Meeting up with other dogs

[jem]

As an apartment dog owner, I am out walking my dogs at least twice a day.

On our walks we often encounter other dogs. My little one is very friendly and loves to say hello. I do keep him close until I can tell that the approaching dog is friendly and also wants to say hello.

Now what I don't understand is why the other dog owner in this situation, will often pull their dogs away and won't let them stop a minute for a quick sniff.

What's up with that?

[retriever crazy]

i do the same to my dogs too, pull them away from other dogs.you cant let your dogs walk all over you.maybe the other person just doesnt want to deal with tangled leashes. dont ever let your dog up to other dogs on perpose.its rude to the other person. and that how fleas and other dieses get spread.my oppion keep your dogs to yourself.no matter how friendly your dog is you cant trust another dog.

[Sara]

i do the same to my dogs too, pull them away from other dogs.you cant let your dogs walk all over you.maybe the other person just doesnt want to deal with tangled leashes. dont ever let your dog up to other dogs on perpose.its rude to the other person. and that how fleas and other dieses get spread.my oppion keep your dogs to yourself.no matter how friendly your dog is you cant trust another dog.

I agree. Unless I know the dog myself (like my neighbor's dogs) and know they're up to date on vaccinations and friendly, I keep my dog away from them. Even if the other pooch is friendly, you don't know if the owner takes proper care of them (like retriver crazy said, that's how diseases get around.)

[Becky]

The above is a good way to cause a frustrated dog... and then possible leash aggression and other problems.

You can't control other owners, but they do it for a variety of reasons, which, most of the time, aren't very good ones. Dogs are social animals, and if raised and trained properly, should constantly be socialized with other dogs. The best you can do, before you allow your dog to approach the other, is to get the owner's permition to allow your dog to meet their dog. Sometimes the person might have a reactive dog and is trying to protect your dog from theirs, or they think your dog will harm theirs... you never know, so you should communicate with the other owner. And, if the owner says no, for whatever reason, respect it and try to keep your dog away from theirs.

Diseases isn't really a good excuse. Their dog could be shedding the diseases in the soil through their feaces, saliva, and other means. Your dog walks through it. Fleas also can live in a yard.

[Adorabull]

We have an off leash dog park near to my home and both my dogs love the interaction with others.Both are up to date with their injections there for I consider it a slim chance of them catching something from another dog that they wouldn't catch from sniffing a pole on their daily walk along the street.

[Sara]

We have an off leash dog park near to my home and both my dogs love the interaction with others.Both are up to date with their injections there for I consider it a slim chance of them catching something from another dog that they wouldn't catch from sniffing a pole on their daily walk along the street.

Hmm. You know, oddly enough that's never occured to me. There is a dog park here (that I have yet to check out) which requires proof of vaccinations to get in. I'll need to check that out.

[Zoes_mama]

I'll only let Zoe sniff out other dogs if a)She isn't overreacting, is calm etc and b)The owner lets their dog near Zoe first. Sometimes it can't be prevented if a dog is off-leash. But Zoe is always okay with the ones off-leash. There was only one time she was attacked by an off-leash dog. Also, I think tangled leashes is a good reason lol! It did happen to me. This dog was determined to smell out Zoe but she didn't like that so she dashed around me to avoid him, and he followed and soon they were tangled around my legs. Not fun.

[kelsiebug]

mydog, yes, i let her sniff the other dog and all, but i dont let them lick each other, like lady lick the other bdog as dominance i shoow them off.

[smallangel1]

I usually let my dog go sniff another dogs. I mean he doesn't have enough dog friends already. It won't hurt him to sniff and have some intereaction with other dogs. I just assume other pet owner who loves dog will let their dog be update with the vacinnation.

[dlambertz]

never let my dog go up to someone elses and there would be a fight if someone didn't show me the same repect