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The doghouse

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Original poster

What's the etiquette for off lead dogs?

48 replies

LuneyTunes · 06/12/2021 15:26

I'm curious to know what the done thing is when there are off lead and on lead dogs. My dog is always on lead (not had him very long, he's a rescue, rather keen on squirrels, more people than dog oriented). When we're out and about walking in different environments, I'm really curious to know what the etiquette is.

Should off lead dog owners allow theirs to come up and say hello to mine without even trying to call them back? If they see us from a distance in the woods, should they put theirs on a lead?

Mine is initially friendly, but finds strange dogs leaping around him very unsettling and will start to react as he likes his personal space. This has happened a number of times now and is very frustrating.

I can understand more so in the park that it's expected to have off lead dogs and therefore that's why I avoid it, but I would expect other owners to keep their offlead dogs away out of courtesy in wilder settings like the woods or nature reserves, and I'd like to have the balls to tell them this when they start bothering my dog, or is this just expecting too much? Thanks, hive mind

OP posts:

Delatron · 06/12/2021 20:19

It’s an etiquette rule that nobody around here knows about. Drives me insane (I have a fear reactive dog). Dogs run up to him and he will air snap/growl and quite often I get an earful about my ‘aggressive’ dog.

Someone also helpfully said it was because I was keeping him on the lead and I should let him off.

I have to try and walk at quieter times.

Reasonistreason · 06/12/2021 20:58

Had this happen so much. Have had a 2 year old rescue for 9 months. She’s lead reactive (is friendly to other dogs when off lead in her training class) and can’t be off lead as we’d never see her again. However, despite me being hyper vigilant about other dogs she was attacked this week by an off lead dog. We were standing about a road width away in woods. My ddog was happy being treated and waiting for the dog to walk away. But it attacked ddog. It was impossible to separate them and the other owner just stood there trying to recall. Eventually it returned to them leaving me and ddog very shaken. At this point it still wasn’t put back on lead! I just wanted to get ddog away in case it attacked again but I’m so cross. It really hasn’t helped ddog and has set us back in her training. All I got was a “sorry” shouted at my retreating back. Unbelievable. Fortunately ddog wasn’t injured.

gogohm · 06/12/2021 21:01

Personally I don't put on a lead because he's not interested in other dogs and can be directed by voice or hand signals out of the way as needed (plus until he got old he ran faster than most!)

gogohm · 06/12/2021 21:06

@Thatldo

My experience too, interested in balls, sticks, rivers and sheep- luckily not found in parks

gogohm · 06/12/2021 21:10

But I would say that if you have dogs that cannot cope with off lead dogs, why not walk them in a place where dogs are on leads rather than the rare places where they can be loose - only one park and one beach here allows off lead, everywhere else they have to be on leads anyway

tootyfruitypickle · 06/12/2021 21:16

I have a dog who can't cope with off lead dogs running up and I live by 3 beautiful commons. I want to walk on them and i bellow at any morons that allow their dog to come running over . When I can't be bothered I go to the local NT where it's dogs on leads but that takes a lot longer.

Really pees me off

Delatron · 06/12/2021 21:17

If I stuck to on lead places I’d just be traipsing round the streets. We have lots of open fields round here. And woods. I don’t really see why I should avoid these nice walks just because other people can’t control their dogs.

I’ve given up on the local park and lovely path on the river as too many dogs.

I choose the big fields so I can walk around the edge and keep an eye out for other dogs .

oviraptor21 · 06/12/2021 22:59

If I put my dog back on lead every time we passed an on lead dog she'd never be off it. This is in open fields and countryside and she needs to be off lead to get decent exercise. She's got good recall and is more interested in interesting smells than other dogs.
I won't be putting her on lead for the sake of some rules that someone else has made up. I will ensure that she doesn't bother any on lead dogs - although in practice this means I do nothing as she doesn't approach them anyway.

SirChenjins · 07/12/2021 06:27

Given that the OP is specifically asking about off lead dog owners who allow theirs to come up and say hello to theirs without even trying to call them back then it doesn’t apply to dogs who are off lead and don’t ever bother other dogs.

why not walk them in a place where dogs are on leads rather than the rare places where they can be loose - only one park and one beach here allows off lead, everywhere else they have to be on leads anyway

What part of the UK are you in that all the local dog owners keep their dogs on leads everywhere else apart from that one beach and park? That’s very unusual.

GoodnightGrandma · 07/12/2021 06:32

My dog isn’t interested in other dogs or people, so I don’t put her back on the lead.
However if I see a dog that is likely to approach mine I put her back on the lead so it’s easier for me to pick her up. Unfortunately I’ve been in situations in the past where the approaching dog has chased her away from me and I couldn’t get hold of her.
When I’m in a park and she’s off lead I’m constantly scanning the park for potential problems.

