There’s a strong possibility you’ve encountered a dog who isn’t wearing a leash when out for a stroll or while hiking on the trails.Don’t Worry, He’s Friendly! Training for Off-Leash Dog Encounters?
He’s friendly, so don’t be alarmed. You’ve probably heard this shouted your way a lot if you spend any time outdoors on trails or in parks. The most often time it is yelled is when a dog is going to attack you and your dog, the owner is far away, and the owner has little knowledge of dog behavior or training.
They are attempting to defuse a potentially explosive situation by making the casual remark, “Don’t worry, he’s friendly.” These owners frequently lack control or have a close bond with their dog. Yes, they do care about the dog, but when a dog ignores his owner, it shows a lack of guidance and direction.
Even worse is when the dog isn’t even amicable, despite what his human thinks. Often he is too far away for the owner to hear him growling. They might not be aware of the unfriendly body language their dog is exhibiting, such as stiff legs and eyes locked.
You are there, your dog is leashed, and the other owner is either invisible or far away. You are observing the regulations since it is an on-leash area.
Your heart and mind are racing, and your body is being pumped full of adrenaline. Your dog’s safety and your own are now in jeopardy; it’s fight or flight. How about you? What usually occurs is as follows:
• If you’re being courteous, you’ll shout, “Please leash your dog.”
Your courteous approach is an effort to maintain composure, but frequently the irresponsible owner is unable or unwilling to restrain their dog. Asking them politely may be pointless, but since you’re the bigger person, start off by killing them with kindness before ratcheting things up.
• Come up with a unique catchphrase.
The following time someone says, “Don’t worry, he’s friendly,” you reply, “Mine isn’t!” It’s entertaining to watch them fumble around. But once more, they don’t know how to put their dog back on a leash, if they even have one. You can’t fix stupid, as Mama used to say. And as it happens, you can’t make Stupid’s dog better.
Dog manners have been established to protect us and our dogs, but this person is obviously disregarding them. I can’t fix this with blog posts, no matter how well-intended they are. You can’t expect them to comprehend justifications for the behavior, such as how it’s similar to circling and sniffing strangers in a mall. They won’t understand because they aren’t reading this post, but you are, so you will!
Related Article: Preventing Your Dog From Lunging While Walking
You cannot fix Stupid or Stupid’s dog, as I previously stated. However, you can teach your own dog. That’s really all you can do in this circumstance. Take charge of your emotions, which you can control. your pet. Keep your cool and teach your dog!
Do you recall being told to ignore a bothersome child by your kindergarten teacher? What do you know? Even dogs can use it! Nothing will worsen if your dog is too occupied to even give an unruly, off-leash dog the time of day. The other dog will soon grow bored and leave.
When a strange dog approaches your dog, if your dog is focused on you and eager for the treats he knows you offer, he won’t react. That other rude dog doesn’t even matter because you have a strong bond with your own dog!
Start your dog’s training in a setting with few distractions, use high-value treats, and focus on maintaining your dog’s attention.
Teach him to look at you in the eyes, and praise good behavior. Every day, perform this routine. Take your dog to the streets as soon as you can reliably make eye contact with it. The entrance to a grocery store is my preferred location for training. Along with many people coming and going, there are many wonderful smells to divert your dog. I am ready to hit the trails if my dog can sit and concentrate on me in this scenario.
When I take my dogs out on the trails, they are under my control. If we come across a dog that is not on a leash, I call my dogs’ attention and move off to the side of the trail. Some people will leash their own dogs and pass by after seeing you step off the trail while keeping your dog’s attention.
I talk to my dog constantly, reassuring them that they are a good dog, and gradually rewarding them with treats. The important thing is that my dog hardly even notices another dog when I do my job well, like a human vending machine.
Even though you may be angry that Stupid and his dog have in the past charged you down the trail, remember that you are also partially to blame for this issue.
Yes, that is correct.
It’s likely that you and your dog reacted in a way that bothered you or that other dog, or that it heightened their excitement or aggression while you were being stalked or charged. They started it, so I hear you. But that isn’t the issue. I’m attempting to get you and your dog out of there without incident or stress.
Report a dog that approaches you while it is off-leash if you are in a designated on-leash area. Inform the authorities if you feel threatened by the behavior of an unruly dog. Even if the offender is eventually apprehended or fined, it is important that they are flagrantly breaking the law and endangering everyone’s safety.
Additionally, these individuals endanger all dog owners’ ability to access trails in parks. The local authorities in charge of the area are responsible for enforcing these laws, and if they are unaware of a problem, they won’t be on the scene. Even if you are unable to change Stupid, you can still report them to the police.
It is everyone’s duty to ensure safety. People who break the law out of ignorance or indifference will start to alter culture. Rude dogs and clueless individuals will begin to predominate. When enforcing the rule, lead by example and be thorough.
