What do you do about off lead dogs approaching your on lead dog?

[Lovetosleep1]

My German Shepherd is almost one. On the whole she's a great dog but can be reactive to other dogs in that she will growl if they run up to her and bark at them if they persist. She is neutral to other dogs if they don't approach and actively friendly to dogs she knows. She has had loads of training and it's on going.

Most owners are sensible and put their dogs on a lead when they see her on a lead but some idiots don't or can't. What do you do in these situations? Should she be muzzled? I don't want to just do road walks to avoid off lead dogs but would also hate her to hurt another dog.

oh definitely @lifebeginsaftercoffee , I didn't mean to suggest that it's ok for off-lead dogs to run up - there are all sorts of reasons why it might be actively harmful to the other dog. Was just thinking about my own situation.

I have a small breed dog who was a lockdown puppy. He didn't get socialised enough and can be reactive. Mostly to larger dogs that are off lead and running about. His training is ongoing but it's hard work. If he gets startled by another dog he goes a bit mental with the barking.

I keep my dog on a retractable lead and shorten it if I see another dog loose. Lots of praise if he behaves well. Yesterday two separate dogs came bounding up to us. One appeared from behind and the other from out of some trees. One was a husky type and the other a very bouncy cockerpoo type. The barking started. Both times I shortened my lead, tried to get between the dogs and shouted to the owner to get their dog away. Honestly, some owners have poop for brains! The dog walkers are worse who bring 5 or 6 dogs to the park, all off lead and running riot. They're not in control, and don't even get me started on them not noticing their dogs pooping and not picking it up.

No worries @Stillcantgetnosleep - I get a bit defensive about this kind of thing as I've seen the impact it has on my dog and it really upsets me.

Not so long ago I had an off-lead lurcher-type dog approach him - owner was in her own world and totally oblivious to her dog circling mine and growling at him (he was on a short-lead walking by my side). I asked her to get her dog - of course he ignored her completely. My dog was so stressed - hackles up, hiding behind me, whining and trying to slip his collar. If he'd managed it, he'd have bolted - I have no doubt about it.

She topped off the encounter by telling me I was rude when I told her she was breaking the law by having her dog out of control in public, lol.

On the lead I hope?

My very mellow and big 🐶 was once attacked by tiny black terrier that was running off the lead. If it wasn't for my dog's thick furcoat he would have been hurt as the blind dog was going for his throat. The owner didn't say sorry but was saying that her dog is blind. Well, hardly a justification...

@RedFluffyPanda yep, both on the lead and just walking by my side!

Luckily they're friendly dogs but who does that?!

I've had to kick out at dogs before. And yell at the fucking morons who say "Ohhh, don't worry, he'she's friendllyyyyyy....", "Well mine's not you fucking dipshit"

You have your dog under control. They’re being idiots. A dog running at yours when it’s on the lead isn’t friendly. It’s bloody rude!
What is the worst and most contagious dog illness you can think of? Shout that your dog has that?
I would say use a yellow lead etc but most people seem to ignore that too.

I hate this, my dog is very, very playful, she's a puppy still but 100lb.

She sits by my side if a dog approaches and 95% of the time is fine when they walk past, the other 5% she gets the zoomies, but is under control on her lead.

The amount of times I move out the way, because she's still training, when other offlead dogs approach, and the owners see me move, and allow their dogs to approach her then tell me I don't have her under control because she's bouncing about like a muppet is unreal, really pisses me off.

Feels like all the hard work I put in has done nothing.

They also have no idea why I'm moving out the way, she could be aggressive for all they know, then she would get the blame if she bit them (she's more likely to lick them to death tbh).

The vast majority of owners are lovely, but there's some who are just cunts tbh.

I've got 2 very well trained spaniels, one nervy and one reactive after being attacked. We live rurally and I think the dog population has trebled since lockdown. I'm so tired of having dogs run up to us, having to try and keep my two calm with some dog bounding all over them. They've got NERVOUS harnesses, and bright yellow leads but nope, it's made no difference. One actually had the nerve to shout at me yesterday because her dog came up after mine and I didn't stop walking... she caught up eventually and had to grab her dog as I was nearly on the road by this stage. She gave me a right mouthful for not waiting for her like it's my problem she hasn't trained her dog to come back to her!

But how is an owner to know this? If I see a dog on a lead it can be for many reasons. I had my dog on a lead when training her. I had her on a lead when she was in heat and away from other dogs. I had her on a lead after she was spade. We cannot all assume a dog on a lead is a nervous dog unless there is a clear high vis jacket on a dog saying so.

I appreciate my dog has been well socialised so she is actually very good at reading other dogs now. She's only 18 months old but she will not just randomly run up to every dog, she reads them well and can quite clearly see a dog that wants to say hello to one that does not and will just walk on by those dogs. I am very glad about this but I hate to say it, she has only learnt through meeting other dogs what a growl means, what low ears means etc how else do dogs learn.

I am so sorry your dog gets so stressed if she even thinks a dog in approaching her.

Solidarity to everyone who's replied, at least I'm not on my own feeling rage at useless, entitled owners. Thank you for all of the tips too ill definitely be trying them next time it happens.

I have a reactive dog.
He wears a muzzle and if necessary I can pick him up since he's a terrier.

It's your job as an owner to be in control of your dog at all times - that includes dealing with hazards!

@YNK but it's not my job to be in control of other people's dogs. Surely that's their job as their owner?

