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Dog Walking Question?

kenny

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Apr 30, 2005
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When you walk your dog and another dog-walker is approaching on the sidewalk what do you do?

1. Just keep walking and "meet" the other dog.
2. Just keep walking but wish the other dog walker would cross the street. IOW play chicken?
3. Cross the street to avoid any potential doggie drama?
4. Other - Please explain.
 
Well, it really depends. I would say "avoid doggie drama". When I had my big dog, often people were afraid of the looks of him, even though he was a big sweetheart who wouldn't hurt a fly. So I'd either cross the street or keep the leash so short he couldn't move his head much. He was used to anything, he was a former show dog taught to be around other dogs all the time. If anything, he wanted to play. Small dogs would bark at him, it was funny. People who weren't scared of him always wanted to pet him, which he loved and accepted without jumping or moving.

With my small dogs, it's somewhat the opposite. If I see a larger dog approaching I'll think ahead on how to best protect my dog. If I have to pick them up, I do. It's best to avoid potential drama because not only can it be physically damaging, it can be psychologically damaging to some dogs if an incident does occur. I trust my dogs, I don't necessarily trust other people's dogs. If it's someone I know, like on a neighbourhood walk, then it's meet and greet.
 
I don't have a dog.

But if I did, I would take no chances: #3

I am super-protective...

The only time I wouldn't is if I know the other dog and know that they get along.
 
Are you aware of any protocol that says the larger dog, or the smaller dog, should be the one to cross the street?
(I always cross the street with our two small dogs.)
 
kenny said:
Are you aware of any protocol that says the larger dog, or the smaller dog, should be the one to cross the street?
(I always cross the street)
Click to expand...

To heck with protocol, guard your pets. ;)) I guess I'm a street crosser either way if necessary. Or was. Most streets in my area are only paved on one side, which makes things interesting (PITA).
 
Hmmmm...

I would say that the person with the larger dog (who could do more damage/be more scary) should "first" cross the street...

But at the end of the day, I feel people are responsible for their own dogs - so I wouldn't "play chicken" - even if I thought I was "right."
 
My dog looks intimidating to most. So I decide to wait for other dog to pass or meet the other dog based on the reaction of owner of other dog and other dog...if that makes any sense.
 
My dog is large; she is a Standard Poodle. Because I choose to have a large dog, one too large to scoop up, I feel that I bear the responsibility to control my dog when encountering a smaller dog. If the other dog is trained, we continue with no problem, as my dog will not leave my side. However, if the smaller dog is excited, I put my dog in a sit until they pass.
 
I'm with Pink Tower. We have two Staffies, and they think little dogs are snacks. We try to avoid people with small dogs, but will allow larger dogs to do the sniff-n-greet.
 
Kenny, I've honestly never even thought to cross the street. I NEVER make any assumptions though and always put my dog on a short leash (we have a lead that has a traffic handle on it). I always pay attention to my dog's signals too. Sometimes, I can tell he's totally ignoring the other dog and other times he gets into full on head down, butt up, pounce mode. In any case, I use the leave it command and we keep walking. On a rare occasion, I have to sit my dog until the other dog passes. My dog has no issues with little dogs - in fact, he looks quite perplexed when they bark at him. Sometimes we joke that he doesn't realize anything under 20 pounds is actually a dog. :bigsmile: We live in a small town and there are a few folks we run into frequently and I allow the dogs to meet but, other than that, better safe than sorry.
 
Oh, our dogs are always on a leash as are every other dog I encounter here in this city's residential area.

If people here see a dog off a leash they call animal control.

Sorry, I assumed in my OP that everyone keeps their dog on a leash when walking it.
So you actually walk your dog with no leash?
Do other people in your area do the same?
Aren't there problems?
 
When I'm walking my dogs (2, 12-14lbs dogs), I try to not go by any other dogs. Not because my dogs are aggressive, it's actually because of the complete opposite - they think every dog (and cat, squirrel, etc), is a playmate and they get way too excited. Sometimes it can't be avoided, so I'll let them say "hi" but I try to keep it short because it can be very overwhelming to the other dog, especially because I have 2.

I also don't really care to speak to anybody, lol.
 
Kenny,
"Leash Laws" vary. Here, what is referred to as a leash law, if you actually look it up, only says that the dog must be under the owner's control. Because of a combination of submissive temperament and months of daily professional training (without my presence) my dog is able to walk off lead on a sidewalk. Still, I would only do that in quiet areas.

