Off-lead dogs approaching my reactive dog

[xorose]

I have a three year old Maltese who has always been nervous around other dogs and despite previous attempts at socialising him and using positive conditioning he is still very reactive towards other dogs and will bark at them. For this reason he is always kept on a lead, wears a yellow harness and is walked at quiet times. However, it is getting more and more common that other off-lead dogs approach him despite his bright yellow harness which says "KEEP AWAY".

I walk him around parks and off-lead dogs come bounding up to him whilst the owner tries to call their dog back which the dog completely ignores. I walk him around quiet residential streets at quiet times and three times (!) in the last month dogs have come bounding out of their owners houses straight up to my dog, even crossing busy roads to get to him.

The dogs just bound straight up to him, ignoring his barks. I then just feel so helpless, I tighten my dogs lead so he is at my ankle and try and change directions but we are circled by a dog incessantly trying to reach my dog. It happened earlier today and afterwards I literally shake like a leaf as I just feel so helpless and vulnerable when there is a dog there and my dogs barking is escalating I also always feel guilty so I apologise to the other owner like I have done something wrong despite having control of my dog and loudly and clearly warning owners that my dog does not like other dogs.

I am so fed up with it. I can understand if it was happening at busy parks frequented by dog walkers (which is why I avoid those areas), but walking around a quiet neighbourhood at dusk when there is nobody around and yet nearly once a week a dog will run out someone's front door towards us.

Does anyone have any advice?

“There are hundreds of places to go with dogs on leads.”

There really aren’t btw... people let their dogs off lead in the strangest of places, residential areas are full of them, but also town centres, industrial estates...

drive off to the middle of nowhere park up where there’s no- one in sight, five minutes later someone will come park next to you...

I’ve met other dogs in a field a mile from the nearest house at 1am...

There maybe lots of places to have taken mine. But he didn’t do the car and I live in a village. I had no choice but to walk him in the streets.

Just adding my total sympathy and agreement. My new dog is improving, or I'm getting better at avoiding situations, but I have to walk around the streets to avoid dogs off lead even though I live on the edge of a common.
There used to be an etiquette, at least on paths, that if an approaching dog was on the lead you put yours on the lead too, but few people seem to bother now.
We've started going to a very good class and I'm hoping this will help, but some other owners are infuriating.

nrpmum
I'd love to know if there are strategies you were taught by your trainer that would help some of us on this thread.
I have the impression that my new dog is overstimulated and overexcited rather than fearful or aggressive, but she doesn't cope with dogs running up to her or being too close face to face. I want to help her as much as I can, for my own sake as well as hers.

Whilst I'm totally up for better education and training for owners and dogs about not approaching dogs on the lead, I think leash laws would be a huge step back. Most dogs love nothing more than a good run around in the park and would be very bored only ever being walked on the lead. It would be a huge step back for dog welfare if they had to spend all their time on the lead save for a few small off leash areas. I travel extensively with my dog and he hates the tiny excuses for dog parks you get abroad, full of hyped up and under stimulated dogs.

My dog is reactive, we have only recently started taking him out again during daylight hours.

We joined an amazing and supportive facebook group, that has give us ideas on how to deal with other dogs.

One is the treat idea, so throwing treats in the opposite direction to where you want to ninja off to. However with this I found certain dogs (tbf mainly labs) would try and come and grab the treats off me. Another is the policeman stop, if a dog is coming towards you, put your hand up and say stop, it might not work for long, but long enough for you to move into another direction.

My personal fav is to take my cat and he deals with it for me, but that is not an option available to everyone

How tough is your cat?

@TixieLix my dog is like the woman you mentioned. He’s young (8 months). I have him on a long line now as we’re trying really hard with his recall and it’s good unless we encounter another dog. Then he’s a sod.

How tough is your cat?

Most of the dogs in my area are scared of him,

Ours is muzzled when out. Sends the clearest of messages to the fuckwit ‘just wants to play’ crowd.

We also have a very friendly dog, also on a lead for prey drive reasons. She’s a great foil.