Thatldo · 07/12/2021 07:01

There are many reasons why a dog/dogs are on lead(injury,reactive,no recall,with dogwalker).In my experience,on the whole, people and dogs are ok.there are always boisterous,dominant,unpleasant dogs off lead and there are also people with dogs on lead that expect to walk with no dog coming nearer then 20 yards.Both is ridiculous.I avoid the dog pests and people pests and luckily most people and dogs are friendly and accommodate each others dog(needs).

icedcoffees · 07/12/2021 07:39

@gogohm

But not everyone lives somewhere like that...

Where I am, there are no areas where dogs have to be kept on leads (unless there's livestock around) and I would say 90% of dogs are pretty much permanently off the lead as a result.

Turquoisesol · 07/12/2021 07:52

I would agree icedcoffees it would actually be quite nice to have a few places where dogs were in lead. Even in city centre parks where there are lots of kids with footballs/scooters/bikes the dogs are still off lead. I think in these places it would be nice for non dog owners to have all the dogs on lead.

Turquoisesol · 07/12/2021 07:55

Also we actually have beaches in my town where dogs aren’t allowed on to (there are signs) and dog walkers completely ignore and take their off lead dogs on them. It used to drive me mad when my children were little and scared of dogs.

icedcoffees · 07/12/2021 08:10

@Turquoisesol I totally agree there should be dedicated "on lead" areas but sadly in many rural places they don't exist.

People even walk their dogs off the lead along busy roads and pavements here

MarleneDietrichsSmile · 07/12/2021 08:11

Dog etiquette has gone out the window with covid puppies, and too many clueless owners

It’s really changed massively over the years

It used to be: if another dog is on the lead, you call yours back or put it on a lead too until you’ve passed them

It still is like that with old-time dog owners

My dog was attacked and hurt a few years ago (almost died, had 30 stitches , and is now very wary of yappy dogs yapping in her face. She reacts. Never hurt another dog, but she did pin down a cockapoo who was yapping and growling in her face. Cockapoo owner was aghast. Her dog wasn’t hurt though. But why did she let it approach mine (on lead)?

She obviously told lots of local people about my awful dog, but they explained to her and she now keeps her cute (to humans) dog on a lead too

WowIlikereallyhateyou · 07/12/2021 08:20

I have always thought the answer would be to have an IQ test for all dog owners. Those too stupid to understand common sense, cannot own a dog. Simple.

SirChenjins · 07/12/2021 08:52

It still is like that with old-time dog owners

Not round here it's not - the worst offenders are the older people with their older off-lead dogs. I get the impression they see the fields and woodland trails as 'theirs', and all the pesky incomers with their dogs are simply invading their territory and spoiling their off-lead dogs runabouts.

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 07/12/2021 12:46

Gosh! Even The Doghouse is ageist - I thought this section was safe. As an "older person" with a senior but lively and speedy dog, I always call her back to go on the lead if we are nearing an on lead dog.

Delatron · 07/12/2021 12:50

I don’t even mind if people don’t put their dogs back on the lead, if the dog is under control and doesn’t come over that’s perfectly fine.

Only once in the past 6 months has someone seen my on lead dog and put theirs on. I was so shocked and grateful! Dog was perfectly under control anyway.

It’s the ones bounding up while the owner shouts that they are friendly. I shout ‘mine’s not’ but it gets boring doing that constantly.

Ariela · 07/12/2021 13:10

Round here (rural roads/lanes with dead end to bridleways) the etiquette is if the dog has no recall function then the dog is always off lead= can go anywhere and everywhere as it likes, whether that's to poop on someone's lawn (poop is not collected as this is countryside you know, it'll rot down ) will not be called back or reprimanded under any circumstances other than the owner has looked up from their mobile and now cannot see their own dog. Their dog is free to accost any other dog on or off lead. If vehicles go past they are regarded as scum that shouldn't be there and still no attempt is made to control their dog.

SirChenjins · 07/12/2021 13:29

Gosh! Even The Doghouse is ageist

As an older person myself the old-time dog owners who apparently behave impeccably with regards to putting their dogs back on leads do tend to be older...

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 07/12/2021 19:58

Round here I'd say 95% of the time owners put their dogs back on the lead if they see an on lead dog approaching. My dog doesn't like unknown dogs approaching him and can react badly especially to other boy dogs.

I saw a fb post from a bloke saying basically why should his dog be punished (by being on lead) due to other owners not having trained or socialised their dogs properly 🤬 this gave me the rage. It's a selfish and ignorant attitude.

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