Off lead etiquette

[Floralnomad]

Just fishing for opinions really . This morning I was on a local playing field with my dog ,the field is quite small ( 200m x200m) and there was one other lady with a spaniel ( working cocker) . When I arrived and let my dog ( patterdaleX ) off his lead the other dog came bowling over to us and literally knocked my dog off his feet ,the it other owner called him away and called out that he's a youngster so likes to say hello . I started playing ball with my dog and the other dog constantly came over to us running alongside my dog and trying to engage him in 'doggy' play . My dog doesn't do 'doggy' play ,he totally blanks other dogs and will not approach ,them eventually after about 5 minutes of being harassed my dog growled very loudly as he was running along . I immediately called him back and put him on his lead because quite honestly I've never let him get past the growling stage so really don't know if he would go on to bite another dog if they persisted and this dog was going to persist . So the question is is it my problem when other dogs harass my dog or is it the other owners who should keep their dog away from mine when he obviously doesn't want to play and just can't get away from their intrusive dogs because they keep chasing him .

Other owner should recall and put on lead if recall not 100%. Particularly if it's really obvious the other dog is doing something like retrieving a ball or if there's an obvious mismatch in size or unwanted enthusiastic play.

If her dog was continually bothering you then yes she really ought to have called it back. If her recall wasn't very good she should have put the dog back on the lead. If it's an enclosed field and one dog is being a nuisance it makes it difficult for anybody else there.

I have a young working cocker and he is super friendly with other dogs. I've found the off-lead etiquette quite tricky, but what I do is this:

If we are approaching a dog on lead, I put him on lead too, until I am close enough to see what owner says. If both like to play, take him off.

If we are approaching a dog off lead, I now let him go and say hello. But I'm confident in his recall, so if other dog isn't interested, we walk on and he will come with me.

We walk mainly through woodlands so generally on a path with obvious directions, so easy to walk on if the dog doesn't want to play. It's trickier in an open field I guess - I've only let him off lead once in an open field because that's not where we walk, but then there was another dog and I waited until he'd gone, because I thought Ddog might rush over to him and I wasn't 100% happy I'd be able to recall him from that far away, or manage moving him away from a reluctant dog in that setting.

I think in your situation, the other owner should have called their dog back much sooner. Equally, though, I'm quite nervous of other dogs, so if another dog was bothering mine, I'd put him on the lead and take him away, rather than risk him being hurt or biting another dog - regardless of what the etiquette is I don't think I could have waited for 5 minutes with my dog being bothered, I'd have got stressed much quicker. Potentially difficult, though, I guess, if the field was enclosed so it was hard for you to take your dog away.

That could have been my dog - overly enthusiastic bouncey type...sometimes comes across dogs who don't want to play and I'll change direction and recall him back.
Most of the places I walk my dog are full of dogs off leads having a good play, too many really, to put dogs on leads everytime they meet.
They get to know the dogs who aren't interested and after a quick sniff, they move on.

We were told/taught at puppy classes that our dogs should always 'ask' before they approach another dog. We spent a while on it and mine always checks in with me if he sees another dog before running off. If I say no he ignores them and runs around or straight past them.
It is teachable and I wish more people would do it because it is frustrating when other people's dogs start pestering you and won't go away. We had someone else's dog with us for 25 minutes the other day trying to hump my boy all the way round. No idea where his owner was. It's annoying but it does happen.

Raspberrysnowcone, if only it were as easy as you suggest. 18 months in of hard work and my lab is nowhere near ignoring other dogs on walks. I live for the day!!

We all make mistakes, but strictly speaking you should slways check before letting your dog approach another animal or person and a dog without good recall should not be off lead.

I think there are rules on this forum and rules in real life! I take my dog to a local park, it's full of dogs all off lead playing, no one asks can their dog play.....ever!

I think in real life you can generally tell that if somebody's spaniel is gambolling around them happily and they aren't paying it much attention, it is probably fine for your friendly lab to say hello.

However, you should be able to call your dog back immediately.

but your dogs took control of the situation. ie. your dog ignored then growled. that should have been enough for the other dog to just go away. no lead required.

I think that if somebody is throwing a ball for their dog you need to check before allowing your dog to join in.

And unless they clearly say that they want to entertain your dog too, I would assume that they don't.

But in general if someone is playing ball with their dog and they don't wish you and your dog to join them, it's pretty obvious, like any social interaction you read the signals and modify your behaviour accordingly.

horace the problem being that the other dog was carrying on despite being growled at and I have found this with other dogs as well - they just can't take a hint .

My dog is a bit over friendly but thankfully can now quickly read the signs that the other dog doesn't want to play and will move on after a brief sniff.