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The doghouse

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Original poster

On lead/off lead etiquette

16 replies

Awkwardusername · 25/10/2021 10:51

Just got home from a walk with my 7 month old puppy (large breed).

Her recall is variable so we use a long line whenever we’re out playing, but a short lead when we’re going to/from where we will play etc.

Today she wasn’t behaving at all (the adolescent stage I am informed by everyone, but also overstimulation) so I put her on her short lead at the end of the field opposite the car park (normally we would guide the play back towards the car park before putting her on a few minutes before getting in the car) and walked back.

She spotted another dog across the field and clearly wanted to play; she indicated this by lying on the floor as she always does when she wants to play. I tried to drag her away and distract with a treat which usually works, but the dog and its owners were using a squeaky toy which my pup loves, so I assume that was her focus!

I kept trying to get her towards the car park and this dog (a lab) was off lead and came running towards her; its owners didn’t try to stop it (then proceeded to follow it and get annoyed at my dog for wanting to play/jumping around with theirs…)

I thought it was generally accepted that if a dog is on a short lead, you don’t let your dog approach it (or try your best to stop it) but this doesn’t seem to be the case? This isn’t the first time something like this has happened and it’s beginning to frustrate me a little! I’m not sure if I’m overreacting!

OP posts:

FortunesFave · 25/10/2021 11:07

It is generally accepted but some people are outlandishly ignorant of this.

Mbrightldn · 25/10/2021 11:45

It’s general dog etiquette to not allow your off lead dog run up to dogs on a lead. However, this doesn’t always happen in practice. There are many reasons for this: dog in heat, elderly dog, contagious dog, recovering from surgery or reactive dog.

Those owners were irresponsible and they shouldn’t have been upset with you.

icedcoffees · 25/10/2021 15:37

It is general etiquette but as it's not the law or anything official, you can't expect people to always follow it.

As a professional dog walker, I've learnt that you have to be quite vocal - if someone lets their dog approach my on-lead dog, I will happily shout over to them to recall their dog.

I walk a reactive dog and we were out a few weeks ago when I saw another off-lead dog nearby. His recall is impeccable so I called him over and popped him on the lead. The owner of the other dog just allowed this dog to approach, even when I shouted over "Please get your dog - he will try and bite her if she comes too close".

Unfortunately, some owners are just ignorant and don't seem to care that they're putting their dog at risk by allowing to run up to random dogs. You need to be your dogs' advocate and don't be afraid to body block or grab the offending dog by the collar until its' owners can come and get it back!

Rassy · 25/10/2021 15:44

@icedcoffees good advice. I have found that with the increase in 'first time dog owners' that many are not aware of lead etiquette and not letting their dogs run up to an on lead dog.

The other day an owner said to me that all dogs want to play with her 'never on leads' labs!! Words fail me!!

UndertonesOfCake · 25/10/2021 16:26

Yes you're correct, though a certain amount of nuance is entirely sensible - if someone is walking towards me and DDog with an on lead dog, I'll assume they're not too worried about a greeting. If they look like they're trying to avoid us then I'll recall DDog and give them as much space as possible.

Daxidog17 · 26/10/2021 09:52

I was walking my occasionally reactive small dog off lead (he minds his own business but doesn’t always want to interact with other dogs) this weekend when a puppy also offlead
walking in the opposite direction bounded over. I immediately called my dog to me and shouted to puppy owner to recall her dog as my dog doesn’t always want to play with puppies (they tend to be bigger than him and bounce all over him). My dog ran to me but puppy followed completely ignoring owner who was chasing after it. After about 2 mins of being chased my dog had clearly had enough and flipped the puppy giving him a telling off as dog often do. Not ideal but IMO standard dog behaviour. I would have shrugged it off if not for the fact the owner then had a go at me for not having my dog on a lead?! Was I in the wrong here or was she irresponsible in having her puppy with no recall and obviously not fully socialised off lead?!

