Dog manners

[Nanny71]

On the dog walking field. Eight dogs ranging from small French Bulldog to Saint Bernard. All get along with no problems.
Women comes through gate and promptly takes her Rottweiler off the lead. He made a bee line for the dogs with her running after him shouting he is friendly.

Dogs in all directions. The Saint Bernard is a rescue and it has taken over a month to stop it being petrified of other dogs. She was shaking more than the little ones.

We asked her to control the dog but she just kept saying he was friendly. It ended with us all leaving. I don't think she understood that these dogs were a pack and it takes time for them to accept a new member.

We haven't seen her since. We don't want to dissuade any dog walkers on the field and this is the first real problem we have had in three years.

The dogs do fluctuate from two or three up to a dozen and not always the same ones.

 

[JudyN]

What was the Rottie doing that upset the other dogs/owners so much? On a dog-walking field I'd expect a friendly dog to be able to go up and introduce themselves to other off-lead dogs.

 

[Josie]

I was about to ask the same... if the rotty was friendly like the lady said then I don’t see a problem?

If you all had your dogs on leads however, that would be a different situation. I would expect the owner to be respectful in keeping theirs on a lead also until away from you all

 

[Mad Murphy]

Never mind if my dog was friendly I wouldn't let him run up to a strange pack. There is always a dynamic going on and butting in can be risky. It would have been better if she had introduced her dog slowly on a less busy day.

 

[JudyN]

Never mind if my dog was friendly I wouldn't let him run up to a strange pack. There is always a dynamic going on and butting in can be risky. It would have been better if she had introduced her dog slowly on a less busy day.

I think it depends on the location, and the dog. The field in our local woods is a very popular dog walking/playing place and the dogs usually get on with enjoying themselves, making friends, and choosing who to interact with while the owners stand at the side chatting. The owners might not know each other well - it's like a child's play area. And similarly, the dogs may only have met that day - a newbie doesn't know if the dogs got together regularly or not. Just because you and your mates go there every day with a collection of dogs who know each other well doesn't mean that you can stop other people from letting their dogs do the same.

In other areas, such as our local heath, if I saw a group of dogs together I'd assume they all knew each other as it's not a place people congregate while their dogs play - it's more of a place for walking. If there was an offlead dog coming towards us then we're going to be passing closely regardles so I would let Jasper say hello to the other dog unless I saw the owner or dog look worried, or try to move off the path, or the dog was wearing a yellow bandana or similar.

Of course, if you know your dog is a big lummox who will knock a smaller dog to the ground with his massive paws in his enthusiasm to play, that's a different matter.

Just as with human social situations, there's not one right answer, and one has to use their intuition and their knowledge of their dog and the location to decide what is appropriate.

 

[Nanny71]

A variety of people go there at various times during the day. We walk round with the dogs and make sure we are watching them at all times.
I am surprised anyone would let a dog off its lead at the entrance to a field without knowing how any of the dogs would react.
The field is rented by the Residents Association who are happy to have it used by dog walkers. We also pay yearly for the privilege.
Luckily there were no children on the field that day.

 

[JudyN]

I am surprised anyone would let a dog off its lead at the entrance to a field without knowing how any of the dogs would react.

But as an example, one place I go to has a huge field, with a number of other connecting fields. I can hardly introduce my dog to every dog there before letting him off when there are likely to be 20 or more other offlead dogs all generally doing their own thing. On the other hand, I am able to call him back if a dog he's approaching looks nervous or their owner is clearly unhappy.

 

[Mad Murphy]

I suppose it does depend on the size of the area as others have mentioned.. I notice that in our local park dogs will tend to be quite territorial and get quite snappy at anyone they see as intruding yet at the common its rare if any dog reacts yet there are often more dogs there than at the park... when its a gated area we are alway cautious about entering when there is a group of dogs playing.

 

[Rhythmpig]

I think it depends on the location, and the dog. The field in our local woods is a very popular dog walking/playing place and the dogs usually get on with enjoying themselves, making friends, and choosing who to interact with while the owners stand at the side chatting. The owners might not know each other well - it's like a child's play area. And similarly, the dogs may only have met that day - a newbie doesn't know if the dogs got together regularly or not. Just because you and your mates go there every day with a collection of dogs who know each other well doesn't mean that you can stop other people from letting their dogs do the same.

In other areas, such as our local heath, if I saw a group of dogs together I'd assume they all knew each other as it's not a place people congregate while their dogs play - it's more of a place for walking. If there was an offlead dog coming towards us then we're going to be passing closely regardles so I would let Jasper say hello to the other dog unless I saw the owner or dog look worried, or try to move off the path, or the dog was wearing a yellow bandana or similar.

Of course, if you know your dog is a big lummox who will knock a smaller dog to the ground with his massive paws in his enthusiasm to play, that's a different matter.

Just as with human social situations, there's not one right answer, and one has to use their intuition and their knowledge of their dog and the location to decide what is appropriate.

I've only seen yellow used in the lurcher long dog world to say a dog is nervous/anxious. Do the rest of the dog community use it as well.

 

[Mad Murphy]

I've only seen yellow used in the lurcher long dog world to say a dog is nervous/anxious. Do the rest of the dog community use it as well.

More and more people are coming to know that yellow means dinos...or dog in need of space. So not to approach.

 

[Shalista]

i should get some yellow for bax! he always pulls towards other dogs so people think he's friendly and wants to say hi. and he is! it's just he gets so over stimulated by other dogs id rather not deal with it........

there was a puppy in the neighborhood and the owners were hell bent on socializing him with bax.... i kept telling them "I don't think bax is the kind of experience he needs...."

 

[arealhuman]

There's a company/charity on this forum I think who will hand out yellow ribbons for nervous dogs. I get this a lot with our dog, others come bounding over, no doubt friendly, but it upsets Jimmy and he gets anxious and vocal about it. Other dog owners need to realise not all dogs react in the same way as theirs, as the St. Barnard above shows.

 

[Josie]

I think it’s all about judging the situation beforehand.

If I saw a group of dogs all off lead and playing together I wouldn’t necessarily put my dog on the lead if they went over to join in.

However, If I the dogs were on the lead I would always put mine on also until I knew the situation.

I am genuinely surprised at how many owners are completely oblivious to others when out walking.

I was out walking the other day with an entire male who can be unpredictable with other dogs. I walk him (and his very friendly sister) up in the woods so I can avoid others or spot them coming and change course.

In this instance a guy popped up from round the corner with two dogs. I already had Ben on the lead because it was a blind spot (and good job) but as I walked in the other direction to avoid them one of the dogs came bounding over. I called out to the guy ‘sorry this dog isn’t very friendly!’ and he just smiled at me!!! Luckily Ben was very good and we moved away from the situation.