'can The Dogs Say Hello?'

[Lucy's mama]

This has happened to us a few times now - Banjo will be straining towards another on lead dog, and sometimes it is straining towards Banjo. I always have him sit then ask the other owner if they can say hello. 99% of the time they say yes and they have a sniff, occasionally some one says no (and I'm fine with that) and sometimes they say yes and their dog starts snarling and snapping when they get close. The owner will then appologize and tell me that their dog is just a bit nervous of other dogs.

I have no problem with dogs that are nervous. I am not going to label it vicious ór you unfriendly if you say 'No' to them meeting. These are dogs that are fine when we are standing a metre away, but not when the sniffing starts. Luckily Banjo backs out of any confrontation. But why on earth do people say 'Yes' if they know their dog is nervous? Why not just say 'No', or if you really feel you need to explain then just say your dog is frightened when strange dogs get too close? What if Banjo was the type of dog that never starts something but would always finish something?

I really don't get it.

Edited September 19, 2010 by Lucy's mama

[mish13]

I say no because Oscar is one of those nervous dogs and would most likely snap just to see if he gets a reaction.

What I then get is dirty looks because I don't want to socialise with the other persons dog.

I get the reverse people just let their dogs run up to mine when mine are all on a lead and get their nose out of joint when I yell at them to call their dog. One man even yelled out get your untrained dogs away from his and mine were the ones on a lead his was running free.

It takes all kinds unfortunately.

[Kavik]

Yep and equally if I say mine is not friendly - don't allow your dog to bounce up to its face!

[jazawayaya]

I get the reverse people just let their dogs run up to mine when mine are all on a lead and get their nose out of joint when I yell at them to call their dog. One man even yelled out get your untrained dogs away from his and mine were the ones on a lead his was running free.

This has happened to me a few times now makes me so mad.

[claireybell]

A couple of years ago Mum and I were out walking my cocker when we approached a guy with a dog. We asked if his dog was friendly and if we could say hello, he said yes it wasn't a problem. Our dogs go up to each other for a sniff and his dog latches onto my cocker's belly!!! I was freaking furious. He says yeah sorry he does that sometimes! Ummm hello, dont say the dog is friendly if its not!

Luckily my cocker is just too happy to let it get to her. However I will always remember

[aussielover]

Yep its happened to me.

I called my dog away from a "field spaniel" the lady said no, its fine, she is friendly. About 2 minutes later my dog started walking up to this dog, got within about a meter and the dog went for her

It actually cut her eyelid, it was lucky it wasn't the eye!

The lady then said she was just putting her in her place. Bulls***!!!!

[WreckitWhippet]

I say no regardless. The only time mine interact with other dogs, is if I know the person.

[poodlefan]

Banjo will be straining towards another on lead dog,

Don't expect me to say yes if you don't have your dog focussed on you and under effective control.

If there's one thing that will make me cross the street its a dog straining on its lead to get to mine. Its not natural body language, I can't read it easily and neither can my dogs.

I'm with RSG. If I don't know the person and the dog, most of the time I'll say "no thanks".

[Tiggy]

I say no regardless. The only time mine interact with other dogs, is if I know the person.

Same here. I don't care if people think I'm rude or my dogs must be aggressive, I will always say no. Edited to add the people who usually ask me can my dog say Hi approach me with their dogs straining ahead of them which sets off warning bells for me.

Edited September 20, 2010 by Tiggy

[Lucy's mama]

Banjo will be straining towards another on lead dog,

Don't expect me to say yes if you don't have your dog focussed on you and under effective control.

If there's one thing that will make me cross the street its a dog straining on its lead to get to mine. Its not natural body language, I can't read it easily and neither can my dogs.

I'm with RSG. If I don't know the person and the dog, most of the time I'll say "no thanks".

Like I said, I have no problem with people saying no, it's there perogotive and completely understandable, and I always have Banjo in a sit before I even think about asking.

Banjo will be straining towards another on lead dog, and sometimes it is straining towards Banjo. I always have him sit then ask the other owner if they can say hello.

He is not under 'reflexive controll' though, but certainly I don't ask if he is being ignorant.

ETA: I read your post wrong - it says effective controll, not reflexive control.

Edited September 20, 2010 by Lucy's mama

[corvus]

I think most people don't actually really know. I never believe them if they say their dog is friendly. I believe the dog and I believe my dogs. I've had folks literally intervene when I've tried to move my pesky puppy away from their dog only to have the dog discipline my puppy and the owner look utterly astonished.

So I don't believe anyone anymore.

[Rascalmyshadow]

Some dogs that are friendly can still take a dislike to certain dogs, maybe some of these people haven't had a problem socialising with others. If your dog is straining on the lead it can cause other dogs to react in an unpredictable manner.