Some people can barely control a dog with a lead. If a dog is aggressive, I don't think they should be on a sidewalk in the first place. I certainly do not think that the owners of small dogs should feel they need to change their route! I love seeing photos of your dogs, btw.
 
I never really thought about this. Maybe it's different because I don't live in a city and rarely walk on actual streets with the dog, but there are a lot of dog walkers on the routes I take. Woodland and costal paths, mostly. I just keep the (large) dog on a short leash and walk on past other dogs, unless it's someone I know, then we'll stop and chat. Most of the dogs in the village already know each other anyway, so you kind of know which ones to avoid.

If I was walking on the street and saw another dog, I'd just shorten the leash so my dog is right by my side. Her collar is at my hand height anyway, so I could get a good grip on that if I really had to. She wouldn't annoy another dog if she was close by me like that- I think a bit of that comes down to training.

Jen
 
Thanks PT.

I'm sure many of you have very well trained dogs.
BUT
This whole topic is about approaching an unknown dog on the sidewalk.
Unless a dog owner is psychic he/she has no way of knowing how well trained an approaching dog is.
If it is not on a leach I do more than just cross the street; I immediately turn around and quickly walk away.
I'm not taking a chance on our dogs getting hurt.

There are a few neighborhood dogs that our dogs have met and we do the greet and buttsniff thing, no problem.
 
Option #3. I have a doberman, and a chi mix. The doberman is a sweetie, but she looks very intimidating, so I cross just to avoid making someone uncomfortable. When I walk my chi-mix, I cross because he is a meanie. People always assume my dobe is the psycho, when its completely reversed.
 
Impulse gratuitous doggie woggie pic.

0700yayaya.jpg
 
My dog and I know every dog in our neighborhood, so I know which dogs to avoid.My dog, a mini-schnauzer is very friendly with a Great Dane, but only greet when the GD is on leash because the Great Dane while well trained would squish my dog with one step of her paw.

If the other person asks if our 2 dogs can greet each other I usually agree, but again only if both are on leash. I have a neighbor who has a boxer that breaks through the invisible fence (or so he says. I think he doesn't replace the batteries in the collar) and the dog has gone right after my dog. That is why I carry pepper spray and have sprayed him twice already. I also carry a handheld ultrasonic device that emits a sound that only dogs can hear and that has worked quite well when we approach a dog that doesn't seem to be well trained or under the complete control of the owner.
 
Soocool, our neighbors have a dog like that. I swear they're full of it and they don't even have an electric fence! My dog won't even walk past their house anymore but this dog will come across the street after us. He's bearing his teeth and growling and his owner says "Oh, he's harmless. He just wants to play." Really? My dog LOVES to play with other dogs but this one scares the $hit out of him!
 
Sctsbride, my friend has a small terrier mix who isn't so into strangers or other dogs. He's so dang cute that even AFTER she warns people that he'll bite, they STILL try to pet him!
 
I would never move to a place where dogs are allowed outside the house without a leash.

OMG!
 
Depends. Stitch is fine with some dogs, and others, he doesn't plain like. He has the hardest time with dogs who are ultra pushy with a face in his face greeting. But, we do let him greet if the other dog isn't going beserk because I like to have him socialized.

If the dog is not on a leash, I do not like to have them greet. My old dog, a border collie mix, was once attacked by a loose pit bull that flew out of nowhere. My dog turned out fine with just a couple of minor bite wounds, but I was totally distraught over seeing some dog come from behind and go after my dog's neck. That dog had a thick fur collar that saved him. If that dog had attacked my little Stitch, I wouldn't have Stitch anymore.

Cute dog pic, btw :)
 
Walking on the lead:

Bear in mind our dog (that we walk) is very well trained. So when she is on the lead and we meet another dog I always judge the situation by my dogs reactions, the other dogs reactions and the other owners face. If all is calm I pull her in to heel, switch hands to put her on the offside to the other dog; either on my left inside or right outside depending on the side of the other dog. So that I am between my dog and the other dog and speak calmly to her telling her to heel and that she is a good dog. If I don't like the situation I ask her to sit, praising her quietly, and I stand in front of her until the other owner passes by.

I haven't had any issues yet.

As far as walking off the lead goes...

We are in rural Ireland and surrounded by national forestry so I walk her on the lead until we get into the forest, then she can run free. But as I said she is very well trained and will come back to me as soon as I demand. Even if there is a tasty looking pheasant, deer or bird nearby ( :rolleyes: ) I know she couldn't take a deer - she doesn't :bigsmile: .
 
