Dog Walking Manners-that Big Old Bone of Contention

When I talk to people about their dogs one of the biggest issues people talk about is whether their dogs or others should be off-lead or not, in both off-lead and on-lead dog environments. It is no surprise that people with very reactive dogs think that all dogs should be on-lead all the time that local signs tell us to be and of course local by-laws should be respected, they are there for a reason.  No one likes an unpleasant dog greeting, even if it is as simple as getting jumped on by someone else's dog because their handler has no control of the dog. Of course I would not be the first owner to claim that my dog has awesome recall and is safe to be around, but not everyone likes my dog as much as I do. What?!!-crazy I know.  So I have compiled some precautions we can all take so that we all get on a lot better when we are out walking. 

One of the biggest problems people face when they are out walking their dog is dog reactivity. Dogs that bark or lunge at other dogs when they are approached by or approaching other dogs. Many dog owners would see this as aggression and hold their dogs tighter and avoid other dogs permanently in case something bad happens. A responsible reaction to some degree. Mostly though, the reactive dogs actions occur from fear and discomfort at the proximity of other dogs. After all, it is not natural for a strange dog to come rushing toward your dog into its personal space, especially when your dog is on lead and cannot escape. Some dogs have better greeting manners than other dogs- they have been socialized more as pups and learnt the natural boundaries of other dogs, both old and young. It is only natural that a dog being bombarded by a strange dog would respond with a bark to tell that dog to move away just as it is only natural for a human to have a personal space range too. A stranger touching another person without invitation in a social situation would most likely be avoided or even yelled at if the situation required it.

Unfortunately though dogs do not have the choice to move away as they would wish when they are on leash. Which is why many people say their dogs behave better off-lead. Their dog knows it has the opportunity to escape if it needs to when it is off-leash. I will talk more about what to do to improve a dogs reactivity another day. Meantime give your dog space and avoid situations that may be potentially fraught.

So here they are-My Big Tips (Bones of Contention) for keeping the peace on your local walks.

Number one Bone-Take doggy bags. There is nothing worse than knowing that others have left their dogs doo doos in your local park. You may step in it, but even worse if your local off-leash park is shared with a sports oval dog owners may loose their off-lead privileges. Don't ruin it for everyone else.

Number Two Bone-Have your lead handy and make sure you practice recall in a variety of settings and have high value treats handy so you can call your dog away from small children and dog owners that are timid and pulling away from you. It is amazing how frightened families can be of a larger dog, despite the fact it may be calm and under control, so make sure that you respect the personal space of people who are not dog lovers or who have young children.

Number Three Bone-Know your dog. What sets your dog off and makes it unreliable on the recall? Is it cyclists? Is it possums in the park, does your dog love running up to kids and jumping on them? Know this in advance and prepare your approach to other people, dogs and traffic based on an assessment of the risks to your dog and those around you.  It is always a good habit to teach your dog to sit at the curb or to be able to "wait" before you say it is okay to cross. It is also helpful to know what a polite dog greeting looks like, dogs usually approach from each other sides and if they get a welcome response go into the nose to bum sniff position. If they're a little nervous they may sniff the grass and give a little more space to each other before approaching.

Number Four Bone-Observe other dogs and their handlers approaching and calmly plan a reaction-Does the handler have control?  What is their body language telling you? Are they nervous and pulling away from you? Have a conversation with them. Ask before you approach, "Is your dog friendly?" Most dog owners will appreciate you asking and let you know if their dog has issues with other dogs. Put your dog on a short lead if necessary if you know your dog may be likely to jump up and run around getting the lead tangled in peoples legs. On a slight side note if you use a variable length lead you are probably asking for difficulties for two reasons. It is often impossible to get the lead short enough to greet other people safely. Not only that though if you constantly use a recoiling lead your dog will never learn to  walk nicely on a loose lead without pulling you all the way down the street.

Not so happy to see you.....get outta my face

Number Five Bone-Respect other peoples space. If you do get a nervous or stay away reaction from another walker make sure you respect their space and do not rush in for  a greeting with your dog regardless. If another handler does not have their dog under control and their dog is reacting to yours you may need to redirect  your dog if necessary. Make the experience part of the walk, a fun detour, try not to react out of stress as your dog will know it and react accordingly. After all, the dog walk is the best time of the day-so enjoy.