@Orangebadger it is hard to know, especially when different dogs have different thresholds that they will react.
I always have sympathy for owners who have a really reactive dog, it must be stressful for both of them and I think they are both hyper aware of any triggers. I've never intentionally let my dog get too close but anxious dogs have reacted to her when we pass on walks. I walk really early in the morning at times because of work and there is another large dog that has a complete meltdown each time we pass even though I cross the road when I spot it to try to give it more space.

I hear you! We had a highly reactive and potentially dangerous breed who was lovely with humans and most dogs but took a dislike to some dogs that came too close. We took to walking at unsociable hours in remote places and was always muzzled off lead, so many people have not the slightest control.

Definite solidarity OP. I have a reactive GSD. She's getting much better with a LOT of work and regular, carefully controlled walks with calm dogs and managing the introduction etc. A random dog running up as a surprise, when mine is on lead is likely to go badly and say things back and some people are very oblivious to signals like turning away, walking off path into the undergrowth for space etc. Be assertive in calling out and early as possible for avoiding the likely trouble dogs... After that, just try to shake off the stress quickly as the stuff will pick up on it too

I really hate this. I walk my dog daily in the local park and it's full of people with their dogs off lead roaming around which isn't an issue per se but people seem to have no awareness of where their dogs are. Several times I've had to yell at an owner to call their dog because my poor rescue PTSD dog who can't be trusted off lead is whining and scared. Alternatively he gets an attitude and growls and barks aggressively and I'm worried some big dog will take offence and hurt him. It's not the off lead factor that bothers me so much but the Twatty gormless owners engrossed in chatting or in their phones who have no clue what their dogs are doing. The owners usually respond with embarrassment or stress (as their dogs aren't good enough at recall) but one stupid man got the hump and said 'it's a park what do you expect' - well not for you to be halfway round the park while your annoying dog is bothering every dog in the place while you chat to your mate for a start

@Orangebadger you're not to know, which is why off-lead dogs should never be approaching on-lead ones unless the owner has specifically said it's okay to do so.

I'm afraid I really can't agree that dogs need to learn how to behave from being told off by others. It's absolutely not fair on the dog doing the "telling off" to be put in that situation to begin with.

By the time my dog gets to the point of growling and telling yours off, he is already freaked out and stressed out because your dog is too close. He shouldn't be in that position. He should be able to enjoy his walk without having to worry about "telling off" approaching dogs.

If a dog can't be called away from others then it should be on a lead.

Another thing worth saying is that not all dogs will growl or show typical warning signs - some will snap or go straight to bite.

It can very quickly go from your dog being "told off" to your dog being pinned on the floor and attacked. I've seen it happen and it's certainly not a risk I would ever take with my dog just in case it taught them some manners.

@lifebeginsaftercoffee I hear what you're saying that it's not fair on the dog if it's a very anxious or reactive dog that becomes distressed. But how do dogs learn? this is why they need good socialisation at a young age with many dogs, supervised. Any dog can growl, they don't need to be an anxious dog to do so. For most dogs it is an effective communication tool.

As for an off lead dog walking towards an on lead dog. If I am walking in the park, my dog happily sniffing the grass to the side and a very anxious dog is coming down the same path, on lead, I know my dog will not approach this dog, but I can already see the owner is getting anxious even though my dog will just carry on sniffing. Now to me I do not need to put my dog on the lead as she will just be walking by and won't go up to this dog. But I always get the impression ( only on MN) that some owners think I should then put my dog on a lead even though she is no threat to this dog.

Yes you're right but there are always signs, subtle to the human untrained eye but a well socialised dog should be able to detect most of them.

www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/canine-ladder-of-communication

A good article and chart on the ladder of communication/ aggression in dogs.

If I had a dog who was uncomfortable around any or all other dogs, I would do my best to walk it at times and in places where it is rare to meet another dog. If you are rural or have a car that's pretty easy to do - our current dog is pretty fine with other dogs as it happens, but we just prefer quieter walks really and to give him the freedom to sniff, explore and have fun without distraction, so we have found loads of footpaths where it's rare to meet another dog walker. Obviously this doesn't work 100%, but it certainly minimises the problem.

What always leaps out at me on these threads is the absolute withering contempt in which a lot of respondents hold other dog owners with different practices to their own, and their absolute certainty that their own practices are the only correct ones. Whereas in my long and happy experience of owning (and briefly working with) dogs, there is actually a lot of subjectivity as to best practice.....

The same people often speak on these threads with pride about the great extreme rudeness with which they speak to/shout at other owners, demanding they put their dogs on the lead, etc etc..... In dog ownership, as in everything, I think most people prefer to be spoken to in a polite and friendly way, and are infinitely more likely to comply with your request if you do so. Just a thought.....

@Orangebadger it's common courtesy to call your dog back to you and pop them on a lead if you see an on lead dog approaching. If your dog is as well trained land socialised as you claim - this shouldn't be any issue or hardship on your part, but it could make a great deal of difference to the other dog and it's owner.

Dogs should absolutely socialise and learn how to behave but that shouldn't happen because they're being growled at and told off by reactive, scared dogs who just want to enjoy their walks.

I'm a dog walker and work with dogs and I always, always put my off lead dogs on leads when we pass others. It only takes takes me a few seconds and doesn't impact their walks in any way.

I think most people prefer to be spoken to in a polite and friendly way, and are infinitely more likely to comply with your request if you do so. Just a thought.....

If someone is being rude dog by allowing their dog to upset mine, why on earth should I be polite to them?