What’s the etiquette!?

[CountessFrog]

I have a friendly year old cockapoo. He’s good on and off lead. We live quite rurally.

When I walk him with DH, he goes off lead on country paths. If we see other dogs approaching on leads, we call him back. Otherwise we let them check each other out.

Today we were out walking and we turned a corner to find a man walking two small dogs on leads. Our dog ran up to say hello, we called him back and put him on the lead.

One of these dogs was going a bit crazy. The man told us our dog should be on a lead at all times, like his. Apparently the dog that was going crazy had been attacked in the past by a dog, so it was scared of other dogs.

I disagreed and said we had done our best and put our dog on a lead, but he’s friendly, and I don’t believe he should be on a lead all the time. He was zipping in and out of the hedgerows.

The man said that, in order to protect his scared dog, all dogs should be on leads. He got quite irate and shouted ‘why should my dog suffer because yours is off lead?’

It’s our first dog. I think we are considerate and responsible, but honestly should our dog have been on a lead on a country path?

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

My view is that you acted reasonably, but to be really cautious you should call your dog in when you can't see the path ahead. He doesn't have togo on the lead: if he will sit stay you can walk ahead and then call him, or you can just keep him close.

I have a dog who doesn't like other dogs running up to him, and who will also kick off if he suddenly encounters another dog (all bark, no bite). I have another who is madly social, so I can see this from both sides.

I don't want the issues that one of my dogs has to spoil walks for most other dogs and their owners, so I think it's also part of my responsibility to keep him under my eye and take evasive action if necessary.

[Stellaris22]

I think you did the right thing. Your dog is friendly and under control.

IMO if someone has a dog with known issues then it's their responsibility to be cautious, not blame other dogs.

Obviously if it was an out of control dog being boisterous and unrelenting then that's different, but that doesn't sound like your dog.

[Soubriquet]

Continue as you’re doing

Let the dog off the lead, but put him on when you see another dog whether they are on a lead or not.

That way you know you have control

[CountessFrog]

Thanks

He’s generally really well behaved - he comes to ‘heel’ and will walk to ‘heel.’

It’s true that you could come across a cyclist, but we mainly walk through paths through fields - the sort that skirt the edge and you follow a green arrow. There are actual cycle paths pretty close by, so I’ve never encountered a cyclist in the fields in the 20 years Ive walked them - without a dog of course!

[StarSpangled372]

I wouldn’t ask for opinions on this board. I’ve been told here before now (quite sternly) that I was in the wrong to allow my off lead dog to approach another off lead dog in an off lead area so god knows what the etiquette is. Everyone has different and quite strong opinions on the matter.

I think you should continue as you are.

[Savoury]

I wouldn’t ask for opinions on this board.

In fairness the OP asked for opinions and got some measured opinions with a range of perspectives. I presume she wanted opinions and wasn't just looking for "you okay hun" type comments.

[StarSpangled372]

Of course she didn’t just want ‘you ok hun’ replies. No one on Mumsnet would expect that. I’m just saying that some members of this board in particular have very strong opinions which they can be very vocal about and in my experience they’re not what you see in everyday life so take it with a hefty pinch of salt.

[Tomatoesneedtoripen]

@StarSpangled372

Of course she didn’t just want ‘you ok hun’ replies. No one on Mumsnet would expect that. I’m just saying that some members of this board in particular have very strong opinions which they can be very vocal about and in my experience they’re not what you see in everyday life so take it with a hefty pinch of salt.

have you also been burnt @StarSpangled372

but on this occasion the responses seem reasonable.

[CountessFrog]

I actually thought that. The thing about NN attracting quite hefty opinions.

I’m definitely not a ‘you ok hun’ person. I’m just a first time dog owner, and I think my husband and I probably have different opinions on having the dog off lead. I’m probably more cautious, but I certainly don’t believe he should always be on a lead. In fact I’ve just been through the woods with him off lead for an hour and we didn’t encounter a single other person. Why should he always be on a lead just in case?

I do appreciate your alternative views, though.

[CountessFrog]

(And yes I agree, they are fairly reasonable on this particular thread. I’ve seen some very extreme ones on this board though, and I’ve thought some people are absolutely horrible).

[StarSpangled372]

Tomatoesneedtoripen 😆 is it that obvious!

