I've just been out with the dogs in the woods and came across the 2 most beautiful ridgebacks ever. All 4 dogs trotted up to each other very politely and said hello with waggy tails. When us humans reached the dogs a couple of seconds later there was a brief 'hello' and then the ridgebacks were called away immediately (walk on). They didn't really want to listen, but reluctantly moved off after their owners. The woman seemed especially proud of the fact that the dogs were listening to her (she did have to repeat herself 2 or 3 times tho :-P ), but I couldn't help feeling sorry for the dogs, it didn't look like they were ever allowed to play with other dogs. My two just sort of looked puzzilingly (is that a word???) at the retreating ridgebacks - then I swear they shrugged their shoulders and carried on.  I can completely understand asking your dog to wait before letting them engage in meeting another dog, or erring on the side of caution if the situation looked volatile, but all the dogs were perfectly happy. I always let mine play for a minute or two (if all dogs are happy) and then they're content to move off when I do. I just couldn't understand as they were obviously very well behaved, but I couldn't help thinking that part of their spirit had been broken...

:-(

hiya what breed are your dogs ?
i think that the reason she moved them away was that she is a rarther snotty woman lol but people like that often dont let their dogs play they have them to suit their image not for pets.
but consider yourself lucky your dogs are friendly my border collie codey behaves strange with other dogs and im scared of leaving her off the lead when i see another dog but i always let her play if she appears friendly its a good chance to talk to thier owners and get to know them but oh well lol

Hi, I've got Dylan, 3 year old Shar Pei (who's not at all boisterous when it comes to meeting other dogs.. unless it's a boxer or a collie and then he LOVES to have a good play, but only if they're playful. He will completely ignore any grumpy or uninterested dog) and then there's Trinity, who's a 5 month old GSD x. She's still a bit shy when it comes to meeting other dogs, but she'll follow Dylan's example and behave as he does. Neither of them bounded up to the ridgebacks and it was all extremely civilised. But I think you're right, she did seem a bit up herself     :-D

Thats very judgemental, maybe she was in a hurry ? I sometimes have to hurry Fagan along if im running late for work and we cant stop and talk to every dog he meets, as much as he would like to :)

Hmmm.. I see where you're coming from, but she wasn't hurrying along. The lady and her husband (I assume) were definitely out for a leisurely walk. I'm not upset that they weren't allowed an extended play (as mine soon get bored of other dogs anyway, unless they're boxers/collies like I said before :-) ), but most people I come across let the dogs meet, if all is ok the humans say hello, sometimes chat, and then humans walk away. Dogs then finish saying hello and follow off after respective humans. I very rarely have to call my dogs back, they come after me once I've gone 20m or so, and I find this is the same with most other people/dogs I meet. If it's getting boisterous then humans will usually stand around as referee and then call the dogs away.

These two dogs were obviously not going to get into any trouble, and i don't think it would have hurt just to let the dogs finish what they were doing in their own time.

Perhaps her dogs can get a bit boisterous and she wanted to move on while she was still in control ? I don't like my dogs to play with strange dogs - you never know where it is going if you don't know all the dogs well.

Daisy

I did think about that, but she came across more like she was calling the dogs away because she could.. not because she she was erring on the side of caution etc.  Maybe I'm wrong and they were two little monsters just waiting to rip the throats out of my 2!!  :-D  In which case I'd be posting an entirly different topic.. maybe I should count myself lucky that nothing bad actually happened  hee hee  :-)

Ridgebacks are quite boisterous (well my neighbours was) and as they are hounds are quite possibly more difficult to train than other dogs, maybe she was calling them back whilst she could because I expect once they got involved in a game with your dogs then they would go temporarily "deaf"

(or maybe she was just stuck up ;) )

hee hee.. one thing I didn't mention (which probably doesn't make a difference) but she called them as soon as she reached them. If she was worried about them being boisterous then she surely shouldn't have let them meet my 2, just like if I thought my 2 would be boisterous/inappropriate I wouldn't let them go to the other dogs.

I suppose what I'm confused about is the fact that she was willing to let them meet my 2 without a second thought or any intervention but then took them away quickly for no reason.  If she hadn't let them come to mine in the first place then I would understand, but she obviously knew they weren't going to cause trouble.

I reckon its as I thought, they probably arent 100% on recall so she wanted to get them whilst she had their attention rather than until they were too involved with yours :)

Maybe. I'm probably just being paranoid and have got nothing better to do this afternoon!  :-D

But honestly, they just looked like the two most well behaved dogs in the entire world, and i would have liked to have been able to stop and talk to them and let Trinity get a bit of confidence with well behaved biggish dogs. Maybe I'm just beong selfish and assume that every nice dog out there is obligated to be allowed to come and say hello to the puppy!!! I really should be more concerned about the dogs out there that are allowed to run full pelt at Trin and knock her over, scaring the life out of her. I just couldn't help seeing something in their eyes saying 'we're not ever allowed to talk to other dogs.. sorry'

