Dog walking etiquette

[Mister Ted]

I would say when you see people coming towards you with their dog leashed put yours on a lead.I always appreciate and thank people who do as my small dog has been badly attacked in the past and he is kept on a flexi lead.Many people are not keen on dogs and even dog lovers dont always welcome other dogs bounding around them.Its respectful an.d puts the dogs on an even footing too

 

[sandi_84]

I'll go slightly against the grain and say that if I had a dog that was likely to bite another dog (on lead or not) it would be muzzled out in public. You have to take responsibility for your own dogs actions and with all the best will in the world there will always be situations in which dogs may end up close to each other without either owner being at fault.

If I see a dog on a lead I will always call mine to heel until we are past.

My mum's collie Poppy is very people friendly and has good recall but is fear aggressive with dogs she doesn't know. She prefers to move away if possible but will snap if followed and cornered. So if out at the horses and in the fenced off field another dog comes past, she is called to heel. If out on a walk she is put on a lead and walked unhurriedly by smartly passed - experience has proved that if left to "escape" to a safe distance off lead, she invariably was followed to a tight corner where she would tell the dog to push off. Or if put on lead and sat to the side of a path however wide the other dog will come over and invade her space with varying degrees of bounce resulting in the same.

The problem with muzzling Poppy is that she lives for retrieving a ball, it's how she gets her stimulation and joy from walks/ being at the field.
Putting a muzzle on her would stop her being able to snatch a ball from a ridiculous hight or just before it touches the ground so walks would no longer be enjoyable for anyone. Putting one on and taking it off repeatedly is a complete PITA when the problem is easily solved by the other dog owner being responsible and in control of their dog. I do everything (bar muzzling) to keep my dog from retaliating including forewarning the other walker why she is on lead etc so it would make walks far more enjoyable for everyone if they could do their part too.
The really annoying ones are who, after being warned say "oh it's OK because..." :rolleyes3: :mad3:

 

[Annette4]

I'll go slightly against the grain and say that if I had a dog that was likely to bite another dog (on lead or not) it would be muzzled out in public. You have to take responsibility for your own dogs actions and with all the best will in the world there will always be situations in which dogs may end up close to each other without either owner being at fault.

If I see a dog on a lead I will always call mine to heel until we are past.

I do agree for the most part as I'm a big muzzle fan (my whippet is muzzled when off lead and not playing fetch as she chases and kills small animals) and if it is a long term/permanent issues I agree. For dogs recovering from injury etc I would be pretty annoyed if I had to fork out to buy a muzzle because people can't keep their dogs under control so it's both sides that need to take responsibility for their dogs.

 

[sam_m]

I've just read the entire thread.

I am another who gets frustrated when I am walking with Rox quite happily on her lead and other loose dogs come bounding up to her, with owners giving naff all reaction despite my requests for them to recall their dogs. Rox by nature is not snappy however if a strange dog comes over and will not leave her alone when she has forced herself between my legs to sit and "hide" she certainly makes it known she is not happy (I must stress she has never lunged to do anything to another dog). Rox is kept on a lead because of an incident when she was 4 months when I was walking her with my sister in laws much older Rotty, both of them where attacked by a group of 6 rescue dogs with the Rotty being chased into a bramble bush and Rox escaping harm as despite being 6 months pregnant I mananged to scoop her up, since then she has not tolerated loose dogs approaching her yet dogs on the lead are fine and we have many a doggy friend we walk out with.