Yup, many times unfortunately but when you’re a first time dog owner and you’ve got no one in real life to ask you find yourself coming back time and time again. I’ve had great advice and also encountered people who have made me feel absolutely awful for doing nothing wrong but because it goes against their rigid views they come down hard. It’s such a shame. I’ve been here a while now and it’s the same people who jump on others.

[Tomatoesneedtoripen]

@StarSpangled372, bit of a pack

[CountessFrog]

😁

[Savoury]

@StarSpangled372 I'm sorry to hear you've had that experience.
I admit I have had similar - not in relation to dogs! - and left MN for some time so am now very cautious about the topics I post on.
I can only presume people have very little going on in their lives that they get a kick from kicking others.

[HeidiPeidi]

It depends . If your dog didn’t manage to get up to the other dog before being recalled (and if he came as soon as he was recalled), then I think it’s not too bad. If however he’d already been face to face with the other dog by the time you called him back, that’s not great. It’s really hard work having a dog who’s reactive on lead and super stressful, having another dog come bounding up while the owner shouts ‘it’s ok! (s)he’s friendly!’ is absolutely infuriating.

I don’t think it’s fair to expect you to leash your dog in the middle of the countryside (as someone who also lives very rurally, I know a country path isn’t the same as a path in a more populated area. As you say, we very often walk for miles and miles and don’t see another living soul the entire time). I think train him to walk behind you on command, then use this command whenever you are approaching a corner/new field/area where you can’t see up ahead clearly, or leash as soon as visibility becomes limited and let him off once you’re certain the coast is clear (this is what we do).

[CountessFrog]

Do you have a word you use to get yours to walk behind you? We did puppy school (really helpful!) but they only did ‘heel.’

[Bergerdog]

@CountessFrog I teach a touch command first. Once they can touch the hand and hold it you can move your hand back and use a command such as back or get back until that sticks.

Also I wouldn’t not let the dog off, dogs need to run! What I do is let them off as long as I can see ahead or at least at recall distance, if I see a dog/cyclist or whatever I recall and put them on leads or ask to heel depending on which dog I have. Once I am past I usually send them forward, I’ve taught them they are only allowed to walk in the direction I’m walking so I know they won’t double back.
I also always recall and heel when I can’t see ahead, turning around corners etc.

It’s up to you how you do it really I would just try and avoid letting your dog approach people or dogs until asked permission, whichever way you find easiest!

[CountessFrog]

Thank you I’ll try that

[Yokohamajojo]

The "etiquette" is to not let your off lead dog approach on lead dogs but you seem to be doing a good job on your recall so I'll let you off wink]

[Sitdowncupoftea]

You should never let your dog approach another dog thats on a leash. The other dog may be nervous or aggressive. Read thd dangerous dogs act. It makes no difference whether your dog is friendly or not. The owner of the other dog had every right to shout at you. I walk my dogs on a leash and get fed up of other peoples dogs running up to mine. If your dog is off a leash it is not under your control. I live in the countryside. Dogs should be on a leash in the countryside due to livestock and wildlife.

[Delatron]

I think it’s fine to have your dog off lead if it has amazing recall.

Yours seems to have good recall. Did you manage to get it back before it went up to the other dog? That is key to who is in the wrong here. If you did then fine. If it managed to go right up to the other dog then you need to keep dog closer to you next time.

[RedRiverHog]

In my view the etiquette is not to let your off-lead dog approach an on-lead dog.
If your dog will walk past without going up to another dog than it's fine to stay off lead but otherwise I'd pop a lead on until they have walked past.

[CountessFrog]

Yes, he is recalled back - he walks to heel if asked

[CountessFrog]

I don’t think anyone had ‘every right to shout at me.’

[Katypyee]

My dog is massively reactive on leash, so an unleashed dog running to my dog would not be a good thing. You wouldn't believe the amount of times I have heard an owner tell me not to worry that their dog is friendly. Well mine isn't.

I don't necessarily think your dog needs to be on leash but you do need to work on heal or recall better. Have your dog trained to come back and heal when going around blind corners. It could have easily been a cyclist coming around the bend. Also, on a narrow path it is always better to have dogs on a leash. Off leash on an open green space is fine.