Who was in the wrong?

[loopyloulou87]

I have a 9 month old puppy, we are on holiday and there is a communal dog field for everyone to use.

I just wanted to check if it was us or the other owners that were wrong in this situation? Our dog was playing in the dog field, another dog came in while still on its lead and my puppy ran over to the other dog, I will admit that he was jumping up close to the other dogs face, the dog then told off our puppy and the owner shouted at us that we should never let a dog run over to another dog like that and that’s how dog fights happen.
My dog was just being friendly, were we in the wrong or should the other dog not have reacted like that (and the owners).

Just because dogs are expected to meet somewhere, doesn’t mean they don’t have to be under control

We are going around in circles here, and clearly have differing views, which is fine.

I am curious to know though, under what circumstances can a puppy learn to interact with a strange dog? Where can it be taken? In the wild, this would happen by running up rudely, as the OP's dog did, and by being told off by the dog it ran up to. For me, this type of 'dog park' is ideal.

My puppy has been allowed to meet and interact with most dogs she has met out on walks.
The difference being, all of the dogs were off lead and I asked the owner's permission first. Most dogs were very tolerant with her. Two or three told her off for being OTT. She's learnt to be a bit calmer in her approach now.

I think we are viewing this situation differently, because of our interpretation of the location. To me, this was a field provided for the use of holiday makers. Not an official 'dog park', where interactions are expected.

Agreed, on all counts, with the exception of the last part, sort of. I agree it isn't a dog park as such, however it is definitely an area where one would expect to encounter other dogs, even if a limited number (seeing as there are a limited number of holiday makers).

You prove my point having had other dogs tell yours off for being OTT, it is the fastest way for them to learn.

@HappiestSleeping I mean that can be said of anywhere really. I expect to meet other dogs in the woods if there are other cars in the car park. 🤷‍♀️

A puppy can learn to interact with a strange dog whenever you ask the owner permission first. It's really not complicated. Our dog met our neighbours puppy today - she asked permission, we said yes, puppy came over and said hello and had a sniff - all good.

Yes, but there, I would expect owners to be more cautious. To me there is a distinct difference between going out in public and going to somewhere specifically allocated for dogs to be.

This is also true, but it changes the dynamic of how the interaction takes place. In that scenario, the puppy is prevented from running over to the other dog rudely, and so never learns not to.

Well, exactly. They never get the opportunity to practise the undesired behaviour so it never needs to be corrected

Both of you… and neither of you. Your puppy shouldn’t have gone running over and needs better recall and they shouldn’t have shouted at you. Really, I was a non-event; 2 dogs met in a designated dog field where you’d expect to meet off lead dogs and the older dog told the puppy off for behaviour it didn’t like, as it would naturally do. Really, I think all dog owners should try to be more tolerant of each other. If I was the puppy owner, I’d have apologised and if I was the older dog owner I’d have said “don’t worry about it” and that would have been the end of it.

This is how puppies learn. Older dogs give puppies leeway - in fact, you can get collars which give off puppy scent to trick dogs into thinking an adolescent dog is still a pup (usually used on the bigger breeds, who are slow to mature emotionally but big physically and so they can get into trouble with other dogs).

Imo the other dogs owner should have checked the field for other dogs before entering if they are so worried about dogs approaching AND you should have been keeping an eye out for new arrivals.

I think everyone has to be realistic about dogs and play their part. It's up to both owners to be vigilant but also recognise that mistakes happen, dog stuff happens.

Your dog has learned a great lesson about not rushing up to other dogs and hopefully will be more cautious.

Btw I live near a recreation ground which is very popular with dog walkers - there can be about 30 dogs on there at the same time, mostly off lead. It is this sort of interaction which teaches them canine social skills.

Firstly, there will always be a time when tge puppy does practice the undesired behaviour, and actually the owner should want it to in order for ut to learn. If it gets to adulthood never having learned, and then exhibits the undesired behaviour, the consequences could be a great deal worse.

So either the puppy dog is always constrained, which would be against the law, or it will eventually do something undesired. Then we get to the countless other threads where an adult dog bounds up rudely to another adult dog, and that usually doesn't end well. So much better to let them learn as puppies.

Which is why you only let them meet with the owners permission, so if they do get a bit boisterous, you know that you're not going to get shouted at like the OP did.

My own dog did his fair share of bouncy puppy behaviour, but always with permission. He was never allowed to just bound over to strange dogs.

Same with mine. I asked permission to meet. Owners said yes. Puppy occasionally got over excited and jumped on the other dog's head and got told off. The other owners were absolutely mortified and apologised for their dog. I said it was absolutely fine, puppy was rude and needed to learn some manners.

However, if I had let her run over to an on lead dog or without permission, I would expect the other owner to tell me to control my puppy and I would apologise profusely.

Yes, exactly. Mine is now an adult and we're often asked if the puppy can greet - I always say yes, but he can be a bit grumpy if they jump all over him - puppy inevitably does jump, he tells them off - and it's fine. Puppy learns a lesson, nobody is hurt, and nobody is irritated.

But if an unknown puppy came tearing over to him, bouncing all over him and couldn't be controlled or caught, I'd be pretty pissed off with the other owner.