[Staff'n'Toller]

Like I said, I have no problem with people saying no, it's there perogotive and completely understandable, and I always have Banjo in a sit before I even think about asking.

If he pops straight out of a sit to approach another smaller dog quickly then that may be a problem also in the body language area.

Really, face-to-face leash meetings with tension is not good for either dog, they can't 'get away' if they need to and they can't practice a relaxed approach going through their calming signals BEFORE they even get to the other dog. That's why they arc up, if they are showing calming signals but Banjo is not reciprocating then they may automatically assume he might be threatening.

You may find Turid Rugaas' books/dvd quite interesting. She has a website.

Edited September 20, 2010 by Staff'n'Toller

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Me and a friend going for a walk on the local off lead dog park after dog obedience class got told by another walker that it was sad that we couldn't let the dogs off because they were aggressive. WTF.

No, this dog is fine, but this one doesn't come back when it's called. So they're both on lead because it doesn't seem fair one can run free when her best friend has to stay on lead. Nothing to do with aggression. Neither of them have ever attacked another dog.

Why do people make assumptions like that?

And there is a bloke in dog obedience - sometimes I wonder about classes (paddock bashing?) - anyway he says his rottie is friendly but when my dog rolled over by way of non threatening greeting, she bit my dog's paw so hard that she limped for the next 15 minutes. My dog has forgiven the rottie, but I haven't and not the owner either. He's deluded if he thinks his rottie is friendly. And we had a black lab and his dog trying to kill each other - fortunately both on lead so couldn't quite reach - all talk - in the MIDDLE OF CLASS!!!

The woman who knows and accepts her dog is aggressive (mostly due to fear), keeps her dog well away from the others during class and the instructors allow for this. It would be better if the other two owners did the same.

Some people are just deluded. Even ones who have done years of obedience classes.

[Lucy's mama]

Me and a friend going for a walk on the local off lead dog park after dog obedience class got told by another walker that it was sad that we couldn't let the dogs off because they were aggressive. WTF.

No, this dog is fine, but this one doesn't come back when it's called. So they're both on lead because it doesn't seem fair one can run free when her best friend has to stay on lead. Nothing to do with aggression. Neither of them have ever attacked another dog.

Why do people make assumptions like that?

And there is a bloke in dog obedience - sometimes I wonder about classes (paddock bashing?) - anyway he says his rottie is friendly but when my dog rolled over by way of non threatening greeting, she bit my dog's paw so hard that she limped for the next 15 minutes. My dog has forgiven the rottie, but I haven't and not the owner either. He's deluded if he thinks his rottie is friendly. And we had a black lab and his dog trying to kill each other - fortunately both on lead so couldn't quite reach - all talk - in the MIDDLE OF CLASS!!!

The woman who knows and accepts her dog is aggressive (mostly due to fear), keeps her dog well away from the others during class and the instructors allow for this. It would be better if the other two owners did the same.

Some people are just deluded. Even ones who have done years of obedience classes.

I get the comments about keeping him on lead too. One lady comments every single time I see her that I should let him off, and when I tell her his recall isn't good enough or he may play too rough for some dogs (Aussie's do play hard!) she say's it's to be expected because he is young, and no one will mind. Luckily I have read DOL and know people do mind.

If he was off lead he would barrel up to dogs rudely and seem threatening.

[Alfie02]

I find it very annoying when someone comes up to me and my two dogs, that are dog aggressive if approached and sniffed (fine if just walking past or anything, just face to face contact), dont ask if my dogs are friendly or not and just let their dog barge up to mine, often off leash, and I say "Sorry my dogs do not like other dogs and will bite your dog if you come any closer".....and the most often response is:

"Oh its alright, it will teach my dog a lesson, he is too friendly anyway"....OMG! Too friendly, I didnt know you could get a dog that was too friendly! Also, most of these dogs are bigger than mine and I dont want my dogs to start something and the bigger dogs to finish it after I specifically said that they are not friendly!

I am very appreciative of people who take the time to stop and ask if my dogs are friendly, and when I say no, they just smile and accept it.

Edited September 20, 2010 by Alfie02

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

If I see other dogs on lead that my dog wants to greet - I call her back, put her on lead and have a discussion about saying hello with the other owner.

If their dog is fear aggressive - I invite them to allow their dog to approach if it wants to and only if it wants to for a sniff - cos my dog will be upside down by way of non threatening greeting...

We both watch the fearful dog for signs of anxiety and give it room to retreat if it wants - and we've had a few excellent greetings and even play that way. And no disasters so far - because the fearful dog won't approach unless it's feeling confident and unthreatened. And if the fearful dog doesn't approach we go our separate ways without fuss.

The rottie I talked about - showed no signs of fear aggression, just aggression or over enthusiastic play or prey drive. Either way no fun. Barking and growling and lunging on the end of the lead should not be rewarded with a sniff let alone bite of the other dog. Sigh.