To think dogs going to a dog social should be...social?

[Tobleroney]

Attended a dog social under a trainer recently with our rescue to see if he wanted to make doggy friends in a controlled environment (i.e. fenced, off-lead paddock). As we thought, he's basically indifferent and more interested in toys, humans and food, ignoring the other dogs, so it confirmed that for us helpfully. However, I was surprised that the other dogs that turned up (it was a very small group) all had dog-to-dog issues and were all there to train in regards to being able to cope with even being in proximity with another dog. None of them were capable of simply having a relaxed, happy play with another dog. Half of the dogs were let off the lead to wander round and the other half had to be kept on the lead in the secure space as their owners said they had history of chasing other dogs. I had this assumption that a social would be a playful, enjoyable event. I see clearly now it's not going to be a positive experience for our dog to be in an enclosed space with reactive dogs. Would you not expect friendly, not dog-reactive dogs, at a dog social??!

I just take gear with writing on to mean "leave us alone" rather than thinking too deeply about it tbh! I do appreciate the warning - but it is reliant on people being able to read it.

We often walk in very busy areas, where most dogs on lead just have crap recall, so I take a slightly more nuanced view - for instance yesterday there were two bichon frises on lead and walking towards us along the same path. Owner kept walking towards us, no attempt to walk off the path or otherwise avoid us, or otherwise say anything so I concluded that he wasn't worried about a meeting (they were fine). Spotted another woman on the playing field (bit quieter there) with an on lead dog. She paused when it looked like our paths were going to converge, and gave her dog a treat. I made sure DDog went no closer.

I imagine though, that with a dog with a threshold like that, you were picking walk locations like industrial estates on a Sunday, and not busy beaches!

Current DDog sounds much like yours - an "ask before stroking" lead slip from Saint Roch makes a lot of difference. They have to be close enough to read it before they're able to even think about stroking him for one thing! The answer is "sorry, no" when he's on lead, and when off lead it's "see if he wants to come and say hello, but he's a bit antisocial so he'll probably ignore you". He's got a lot better over time and has now been known, very occasionally, to accept a bum scratch from another dog walker.

The socialisation sessions I've seen all advise that they're not suitable for nervous or aggressive dogs. A trainer is in attendance but for observation only and will ask people to leave if their dog is overly anxious or causing issues with other dogs. I'd expect something much more structured and individual if I had a nervous or aggressive dog than open play.

"Surely it meets other dogs while out for a walk and socialises then?"

Our pup is pretty much always on lead when we meet people, she's fine with dogs but she will try and give people kisses so gets put on the lead. I don't like her interacting with dogs on the lead so her dog interactions are fairly restricted. I'd thought we'd make doggy friends just from going for walks but it hasn't turned out to be the case.

I nearly cried when a disused pub garden that allowed me to cross the road at a pedestrian crossing reopened to customers and we could no longer hide in there until the lights changed.

Oh the melodrama!

“I imagine though, that with a dog with a threshold like that, you were picking walk locations like industrial estates on a Sunday, and not busy beaches!”

I did actually try an industrial estate once... there was an off lead dog there, lol.

I had a few very quiet places I’d scoped out that I had to drive to and a lot of midnight walking too.

“I'd expect something much more structured and individual if I had a nervous or aggressive dog than open play.”

The trainer I use does group “play” sessions for dog’s that do have slight issues that could benefit from them, but not so severe that it would cause huge problems, but, and I think this is where the issue has come from - she’s very clear about what it is and what will happen.