Should Your Dog Meet Everyone on a Walk?
While it sounds like a friendly way to live and a great way to socialize your dog, is it a good idea for your dog to greet every person and dog you see on a walk?
Unfortunately, probably not. But why?
People:
Not every person shares our love of dogs. Children, especially, may be afraid of dogs or dogs they don’t know.
Does your dog really have a polite greeting? Your dog can’t distinguish between someone dressed up and, on their way, out, who doesn’t want a dog jumping on them or rubbing across their special outfit.
Other people have different boundaries for their dogs, which should be respected. Dogs who compete in sports, can’t greet every dog they see as it would create chaos at any competition. Someone who is working on their own dog’s reactivity can be set back several months of training if rushed by an unknown dog.
Dogs:
It can be dangerous if your dog runs up to a reactive dog
Your dog can develop frustration and a lack of impulse control around other dogs whom they can’t meet, which can limit their ability to safely go anywhere that you want to take them
Greeting on leash can be problematic as it restricts dogs in moving away and even reading each other’s body language. Leashes can tangle and a dog who wants to move on tries to leave, but can’t, which can escalate into a scuffle
Instead of allowing your dog to greet every person and dog you see, consider building a cue that you use to tell you dog it’s OK to greet whomever you decide is safe and willing to greet your dog. This connects your dog to you before he rushes off and gives you the option of saying yes or no, keeping your dog and others safe and comfortable.
Need help? A Certified Professional Dog Trainer can show you how. Find one near you at https://www.ccpdt.org/.