Dog walking musings

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Usual walk this morning, it was scarily windy at points, bit of a chore in the mud. A couple with a cocker caught up with me on the first path, woman ignored me, bloke said good morning. I went past another owner who totally ignored me. Call me crazy, but in the middle of quite remote woods, I’d prefer a man (sexist?!) to smile and say hi. Then another owner with a spaniel went past and acted like we’d never come across each other. I think we’re pretty distinctive, 3 springers and me with the hair! We’ve stopped and chatted before but today he said ‘3?! They must keep you busy!’ as though we’d never chatted. I usually recognise the dogs and therefore the owners, although out of context, I’d be clueless.

Do you walk without even passing a ‘Good morning’ or are you quite sociable? I understand you might need to go past concentrating on your dog, especially if it’s reactive, but I find it hard to go past without a word.

 

[maisie06]

I'm a miserable cow and I tend to avoid other dog walkers and do my own thing!! If I have to pass I will however say a good whatever time of day it is.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I’ll always say say a quick ‘hello’ to any fellow walker (with or without dogs), but I’d button down my ears and march past a stranger who looked like they might want to stop me to yak. Me bad.

And definitely no chit chat if the other dogs are off lead.

 

[skinnydipper]

The big girl and I are quite sociable and would say hello, chat and made friends with fellow dog walkers.

Well, that I was until I completely lost patience. Now we avoid them.

 

[blackcob]

I will always say good whatevertimeitis but do not stop, engage in conversation or want to interact with other people's dogs.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I have a nervous & reactive dog. Other people walking their dogs are not my friends and to be avoided

But walking generally, I'd say a cheery hello but try not to stop as I'm A. Usually running late no matter what I'm doing and B. I'm a real chatty Sally, so we will be there for a long time if I do (see point A)

 

[Clodagh]

We live in deeply rural Devon. There is a 99% chance I know the fellow dog Walker. So we always stop and chat. All my dogs sit up and wait except Tawny, who I either leash or if it’s ok can go and talk. The older she gets the worse she behaves.
This morning we met the farmers daughter across the way and the new neighbour. FD was returning her very ill father’s dog to him and new neighbours were walking their delightful, and VERY important shit zsu and fluffy grey thing.

 

[Annette4]

I will always smile and say Good morning/afternoon unless I'm wrestling with Dobby reacting to something. I don't tend to stop and chat unless I only have one (and it's one of the good ones ) as habit with Dobby and Ginny being reactive.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

I’m not a massive chatterbox, although a bloke yesterday gave me the entire history of his dogs! I just think a polite ‘Good morning/hello’ is nice and reassuring, although I hear everyone says serial killers always come across as polite. I don’t want a big old chat, my lot are quite busy, but won’t go far if I do stop, however I spent years avoiding other dogs/owners because of Zak. It’s nice to be able to say hello. I’m aware not everybody wants to engage!

 

[CorvusCorax]

I will always say good whatevertimeitis but do not stop, engage in conversation or want to interact with other people's dogs.

This. I actively avoid my neighbour, who always wants to have a big conflab, usually about himself, post 11pm outside other people's houses when I just want to clean the dogs and go to bed.
He has a wife, kids and grandkids so not lonely.

 

[AmyMay]

I always say hi

 

[Jenko109]

I walk at very unsociable hours the vast majority of the time to avoid having to see or speak to anyone.

 

[sarah.oxford]

I walk at very unsociable hours the vast majority of the time to avoid having to see or speak to anyone.

Me too!
Unless I'm hiring an enclosed dog field/woods like this morning, when my walk started at 8am , and I got a lie in until 7.15 !!

 

[Goldenstar]

I think at this time of year people are busy and more likely to be less chatty when dog walking .

 

[pinkfluffy]

I used to be nice but I gave up.

 

[ArklePig]

I always say good morning unless the dog /owner looks like a loon and then I change course if it's a big white fluffy dog I also change course because Fodhla hates big white fluffy things

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I always say hi

I do too, just same as when riding

 

[Cortez]

Thankfully my three yappy, barky reactive hooligans preclude any social interaction at all. Thank all the gods.

 

[oldandgold]

Don't mind a cheery hello and keep walking - there are a few that we will stand and have a natter with (usually people with very polite dogs who don't pester for treats" and then there are the "others"
that I have a sudden urge to focus all my attention on my dog/s so can't stop.

 

[splashgirl45]

I know most of the people and dogs on my walks so don’t mind a quick chat but I don’t want to be 15 mins chatting as I am out for mine and my dogs exercise so like to keep walking , if they want to chat they can walk with me , I don’t mind ..

 

[FestiveG]

Always say hello, but keep on walking. The brown dog is reactive and it helps her if we speak to people.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Two riders went on to the verge in the lane today, I slowed right down to tell the one with a coloured how lovely her horse was. Hope she wasn't sighing at me! I went past under the impetus of the automatic, I could see the chestnut was impatient to get on but didn't want to use the gas in case it spooked.

 

[Chiffy]

Living alone, I love meeting fellow walkers out with their dogs.Its nice for me and my dogs to say hello. I don’t want to stop long term and discuss the meaning of life though! Going at a regular time, it tends to be the same people though, sometimes it’s just a ‘ good morning’ or ‘hello’ and sometimes a little more. We have a few runners out along the top of the shore too, hellos are brief and I sometimes catch my over friendly flatcoat so they don’t get tripped up!

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Always say at least Hi - but mostly stop for a brief chat as all people likely to be out and about are neighbours anyway. Not now of course as I can no longer walk further than down to our yard. My son walks them for me but usually on our fields and tracks, not out on the lanes because of the reactive over protective one. Just too risky for the sake of other people.

When I lived in Norfolk in the UK I found it really odd how people would walk right past you on a narrowish track and completely blank you and act as though you weren't even there! Bit I think that is an English reserved thing compared to the very friendly Irish almost over friendly thing.

 

[Moobli]

If I ever see anyone I wave or say hi.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

I wonder if man with spaniel has memory issues. Today he said ‘3? You only had 2 yesterday’ despite telling me 3 must keep me busy yesterday then proceeded to tell all about his dog. We’ve had the conversation before! He’s a good 10 years younger than me. I was happy to talk, he seems like a nice guy, my lot ignored his, quick chat and off we went in different directions. I wonder if he’s forgotten that we came across each other lots before summer, stopped for quick chats multiple times. Normally I have my hair scraped up but had it down today. It’s Christmas!

 

[AmyMay]

. Normally I have my hair scraped up but had it down today. It’s Christmas!

We went out for drinks last night and I was chatting to someone I’ve met several times. They had no idea who I was because I was clean and didn’t have a dog attached to me

 

[poiuytrewq]

I always say hello, I find it really weird and rude if people just walk past, particularly as I’ve usually said something or at the very least smiled first.
I’d quite like people to stop and chat and say hi to my two boys, they both, more so the younger have a slight “ahh person” moment if someone walks round a corner so it’s quite nice for the person to appear friendly to us! Imo anyway!!
If we meet another dog that’s not happy or one of mine isn’t I still manage a quick hi!
Surely it’s just basic manners!

 

[IrishMilo]

I always smile and say hello, I know from experience that such a simple gesture can mean such a lot. I grew up in France where NOT saying Hello to someone you pass is considered extremely rude, and I find English people can often be rude in that sense.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I do say hello most of the time but sometimes if I see people in the distance I turn off before I have to pass them .

There was a man sitting on a log at the entrance to our woods the other day so I purposely walked round the other way so I wouldn't have to squeeze past, where the logs are is the only dry bit and I really didn't want to go that close to him