How would you interpret this?

[MrsJunglelow]

Walking along a path, dog is playing with her ball.
Must have been at least 15 feet away, maybe more and see a dog staring directly at us standing very still.
Couldn’t see it’s tail or finer details like ears angled back or forward, mouth corners etc.

As we got a little bit closer it laid down very still not taking its eyes off us at all.

I called my dog and we walked the other way.

How would you have interpreted the other dog?
It was a breed with very poor public perception and I’m conscious that the owner if he had seen us may well have been quite annoyed thinking we were being judgemental, I’m absolutely not, my DH used to have that breed.

It was probably thinking BALL !

Perhaps, though it was looking directly at my dog, not the ball and there was no tensing forward and back watching the movement of the ball (mine likes to roll it along the pavement, pick up and carry for a bit and repeat)

Maybe just wanted to play or was just watching no harm done really if it was going to go for you it would have but didn't.

Very normal temperature check.

"Here's another dog coming - what's the deal here? Am I safe? Is this a more dominant dog or less? How should I behave? I'll get smaller until I have a handle on the situation."

Sounds a bit like what mine does when she sees another dog. She stares and then lies down as flat as she can get (even when on lead) till the other dog gets closer. Then she will want to say hi.

I interpret it as her being submissive and showing she isn't a threat, so being friendly.

Some dogs are just still and "standoffish" they don't Want to approach with the big waggy tail hellos as pp said the dog was just assessing what was going on. My dog was a lay down and watcher.

She stares and then lies down as flat as she can get (even when on lead)
This wasn’t that sort of lie down.
It was like this but with a closed mouth.
I have dogs adopt a similar down before then spring up very aggressively which is why I decided to then turn around.

*have seen dogs

Well if you were wary you did the right thing you took yourself and dog out of a situation you were unsure of.

@MrsJunglelow

Walking along a path, dog is playing with her ball. Must have been at least 15 feet away, maybe more and see a dog staring directly at us standing very still. Couldn’t see it’s tail or finer details like ears angled back or forward, mouth corners etc.

As we got a little bit closer it laid down very still not taking its eyes off us at all.

I called my dog and we walked the other way.

How would you have interpreted the other dog?
It was a breed with very poor public perception and I’m conscious that the owner if he had seen us may well have been quite annoyed thinking we were being judgemental, I’m absolutely not, my DH used to have that breed.

My dog does the same thing. Stands stock still but alert and then lies in wait, trying to make himself as small and non-threatening as possible. He’s a lab.

If you saw my dog doing that and chose to turn tail, I wouldn’t judge you or assume you were judging me/us. I do the same myself usually when big groups of dogs are coming, if I need to just get a walk done and don’t have time for a chat, or if I recognise a dog we’ve had issues with in the past (mine is intact and can sometimes set others off though is totally non-aggressive). Other dog owners sometimes do the same with me and my boy, turn around and walk in the other direction. I just assume they don’t want to be bothered for whatever reason and get on with my day.

Don’t think twice about it.

Oh, just seen your update. Mine is the flat pancake type lie. He has been known to spring up enthusiastically to play and scare the living bejesus out of the investigating dog, though. Again, no aggression just a sort of “SURPRISE!” that they don’t always appreciate. I do warn the other owners that he will spring up to play any minute. Sometimes he springs up and runs away just as the other dog gets within 6ft of him, he’s a bit of a tease.

It would have depended on breed etc but I also would turn away.

It is hard to be able to give accurate reading without seeing the situation in rl. Eg a lying down and freezing can be a sign of stress or equally be a calming sign asking for play. It is the sutble signs you need to see .

BUT always if in doubt and in a narrow situation where you dog can not easily get away from the situation move away.

Even if it were playful it is going to be explosive which my dogs would not enjoy.

My puppy does that a lot... he's just assessing the situation... very alert but assessing...