Un”leashing” Your Dog’s Good Manners On A Walk

What is the proper meet-and-greet etiquette when you’re out with your dog and you bump into another dog owner walking his or her dog? Chances are, many of us dog owners are clueless how to react, which in turn leads to our pooches getting agitated or frightened.

To prevent a disastrous meet-and-greet encounter between your furry pet and another canine animal, here are some ways you could teach your dog to be polite when on a walk!

Think Before You Act

Oftentimes, we can avoid a lot of unpleasant experiences with people and even our furry animals if we think before we act. For example, if you are walking your dog in the park and you happen to see an aggressive-looking dog in the distance, you can make a judgement as to whether to continue walking your dog in the direction of the other dog. It is normal that your dog cannot get along with every dog it meets, and the responsibility lies with you to ascertain if the other dog is behaving in a threatening or hostile manner.

Let The Leash Loose – A Little

If you are fortunate enough to bump into another friendly dog with a friendly owner, feel free to let your canine companion chill and socialise with the other dog – by letting your leash loose bit by bit and giving your dog and its new friend some personal space. This way, your dog will feel more at ease to interact with its new canine friend, while you could begin an icebreaking conversation with the other dog owner.

Be Calm Even In Stressful Times

If your dog becomes highly aggressive or agitated upon its encounter with another dog, chances are you may start panicking as well. However, the best reaction you can have would be to quickly and calmly lead your dog away by giving the leash a quick tug in the opposite direction from the other, rather than to yell and worsen your dog’s agitated mood.

It is often said that our dogs mirror our moods. If we panic when we see danger while on a walk, our canine animals will sense our anxiety and begin to panic themselves. That being said, if we choose to remain calm, our dogs will get the message and more likely remain composed. Therefore, if we want our dog to behave well and calmly while meeting another dog, we should first begin by behaving calmly ourselves!