25/09/2025
I was talking with a class the other day, and in conversation, I mentioned that whenever I meet another dog and their owner, I always put my dogs on their leads until we pass. Often, they are only on the lead for a matter of seconds, and once we have passed, I release them and let them go on their way. Most of the time, when I place my dogs on a lead, it prompts the other owner to do the same.
My reason for doing this? I don’t know if the other dog is comfortable around dogs, particularly a couple of large, confident dogs. As a dog owner, I don’t just care about my dogs and their feelings; I care about other dogs that we meet on our travels.
We can now meet and have a conversation with several owners who own dogs that are fearful and occasionally reactive to other dogs. Guess what? Those dogs are now quite comfortable standing for about 5 minutes, a few feet away, while their owners chat with me.
I’ve now noticed that other people who used to let their dogs get too close to the fearful dogs and their owners are now doing the same as I do—placing their dog on the lead and giving the other dog space. Those fearful dogs now have a small group of dogs with whom they are no longer afraid, and their little group of acquaintances is slowly expanding.
This is beneficial for fearful dogs, as they are now less afraid, and it's good for confident dogs, who are no longer subjected to the reactivity of the dogs they meet. Even a confident dog can only tolerate so much aggression being directed at it.
There are enough people out there who dislike dogs; we should all be doing our best to deny them ammunition and help each other out.