I would try to avoid potential doggy drama.

I have a 60 lb. lab mix who is very sweet and gets along with everyone, including other dogs. I'm not worried about her causing drama, I'm worried about the other dog. She's very sensitive and her feelings get hurt easily. I live in an apartment complex where the majority is small dogs. These days, I know most of them by name. There are a few mean ones that escape from their owner's control (whether the owner drops the leash or they use a retractable leash) and run over to my dog growling and snapping at her. (She just stands there wondering why they're so angry.)

Leash laws in my area require that a dog be on a leash. The apartment complex also asks that dogs be on a leash. And I think it's courteous to other dog owners to have your own dog on a leash.
 
I don't cross the street, but we don't do the "sniff and greet" either unless the oncoming dog is insistent and their owner allows it.

My dog isn't aggressive, but isn't friendly either, so when she sees a dog or person coming, she immediately moves as far away as she can without straining the leash. If the other dog comes near her, she will strain a bit to try to avoid it. If the other dog still makes its way to her, she will sniff and greet and move on, but most owners don't let their dog get close enough unless it's someone I know and we stop to talk.
 
I usually play it by ear depending on how laid-back the other dog's body language appears to be; mine tends to be fine as long as other dogs don't hurl themselves at her in a foamy frenzy. If there's any sign of either dog being tense I cross the street ASAP.

I'm much more inclined to cross if the other dog is small, because 1) I have found that people are less motivated to train very small dogs and they are more likely to have a meltdown at the sight of another dog, and 2) as the person with the big bad scary dog I'm more likely to be blamed if something goes wrong.
 
It is your job no matter what to protect your dog and protect others from your dog.
What really annoys me is owners of small aggressive dogs who think it is funny to watch them yap at big dogs.
Tiger would just look at them like what planet are you from and sit there and watch them.

One lady I warned her that her palm was going to get killed if she kept on letting it act like that to larger dogs.
Sure enough it was killed when she let it go up to a husky mix, snap before the other owner could do anything and one dead palm.
Then she was pissed no one took her side against the other owner when animal control was there.
She was the one cited for having an aggressive dog and fined $200
 
Karl_K said:
It is your job no matter what to protect your dog and protect others from your dog.
What really annoys me is owners of small aggressive dogs who think it is funny to watch them yap at big dogs.
Tiger would just look at them like what planet are you from and sit there and watch them.

One lady I warned her that her palm was going to get killed if she kept on letting it act like that to larger dogs.
Sure enough it was killed when she let it go up to a husky mix, snap before the other owner could do anything and one dead palm.
Then she was pissed no one took her side against the other owner when animal control was there.
She was the one cited for having an aggressive dog and fined $200
Click to expand...

I avoid most dog parks for this reason. "My dog couldn't do anything wrong and therefore it's your fault" is the attitude I often see with small dog owners. Once, my dog and another dog had a doggie disagreement. The other owner swooped in, accused of having an aggressive dog, and screamed at us to leash our dog. First off, she had 7 dogs that she, her daughter, and some other relative were "watching over." My DH and I had one. Then, her dog proceeded to bark at my dog, while another one kept mounting him. And, she kept coming into our faces and screaming. Finally, DH told her that she was the aggressive one. We saw a blood vessel bulge in her forehead. Once they left, there was no problems with the dogs.

Back in my old neighborhood, there were these women with teacup chi's that they would allow to run loose in the park, despite the leash laws. I really despised their self righteous attitude that somehow because their dogs were small they were exempt from the leash laws.

Our dog is not perfect, but we put a lot of effort with beginner, intermediate, and private classes to address his issues. A lot of people don't and it's very irritating.
 
To walk Chicken in the neighborhood anymore, I need to get a can of Mace. Or I'd have to drive her clear across town to the park and hope none of the campers have dogs running loose. There are leash laws here as well, and rarely do I see anyone follow it. I rarely meet anyone walking their dog. They're either chained up in the front yard so they freak out when we walk by, or they're loose. When I do see someone coming, we go a few steps into the nearest driveway and wait for them to pass. If the other person does it first, then we walk faster so we can scoot by them so they can continue their walk.
 
I have 2 little Havanese and I ALWAYS cross the street away from the strange dog(s). I never want to take the chance and although my pups are little angels :halo: I don't want to put them in a position where they might start getting yappy or acting up, out of defense or otherwise. They really enjoy their walks and so I like to keep them relaxed and stress free, and selfishly I enjoy not having to wonder if the strange pups we encounter are socialized or not for my sake as well.
 
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