Daxidog17 · 26/10/2021 10:05

In the above when I say chased it wasn’t a play chase…my dog was running to me, away from the puppy and I carried on walking in the direction we were headed, hoping the puppy would eventually give up and return to its owner

UndertonesOfCake · 26/10/2021 11:49

@Daxidog17

I was walking my occasionally reactive small dog off lead (he minds his own business but doesn’t always want to interact with other dogs) this weekend when a puppy also offlead walking in the opposite direction bounded over. I immediately called my dog to me and shouted to puppy owner to recall her dog as my dog doesn’t always want to play with puppies (they tend to be bigger than him and bounce all over him). My dog ran to me but puppy followed completely ignoring owner who was chasing after it. After about 2 mins of being chased my dog had clearly had enough and flipped the puppy giving him a telling off as dog often do. Not ideal but IMO standard dog behaviour. I would have shrugged it off if not for the fact the owner then had a go at me for not having my dog on a lead?! Was I in the wrong here or was she irresponsible in having her puppy with no recall and obviously not fully socialised off lead?!

Neither dog exactly covered themselves in glory - but as the other owner was asked to recall their dog and failed to, I'm on your side here - so long as the dog didn't tell the other off to an excessive degree, or cause injury.

Daxidog17 · 26/10/2021 13:29

Thanks, that was my feeling too…it wasn’t a good outcome on either side, but pretty normal dog behaviour if owners don’t intervene. Not really sure how else it would have ended / what more I could have done as my dog couldn’t get away from the puppy so I could put him on the lead. I have worked with a dog trainer on his recall and reactiveness and she said he isn’t an aggressive dog, more a fearful one so I don’t think he should be condemned to a life of on lead dogs because he doesn’t want to be a puppy’s plaything!

I was just pretty annoyed she had a go at me when I gave her fair warning and her dog had absolutely zero recall!

SunshineCake1 · 26/10/2021 13:31

They were in the wrong. I've taught mine to ignore dogs who are on their lead and she she would get herself away from them when off her own lead and if on, I'd walk away quickly if she was about to be bothered.

SunshineCake1 · 26/10/2021 13:33

@Daxidog17

I was walking my occasionally reactive small dog off lead (he minds his own business but doesn’t always want to interact with other dogs) this weekend when a puppy also offlead walking in the opposite direction bounded over. I immediately called my dog to me and shouted to puppy owner to recall her dog as my dog doesn’t always want to play with puppies (they tend to be bigger than him and bounce all over him). My dog ran to me but puppy followed completely ignoring owner who was chasing after it. After about 2 mins of being chased my dog had clearly had enough and flipped the puppy giving him a telling off as dog often do. Not ideal but IMO standard dog behaviour. I would have shrugged it off if not for the fact the owner then had a go at me for not having my dog on a lead?! Was I in the wrong here or was she irresponsible in having her puppy with no recall and obviously not fully socialised off lead?!

You know you aren't in the wrong. Shout louder more firmly next time as they were idiots.

Daxidog17 · 26/10/2021 13:33

I should also say he has positive interactions with most other dogs and happily plays with them or ignores them. It’s just bigger puppies bouncing all over him that he hates, and I think that’s fair enough.

Daxidog17 · 26/10/2021 13:36

Thanks I did feel like I wasn’t but it’s still been bothering me a few days on, so thought I’d ask on here.

SunshineCake1 · 26/10/2021 13:37

Mine is hit and miss with puppies but generally it does work out okay and I'll only step in if she's not happy or the other owner is being a twat. She'd never hurt them. She takes a lot before she says enough.

Daxidog17 · 26/10/2021 13:55

When mine was a puppy I kept him on the lead until well enough trained to come back. People would warn me that their dogs weren’t puppy friendly and it never crossed my mind they should be on lead for my convenience, I was just grateful for the heads up in order to keep interactions positive.

Would love it if my dog would happily play with puppies but unfortunately that’s not his personality.

Eddielzzard · 27/10/2021 08:45

I keep my dog on the lead and a lot of dogs will come up to her. I wish the other dog owners wouldn't allow this but there are an awful lot of twerps around where I live.

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