Los Angles is a dog-friendly area and it is virtually impossible to walk your dog
without running into fellow pet parents. But just because you cross paths doesn’t mean your dog needs to interact with the person or dog. Feel free to give a greeting, wave hello as you pass, or give a smile and nod but keep walking and don’t let your dog meet them, especially the dog. This may sound harsh, but it is one of the best things you can do for your dog. How can this be best for your dog? Let’s talk about it, let us start by reviewing a few big risk factors that you can avoid when not meeting other dogs or even people on your walks.
Your dog can be at risk of being bitten by another dog
When dogs are on leash they are trusting us to keep them safe. On leash meetings can cause dogs to have a lot of big feelings where they may want to have some distance, but they are on leash so they are not able to get away or create that distance to make themselves feel more comfortable. The biggest risk is not knowing the other dog. “My dog is friendly” does not truly mean that the dog is friendly. Many dog owners do not fully understand what friendly dog body language is. If an incident does occur it can be potentially traumatic for you and your dog or the other person and their dog. Remember your dog is trusting you, do you really trust this other person and their dog to provide your dog with a good experience? If not, it’s okay keep walking.
Others may be at risk of being bitten by your dog
The above factors not only apply to other people and their dogs but your dog as well. How well do you know your dog’s body language? There is a lot more to a dog’s communication than a tail wag. Everyone has a bad day once in a while, and that includes your dog. It is important to understand your individual dog’s body language so you can adjust your walks, whether or not they should meet people, and provide more opportunities for doggie self-care if they are having a difficult day. If you are not attuned to your dog’s body language then meeting a person or another dog can just add more stress, and it could lead to a bite. This risk increases if your dog has a history of biting, if they are in pain, if they are known to be fearful, or even if you have a new puppy who explores the world with its mouth. Risk also increases if the person petting your dog is being very rough, loud, or petting your dog in areas they don’t like to be touched. Again really learning your dog’s body language can help you decipher their emotions and keep dogs and people safe. Keep your dog’s behavior in mind, many people feel that the dog is giving them a hard time, but really the dog may be having a hard time.
Let’s take a look at what is known as the Canine Ladder of Aggression. It describes some body language the dog may be displaying and its escalation. If you observe any of the behavior mentioned, it does not mean your dog is aggressive, think of it more as your dog is simply communicating. At the bottom of the ladder are low-scale “I am uncomfortable” signs; if they are ignored, your dog may escalate their communication. When we see animals behave aggressively it is generally because they want to increase the distance between themselves and whatever it is they are aggressing towards. Again, it’s the dog communicating, it’s like the dog repeatedly asking for space and if they are ignored they have to find another alternative to get someone to listen.
Want to ensure you are listening to your dog, do some research, talk to your trainer, and learn more about how dogs communicate.
Your dog can become frustrated on leash leading to reactive behavior
Even if the dog is genuinely friendly towards other dogs, on leash meetings can cause frustration. Dogs can be so happy and excited to see other dogs and if they are not able to meet them, they can grow stressed which can lead to frustration where their behavior displays something such as pulling, lunging, barking or even growling at other dogs. Your dog may be experiencing so many emotions they don’t know how to deal with them. This overall can lead to unpleasant walks for you and your dog.
You may be reinforcing unwanted behaviors
As mentioned, on leash meetings can cause frustration for your dog, it can also cause you frustration. If your dog pulls when they see another dog, and you allow them to meet that dog, then they are learning to pull. This goes for pulling towards people too. If your dog learns from the start that meeting other dogs on leash is NOT an option then they can have opportunities to learn more ways to focus on you. You can also learn ways to have people appropriately greet your dog, this is one of the many lessons we cover in our educational day care program.
So what are some things you can do when you encounter others on walks? Again feel free to greet but avoid the meet instead:
- Step to the side/ give the other owner and dog space to walk past. The more distance you create the safer you and your dog will be. While you step to the side you can practice some basic cues and reward your dog for performing them during that distracting time, some fun cues to try are those such as: sit, down, eye contact, touch, or even fun tricks like spin or give paw. Reward your dog for staying focused on you while the other dog is present.
- Meet no greet. If you have a neighbor you need to speak with approach them but stop a few feet away. Have your dog sit or lay down as you talk. A challenging task to ask of your dog so be sure to provide some reinforcement while you are talking. This is good practice for your dog to be around another dog but not have the pressure to meet them. It is also a good opportunity to work around a big distraction.
- Cross the street. If your dog is not ready to do the above set yourself up for success, cross the street or even go another direction to avoid being too close the other dog.
What if you have a social dog who wants to play? Can they just meet on leash? If your dog has experience playing with other dogs it is still best to NOT meet on leash. Being on leash should = walks, quality time with your, opportunities to sniff and investigate, and of course relive themselves. We do not want our dogs to get used to meeting every dog they see, as mentioned this may cause them to grow frustrated when they are on leash because they can not contain their excitement and it turns into more serious behavior so, you can instead:
- Schedule a play date at someone’s home or rent a sniff spot.
- Go for a parallel walk or hike together. You can use a long line that will allow you to keep your dog safe but allow some freedom.
- Look into an educational daycare to allow your dog to socialize with other dogs under a trainer’s supervision
- Look into doggie social hour where dogs can play and train together while under the supervision of professional staff.
- Visit a dog beach, the fun in the sand and water often keeps dogs busy and interested in the environment and does not put pressure on the dogs to have to play. Dog beaches also provide large spaces, which is helpful if your dog does want to avoid other dogs.
I hope this information was helpful, and if you do have a dog who needs more work on walking nicely on leash or who may be displaying some concerning behaviors while on their walks please reach out, we are here to help!