I keep mine under the same control when they are out, as people get a bit edgy when they see a Briard and GSD off the lead ;) And I do agree with daisy, I'm not keen on my dogs playing with dogs they don't know well, as my bitch got badly bitten a few years back, it all started as an innocent game but very quickly turned nasty :(

I have noticed in the woods that I walk in that nearly all the owners of big dogs tend to keep them either on the lead when they approach other dogs/people or under tight verbal control and for this I am thankful :) too many times on our beach there are huge great dogs that are allowed to bowl over smaller dogs and their owners have absolutely no care or control. I'd rather have a controlling owner than one that doesn't give two hoots any time :)

If theres a dog coming towards me i make mine go down ask if they are friendly if they are mine are allowed to play. when mine went to Wales they had great fun with a goldie on the beach

But see.. this is what I don't understand. When we see other dogs, Dylan and Trin both stand still. If the other owners look concerned or are getting them on leads etc then I'll ask mine to wait until I reach them and then either clip leads on or hold collars and let the others pass. If the other owners show no concern and allow their dogs to keep coming then I say 'ok' and they'll both trot over and say hello.

These owners showed no concern at their dogs coming up to mine, and it was just like she was trying to show off and make her dogs follow

Oh.. and there was no signs of any proper playing about to take place. They all just wanted to sniff a bit longer.

maybe see didnt like the look of you!!!! ,<vbg!!!!!>

I don't often let my dogs stop to play, mainly because I don't like talking to people in person.  It's mainly blokes in our area and when I'm on my own down the feilds I don't always like to stop and talk.  Not everyone is chitty chatty to strangers!

Hi as you say she was with her "hubby" maybe they were talking and did not want to engage in conversation with someone else as you feel obliged to do when your dog is playing with theirs.

I am happy to stop when alone walking mine but Ben my OH hates standing and talking. Sometimes I do anyhow (regardless) but usually I do just carry on walking as this couple seem to have done with jut a brief friendly nod to the other owners. 

I'm afraid I do exactly the same thing, unless it's someone I know. I find it hard to instigate a face to face conversation with people.

Um, actually i don't see the problem, i do this a lot. My dogs often insist on going and sniffing off lead dogs, but after a quick sniff they are ready to move on. My collie often prefers it like this otherwise she can get a bit funny.Being a shy person i don't want people to think my dogs are being a nuisance so i call them away at the first available opportunity. (i.e. when i know they will listen.) I don't think that makes me stuck up? Surely a stuck up person is one who refuses to let their dogs go up to other dogs at all when the dog is desperate to see them, not someone who is keeping close control of dogs which can be very powerful?

I'm 100% with you nitody,i have the same pet hate!! It really,really bugs me to tell you the truth!

Half the fun for our dogs when out on a walk is to socialise with other dogs,i see what you described often,these people let their dogs come up and then quickly usher them away.The worse ones are the hoighty toighties who look down their noses at you as if to say MY dogs arent playing with your mutts! In both of these situations i utter to my dogs "aawww they wont let you play with their doggies" or i say to the owners "arent your dogs allowed to socialise/play?" Usually they let them play a little longer when i say that ;) as they usually cant come up with any valid reason!
I dont see many dogs on lead where i take my dogs,the majority are friendly and off leash,it's a pitty the owners arent as social as their dogs :(
I dont mind stopping to talk to other pet owners,but i get more joy from seeing my dogs play with others.

What really annoys me is, I have my older one on lead all the time I'm out and some owners just seem to ignore that he's on a lead and allow their dogs to run up to him. He's not friendly towards some dogs and I find this very stressful. Fair enough they weren't  to know but some owners just ignore it in the hope their dog will follow them. I had a dog the other week walking behind us that kept running up and barking at Charlie wanting to play, this happened about 5 times before the owner turned off the path to go the other way.

I agree, I have to keep one of my boys on the lead as he can be dog aggressive. It really annoys me when people ignore the fact that he is on a lead for a reason, and let their dogs run up anyway.

I am happy for my other two to play with other dogs off lead, but if I see someone who has theirs on lead, I will immediately call mine back and make sure they are held until the on-lead dog has passed, or are put back on leads themselves.

It is *very* stressful when other owners don't do this :(

Have been watching the thread with interest.

I own a medium sized breed that when well socialised like mine are very greagarious and sensible with other dogs.  they know how to avoid conflict, but are not submissive so don't attract bullys, and are playful and energetic, but not so over excited by the thought of a doggy game that they get ovewr the top.

Now I am very freindly with several Doberman owenrs,a dn used to walk with my freind and neighbour with four of hers and four of mie every morning and at weekends.  At weekends I noticed that shw would avoid interacting with other dogs if possible, which I never did.

Well it soon became apparent why, even though hers were very good with other dogs (at the time two veteran bitches, adn adult bitch and a dog freindly young male).  Many smaller dogs feel intimidated by large dogs if things get beyond a polite greeting.  A playful doiberman can easily overface a smaller dog and cause it to lash out, and of course the dobe would defend itself, and being the bigger dog could cause more damage, but more importantly there would be a huge row with the other dogs owner, as even when a small dog would come and start mixing it and goad the dobes, andy reaction on their part would be seen as unreasonable.  Also many of these breeds ar3e naturally quite dominant and will not suffer fools gladly, and a small coky dog will not be treated lightly just because it is small.

