Dog Owners and Etiquette

[IVFNewbie]

Hi! We are quite new to dog ownership. What is the accepted behaviour for when you meet other dogs when out for a walk? Do you let the dogs sniff each other? play with each other? Or generally ask the owner first?

@ApollO88 a longline attached to a harness can be great when recall is iffy! Total Recall the book is awesome.

My amiable but scaredy cat grey is always on a lead. He’s generally happy with a nose to nose sniff and will wag his tail, especially where he knows the dogs. He’s less than happy with small dogs that then leap up at his neck and is positively cross at dogs (generally off leads) that sniff his bottom. He’s not aggressive but the poor chap has to shuffle round trying to get away while the other owner whitters on about their dog playing. I have to bite my lip if the owner is male to stop myself asking whether they take the same attitude towards consent.......

thanks all- really useful stuff here. Much appreciated.

You will be able to tell by the mannerisms of the owner. I think people with stereotypical "dangerous dogs" will be a bit perturbed by people and dogs not giving them a wide birth or being impolite.

People with doodles will probably welcome you with open arms.

I have a very large, "dangerous" dog and nothing annoys me more than people with untrained, impolite dogs that just run up and expect not to get eaten. By me, not the dog

Because my dog gives no fucks, he is often used as tribute for the naughty and unsure dogs. We don't mind that as long as they ask, seem nice and understand that it may not go well. Just don't be a dick and you'll be fine.

The basic rule is, if a dog is on a lead, your dog should not approach it.

You have no idea why they are on a lead, and it may be because they will react and bite, or the poor thing is plain terrified.

So, when I see a OFF lead dog coming, I tend to call my dog back, just so he is closer to me and I am more in control of the situation. Then off lead dogs meet and sniff etc.

If I see an ON lead dog approaching, I either turn aside, or call mine back and put him on a lead, or call him to me and distract him while the other dog passes.
Sometimes, the owner with the ON lead dog will, say - Oh don't worry he is fine, and then I relax and let mine go and say hello.
But I find he is much more likely to bark, and be a bit too 'in your face' when the other dog is on a lead, so I prefer to avoid it.

Your dog should never approach an On lead dog without permission. There are loads and loads of comments on these boards from owners who get really upset with this, as they are minding their own business and your dog intrudes.
You should also only have yours off the lead if you are in control and can call him back,and if you are somewhere where there are other dogs and people, then when he is off the lead, you should keep him within sight and not too far ahead. I get mine to run back to me frequently, which he loves (treats may be involved) and allows him plenty of space to run, while not letting him get too far away.

Classic example this morning. Just setting out for a walk and outside our gate two off lead small dogs (for the second time this week - and the owner could see then ours wasn't happy) rush over and start licking our grey's bottom and bits. He totally freezes and we take him inside again. The bloke can see this.

Take him out a bit later and on the way back come across these dogs still not on leads. Bloke at least manages to grab the dogs and I politely suggest that if they haven't got recall they should be on a lead - it's just good manners. He just didn't get it. Pretty much everyone else in our area does, as a matter of course. He's probably the sort who would be the first to complain if his dogs were bitten by a reactive dog on a lead.

My dogs are always on leash. I let them say hello to dogs I know. I don't allow any dogs just to run up as I don't know if those dogs are aggressive or not.

On lead with another on lead dog 3 second greet
On lead with an off lead dog I warn them he is nervous and try and get away ASAP
Off lead with another off lead I check with owner it’s ok and judge the dog’s body language. If they are having fun I allow it. If it’s getting a bit out of hand I cut it short and move on.

My understanding is - off lead dog is fair game for meet and greet but for heavens sake get your dog to check in with you and wait whilst you ok it with owner.

Basically dogs off lead should be under control and safe. However not all owners are as well behaved as they should be 😂

Dog on lead - put yours on lead and avoid unless invited to say hi - and then we keep it 3 seconds as per puppy training classes.

IMHO the ideal on a walk is to mix it up. Some you meet and play , some you meet and come awY from and some you learn to ignore. Gives your dog a range of tools to use - we are still practicing - he’s o my 13 months . If you do the same walk and meet the same dog maybe sometimes don’t do the same thing. Keep me on their toes 😂

Mind you my friend ( who bred him) is a great believer in no routines really. They don’t get bored and if for what ever reason you need to walk later in the day , take a diffeeent route or speed , you don’t have a dog diffing it’s little heels in 😂