Please, leash your dog when asked.
“It’s okay… He’s friendly!” Seriously, if I hear this one more time when I am out trying to walk my dog and I ask someone to leash or call their dog, I’m pretty sure my head is going to pop right off my shoulders.
Mentioning how great your dog is or, worse yet, becoming indignant are not appropriate responses when someone politely asks you to call your dog back to you or asks you to restrain your dog, especially in a leash-required area.
Look, it’s not like I’m heading to the dog park or the off-leash trails and asking everyone to leash their dog just so we can walk in the dog park or on the trails. I know my dog and I know that dog parks and most other off-leash areas are not going to work for Simon unless under VERY special circumstance (like in my dreams).
It is not unreasonable for someone to ask you to leash your dog when you are in a leash-required area. It’s really not and it’s for your dog’s safety as much as it is for mine. To paraphrase Queen Bey, if you like it, then you should put a leash on it.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how great your dog is, if a leash is required, just put a leash on your dog until you reach an off-leash area. And, this may come as a HUGE surprise, but it’s actually okay if someone asks you to restrain your dog in an off-leash area too. (Gasp!) Did I really just say that?!? I did because at the end of the day it’s about all of us being responsible dog owners and doing what is best for all the dogs in the community and that includes educating ourselves about leash reactivity, dog behavior and canine body language.
Don’t take it personally.
I promise, nine times out of 10 the request that you leash or call your dog is not a reflection on you or your dog. It might be, but more than likely the person doing the asking has a really good reason for the request because they have a dog that may be:
Leash reactive with other dogs
Listen first.
Don’t lecture the asker, get defensive, offer unsolicited advice or pass yourself off as an expert in dog behavior. Not to put too fine a point on it, but if you take offense at being asked or offer the aforementioned head-popping response (see opening paragraph), it means you’re not an expert. The mere fact that someone is asking you to control your dog in some way indicates that they know their dog and they know what to do to manage the situation. Believe me, those of us who have to ask are pretty much in training mode most of the time, often walk our dogs in the dark of the night to avoid others, and we’re sad and embarrassed that we don’t have the “perfect” dog.
Most likely we are working with, or have worked with a trainer (or a few trainers…or many trainers) and we are doing our best to help our dog be successful. Having your dog charge or even approach in a friendly but unwelcome manner, or having strangers approach without asking, can set everyone back quite a bit.
If you want to help, ask if you and your, now leashed, dog can do anything specific to help. For example, you could offer to do walking passes or walk alongside for a few blocks while we work on our dog’s reactivity or pulling. Again, don’t be offended if your offer is kindly passed on. It is generally not a reflection on you or your dog but on how we are assessing our dog in that moment.
[fa icon=”paw”] Simon Says
If you love me, leash me.
I agree and love your clever phrasing, “put a leash on it!”
Thanks, Marylin!
Great post! As a full-time dog walker, this happens to me ALL the time! I’ve got two or three dogs on leash, and someone comes bopping down the path with an off-leash dog who immediately rushes over to me, and you can imagine what happens next!
I wish everyone who thinks “My dog’s friendly, he just wants to say Hi” would read this post. You are endangering your own dog, yourself, me, and the dogs I have on leash. I’ve experienced fights, bites, and serious kerfluffles due to this kind of behavior!
Thanks, Peggy! Glad you like the post and so sorry that you have to deal with this on a regular basis. I TOTALLY get how irritating it is especially when you are working! I too wish everyone would read this post 😉
Thanks, Alison. It’s an ongoing problem!
Unfortunately, I think there’s a bit of an epidemic of people who don’t really take the time to learn about dog behavior and who, for some reason think they/their dogs are exempt from leash laws, poop pick up ordinances and general common sense when it comes to sharing the trails, sidewalks and parks. I’m sure that in your line of work, you’ve seen it all from the best to the worst! I hope you have a peaceful day of dog walking 🙂
Agree 100%! Some people are just aholes…whether it comes to the safety of their dogs or human kids. :/
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So true and so unfortunate!
We rarely encounter off-leash dogs in our neighborhood. I am grateful for that because I think Theo would freak out if we did.
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I totally get that. Unfortunately, it happens all the time in our neighborhood!
My dogs are always on leash. I’m not a big fan of encountering dogs off leash.
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Mine too. It’s especially distressing when an off-leash dog is approaching and the owners are oblivious.
Thankfully we don’t come across many unleashed dogs on our walks. We’ve never had to ask, and hopefully we never will. Great post!
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Glad you liked the post!
