Not every dog wants to meet every person or other dog on the street. This doesn’t mean, however, that you shouldn’t be allowed to take them anywhere. Unfortunately, most people assume if your dog is in public, it must want to meet other beings.
My favorite analogy for this is one that a former co-worker gave to me. Do you greet every single person you meet? Do you expect your child to say hi to every person you pass on a walk, at the grocery store, Disneyland? No – of course not! First, you would never get anywhere or get anything done. Second, most humans would call that “overly friendly.” We don’t want to greet everything that comes in our path, why do we think our dogs do?
Remember: Not All Dogs Are The Same
Society has a created a picture of the dog as “man’s best friend”—well-behaved, friendly, easy-going and loyal. So we get confused and even offended (have you ever noticed people’s faces when a dog starts acting bad in public?) when we see a different picture in reality.
But the reality is, dogs have different personalities. Some are happy go-lucky. They have the “right” combination of genetics and socialization to be fine with greeting everyone. Some will allow a person or dog to come up to them but they just “tolerate” the intrusion because they are well trained. But others, for many reasons both genetic and environmental (training/exposure/etc.) do not tolerate it well. They may react by cowering, trying to flee, growling, whining, snapping, lunging, etc. Regardless of how the dog reacts or why, people that own these dogs should still be allowed to take them out without fear of having their space invaded. And sometimes, like for vet or grooming visits, it’s necessary for them to be out in public.
Is This Your Dog?
If you have tried the “my dog is shy” or “my dog doesn’t like other dogs” routine, you are familiar with the following responses: “It’s okay, I am a dog person,” “oh all dogs love me,” “It’s okay my dog is friendly,” “let’s just see what happens.” All the while the dog and/or person has not stopped, but has continued to get closer as you frantically back away and look for an escape route.
That last one – it can get you into a lawsuit. The rest are just downright irritating.
Kick it up a Notch
Clearly, the traditional warnings don’t work–you need something a bit more extreme. I asked several owners and/or trainers of dogs with these personalities for their creative, maybe even strange, ways they keep dogs and people at bay while on walks.
1. Issue a Warning
Julie Brooks Horacek has two bigger dogs with fear issues. “I say something like, ‘This won’t turn out well’ and take off across the street, behind a car, behind a bush and get mine to watch me–today we made it by two different dogs with barely a look,” she explained.
2. Be Direct
Sarah Huxster Bass has two rescue dogs, both that prefer to not greet dogs or people. She gets direct and loud. “I say ‘THEY BITE!!!!!’ that works 99% of the time. The other 1% of the time I end up doing a dance between them and the dogs. Oh, ‘not friendly’ usually works too. And I walk/run in the opposite direction as I yell to them.”
3. Scare Them
Ranaye Kahn, a professional dog trainer,recommends saying something a bit more startling or extreme, “We have Parvo!” “He’s aggressive!” Tasha Miner Salsido, another professional dog trainer agrees with her and adds that she uses “They’re contagious” for added affect.
It may seem sad that you have to go to measures like this, but it’s safer than the result of what could happen should a dog or person approach you.
4. Startle Them
The point is to get these people to stop moving, at least long enough for you to get out of their way. Something like “GO Away, I bite,” says Kahn, will definitely make a person pause, if only to try and figure out if you meant the dog or literally you.
“I have gotten into it with someone who’s dog is charging me and I have stepped into that dog and shouted ‘Go On!'” says Kahn. “And had that owner get mad at me but their dog backed down. I have used this several times–loud, big voice combined with body pressure has done well for me. Not to mention I am not hesitant to get loud.”
Remember, regardless of what you say that person coming up to you, you are liable for what your dog does, but it’s your dog that may pay the price should he bite or attack another being.
About the Author
Based in Wilsonville, Ore., animal lover Kristina N. Lotz is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) and a member of the Dog Writers Association of America. She is the founder of A Fairytail House. In her spare time, she trains and competes in a variety of performance events with her Shetland Sheepdogs and caters to her two rescue kitties. She smartly married a Veterinary Technician, who helps keep the fur kids happy and healthy, and provides a quick resource for articles.