My freinds dogs had never ever acted badly towards others, the worst was to bark at them when they came running at them (often terrier types) and one was very uncomfortable with Collie types that eye balled and stalked her, and would do a short little rush and bark in their direction to discourage them, at same time looking very sheepishly at her owner.  Sadly all four of these particular ones are now deceased, and the two she has now are young adults, one being an Angel at home, but fear aggressive outside the home, and she is walked seperately from the younger dog so he doesn't pick up her bad habits of barking and lunging. 

Her owners are very responsible and she is lead walked only, away from other dogs, on a muzzle and in the evening, as all atttmpts at breaking her of this have failed, and it just bcame counter productive, not to mention embarasing taking her out in public.  The young male has eyes only for his Tennis ball, and largely ignores the existence of other dogs, though will tell off any that get in his face, but again my friend would have him under control before anything could kick off.

I have often found the best policy for many people and dogs is to let dogs say a quick hello and leave before things can turn into either a mad game, or someone take umbrage with someone else (the dogs rather than the owners) :D

Yes brainless, this is exactly what i feel. My dogs don't always want more than a wuick sniff and they are ready to move on. THere is no harm in it. THere is nothing to say that you must allow your dog to play with other dogs. Often there is a very good reason.

I agree - unknown dogs may mean unknown problems - always better to be safe than sorry

Daisy

My sentiments exactly Daisy ;)

as I said before, I am wary of letting my dogs (I nearly said gods, now there's a perfectly accurate anagram :D ) interact with any dog that I don't know, albeit my boy can more than look after himself, because of his sheer size,  if anything, but generally he is a soft boy, unless any dog threatens his bitch, my GSD,  then they have a major problem.

So I find it better to be safe than sorry, for the other dogs also. Remember, alll our dogs are animals, albeit we like to think that we can control how they think and feel, when it comes down to basic animal instinct they will always act on it and that is something that we cannot always control, however well trained. :)

One thing i've noticed is if there is an uptight dog on the lead then there is usually a more uptight owner on the other end of the leash!Dogs can so easily pick up on our nervousness,my mums dog is very uptight and aggressive,but only when she's walking with my mum,if i take her out on my own there are no problems,because i'm not a nervous,anxious mess,obviously she can pick up on it.

One thing i never do is let my dogs go up to another one if it's on lead,as others have said there is usually a reason an owner cant let their dogs run free.

Where I take my girls out there are quite a few people who walk their dogs and you get to know who are fine to let their dogs play and who aren't. Now my 3 usually go say a quick hello to other dogs and ignore the owners as I don't particularly like being accosted by other peoples dogs when I'm out so why should mine do that to other people. There is one lady in particular who walks a lovely big Lag and a wee grey terrier cross type. The lab is fine with my girls but her terrier always runs straight at my girls yapping its head off and nashing it's teeth, my girls look at it and ignore it completely usually. Today however out our walk we met said woman and her dogs and as usual the terrier type ran straight at my girls except today my oldest girl obviously wasn't nearly as forgiving as normal, she stopped dead in her tracks and turned around and told the wee dog off. She did it in a similar way to which she would tell her daughter off, there were no yelps or crying. She basically got hold of it on top of it's neck and pushed it to the floor. The wee dog got up after Keev left and went straight for my Gordon who proceeded to do the same. I have to admit I was kinda shocked as my dogs have never shown any aggression whatsoever out a walk. I apologised profusley to the woman and she said not to worry as the wee dog was far too cocky for it's own good. Well we carried on our walk and said Terrier was an angel the rest of the way even getting involved in playing with my girls. We met up with a couple of other dogs that my girls know and there was just the usual playing and running about, no aggression at all but I am worried now that my dogs are going to be a bit like this every time they meet another dog. Do you think this was a one off? I would hate to have to keep them on a lead as they love their mucky walk time.

Sorry for the long post

Alli

Ok ok ok.. I think i came across a bit misunderstood. I've been away for a couple of days and came back to find all these posts! I completely respect the wishes of other dog owners and whether they want their dog to interact or not. If they are on lead or agressive etc then I keep my two away. I don't stop and talk to everyone I meet (especially people I haven't seen before) but usually say hello. I'm just used to most other people (with happy off lead dogs) allowing the dogs to say hello in their own time. As I mentioned before it's usually a case of walk past the other people (say hello) and then dogs follow on literally seconds later.

All I was really commenting on was the fact that the 2 ridgebacks looked like they were never allowed to say hello, and felt sorry for them. But having read all the posts I realise that the other people were just probably erring on the side of caution, especially as we were all new to each other. I suppose I just wrongly assume that anyone I see out in the woods will assume that I have my 2 under control. I often assume this wrongly of other people and end up having a dog terrorising my 2 as their owner just walks away hoping that their dog will eventually follow (not even calling as they know it won't respond!).

Anyway, thank you all for taking the time to comment.. i won't take it so personally next time!!   :-)