suggestion, but I've actually walked with this woman (!!) with both my dogs and had to keep shooing hers away from ddog1 (who had to be kept on lead). She just doesn't seem to comprehend that mine will go from growling to snapping very fast and it is my responsibility to make sure she doesn't injure any other dog or get herself into a situation where she could be injured. Hers is never on lead - I'm not even sure she has one with her.

I just got so annoyed with this woman because I've told her so many times that ddog1 cannot be trusted around other dogs and to please, please, please keep her dog away. I usually move over into a field or whatever, but sometimes we do have to actually pass each other and then I do expect her to at least call her dog to her.

A couple of months ago I had both dogs spayed, which meant that even when I was walking ddog2, I had to keep her on lead and not let her play with other dogs for a while. There are so many reasons that a dog might not be allowed off lead around other dogs. I don't understand why she keeps insisting that I should let mine off - the one time that we tried it (ages and ages ago), ddog1 growled and then went into pre-lunging mode (obviously I know her body language) so I immediately took her on lead and the woman was still insisting I should just let them sort it out. I don't get why you would voluntarily want your dog to potentially get into a fight - ddog1 is a parson russell terrier, she is not going to back down in any situation.

[moosemama]

Really frustrating for you then if you've tried it already and it hasn't worked.

My Aunt has two PJRTs and hers both have to stay on the lead most of the time for similar reasons, they are very game and won't back down even if the other dog is enormous compared to them.

[EasyToEatTiger]

It depends on where we are. If it is appropriate I will put leads on the dogs. If there is lots of space I will send them away as they don't really enjoy being in close contact with other dogs.