05/09/2025
This is so well written! It explains the start of teaching neutrality and advocating for your puppy. It is also a great example to the general public. Thanks Drop The Leash Dog Training for the great post!!
Why your dog can’t meet my puppy.
When I am out walking with my new pup Maeve and I see people or dogs coming I move over to the side out of their way and I feed her for focussing on me instead of the people or the other dogs.
Some people stop with their dogs and indicate they want their dog to meet Maeve. I just politely say no thank you and keep on feeding her. Sometimes I have to step between Maeve and the dog if they still insist on bringing their dog over.
I have two reasons for being so adamant about this.
On-leash greetings are often not in a puppy’s best interest. The potential is there for them to be put into a situation that frightens them. Older dogs can snap at puppies who get in their faces. One snap from an older dog can frighten or hurt a sensitive puppy causing them to be afraid of dogs.
Maeve will probably weigh around fifty pounds as an adult dog. If I set up the predictability now of her being able to pull me to every dog we see that is really going to be a problem as she gets bigger and stronger.
An important part of socialization is teaching our dogs that they can see other dogs while they are on leash and choose to move on with us instead. It’s a valuable life skill for a city dog, a trail dog, or any dog who’s going to be out and about with their person.
This doesn't mean Maeve doesn’t get to play or socialize. She plays off-leash with doggie friends I know and trust, in situations where everyone is set up to succeed. Socialization is about quality, not quantity. It’s about building good experiences, not just exposure.
So if you see us on a walk and I say “no thank you” to a doggy meet-and-greet, please know it’s not personal. I’m just working hard to raise a confident, relaxed adult dog who can move through the world with ease.
Thanks for understanding.