We see off-leash dogs pretty frequently. It’s a terrible idea as we live by a truck route. I’ll tell people to leash their dogs if they’re running towards Mr. N but otherwise we walk around them as I’d be yelling at people 24/7!
Yikes! I can’t imagine letting my dogs off leash near a truck route. I’ll never understand why people think their dogs know better than to run into traffic.
I love the name of your post!! I also love the message! So many people ignore the rules or just plain don’t understand. Having a reactive dog myself, this would be very dangerous territory for me.
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I’m so glad the message resonates! It is incredibly stressful when someone’s off-leash dog is approaching, I’m trying to remain calm, and my reactive dog is trying to tear my arm out of the socket 😉
My biggest problem with leashes is the homeless that lie around on the streets and do not have their dogs on leashes and when you ask them to leash them they yell at you with no respect - its frightening
I imagine that would be pretty frightening. I haven’t experienced that myself. The rescue group I work with is working to bring resources to folks in need and, so far, when we have approached folks out on the streets with an offer of free food or treats or leashes, we have been pretty well received. It may be worth a try to offer someone a free leash to see if they respond well, as long as you feel safe to do so. I know for us, it has been a way to start a conversation, do some gentle educating and to reduce negative interactions.
Great advice. Great phrase - put a leash on it.
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Thanks!
Couldn’t agree more. Kilo the Pug is reactive so I dread people letting their “friendly” dogs off leash in on leash areas.
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Oy! It really makes me nuts. Most people really don’t know how to read dog body language and often dismiss their dog’s rude behavior without considering the impact or consequences. Also - I loved your piece on the questions to ask before fostering!
Wynston does really well off-leash but of course I always keep him on because it’s other dogs I’m worried about.
It’s funny because Simon does much better off leash but there is really only one place I feel comfortable taking him to let him run. On leash, he just gets so over stimulated when off-leash dogs approach him.
We encounter off leash dogs all the time! I wish people would be more understanding when in public areas. Great blog!
Glad you liked the post! I’m with you. I really wish more people would take the time to learn about dog behavior and dog body language.
Sometimes humans get too ego-centric. We think only from our point of view and neglect the fact that other viewpoints exist. I think this is the case with people who think they don’t ever have to restrain their dogs because they are “friendly.” Sometimes the problem isn’t your friendly dog, but another animal or human that doesn’t want to be friendly at the moment.
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I totally agree! It’s incredibly frustrating when people dismiss their dog’s rude behavior or they assume that just because their dog may in fact be friendly, that other people or dogs want to interact. There seems to be a sense of entitlement that I don’t fully understand…more for another post 😉
I’m coming across more and more people with dogs off leash. It upsets me because it’s not fair. Both my dogs tend to be on the reactive side and it takes all the fun out of walking my dogs when I come across this. I think it’s terrible. I now speak up and comment that there is a leash law in our area.
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There really does seem to be an epidemic. I’m not sure if it’s just that more people have dogs or what is happening but it’s extremely frustrating. One off-leash dog approaching us on the street can derail and set back training activities. I have no problem reminding folks of the leash laws and am constantly surprised by the number of people who get bent out of shape over the reminder.
Great post!! Both my dogs are always leashed unless we are in an off leash dog park. My mom has a reactive dog and she does not feel like she can walk him because many of her neighbors do not leash their dogs or try to restrain them. It is very frustrating.
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So glad you liked the post! Thanks! I feel for your mom. It is amazing to me how oblivious some dog owners can be about this issue. It is genuinely disturbing and frustrating!
I so agree. We have an epidemic here with this - I love dogs and they are my life, seriously. But irresponsible people ruin it and then pandemonium. Good piece.
Thanks! Glad you liked the post 🙂 Seriously, sometimes I wish I could hand out “irresponsible pet owner” tickets 😉
It makes me Crazy when people insist on not leashing their dog in an area that requires dogs be leashed! It is the height of selfishness & stupidity. I walk my dogs in areas where I know other dogs will be leashed. I feel safer that way. No one has the right to violate Leash laws, making others uncomfortable. Period.
Love & biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
I could not agree with you more, Cathy! It seems that so many people feel entitled to ignore leash laws as though somehow they alone are exempt and then, when you call them out, they act like you’re the one who is out of line. GRRRR!!
“so many people feel entitled to ignore leash laws as though somehow they alone are exempt and then, when you call them out, they act like you’re the one who is out of line”
but sadly…
“There is an idiot born every minute and the rest of us have to deal with the aftermath everyday..” just because manslaughter remains illegal in AUS 🙂