For many dog owners, it feels normal and natural to let their pup greet other dogs during walks. After all, shouldn’t you socialise your dog? While you may believe saying hello is harmless, allowing your dog to approach others, especially without permission and while on a lead, can be dangerous and/or create problems for you, your dog, and/or the other dog owner and their pup. In this article, we will dive further into why you shouldn’t let your dog greet every dog on a walk, and what alternatives there are.
Why You Shouldn’t Assume Every Dog Wants to Greet
If your own dog is a social butterfly, it may be easy to forget that not all dogs are comfortable with dog to dog interaction, or it isn’t always safe to socialise. They may be in the middle of training, or be sick with something contagious, or recovering from an injury. They can be anxious or reactive, or interactions are too stressful for them. When dogs lunge and bark it’s obvious they don’t want interaction, but many dogs don’t reach this point of escalation from the get-go, and before interactions with subtler signs would have been ignored, making the dog having to resort to more extreme body language to get their point across. So even if you may believe that it seems like another dog may be open to interaction, don’t assume this is actually the case, because they may not be, and a seemingly friendly approach can quickly become a negative encounter.
The dangers of a lead
Many dogs feel restricted and trapped by the lead, which isn’t weird, because they are. Having dogs meet on a lead can be a recipe for disaster. Dogs communicate through body language, and the lead will prevent them from fully moving and behaving as they want. This can lead to miscommunications between dogs, and result in dangerous situations. For example, did you know that dogs use walking in an arch as a signal they mean no harm? Now imagine yourself walking on a sidewalk with your dog on a lead, approaching another dog in a straight line, and they are doing the same. Both dogs have no option but to follow, which could lead to a tense situation between them and result in biting and snarling, as naturally they may have moved in an arch instead to diffuse any tension. Another risk of leads is them getting tangled, with can result in dangerous situations due to the unexpected restriction of movement. Also when dogs meet on lead, they tend to pull to one another. A tight leash can contribute to tension between the dogs which can increase the stress level of one (or both) dogs, which can explode in barking and lunging and result in a fight.
So, how should I let my dog meet with other dogs?
The first step is permission. Before letting your dog meet with any other dog, be sure that the owner agrees, as they know their dog best. Dogs talk with each other through body language, and they like to greet each other in a specific manner, so it’s up to the owners to find a spot where they can do this freely, such as a fenced off area. If your dog has a dog buddy, another option would be walking and hiking adventures while parallel walking.
Conclusion
While allowing dogs to meet while on lead may seem harmless, it should be avoided as it can create unnecessary tension between them, which can lead to potentially dangerous situations. Not all dogs are up for greetings, and meetings on leads can always lead to risky situations because it disrupts their body language. If your dog is a social butterfly, set up meetings in a safe fenced area, or go on walking and hiking trips with a dog buddy while parallel walking.
Would you like to know more about our dog sitting, dog walking, or dog relocation services? Feel free to contact us, we will be happy to help.