If you want to learn how on-leash greetings between dogs contribute to nervousness and even aggression, you’ve come across the right dog training blog.
I was training a Goldendoodle at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando. This park offers fabulous distractions and challenges. Perfect for a dog or puppy in rehabilitation training.
My client’s dog has a bitten a dog in the past. The dog pulled his owner so hard; it got out of his prong collar and went to bite another dog walking with its owner across the street.
We sat calmly, practicing the down command. Then another dog owner allows his out of control and pulling dog right towards my client’s dog’s face. I had my student dog close to me. The owner did not heed my plea not to allow his dog to confront my dog. Thank goodness for muzzles. I typically thumb hold the leash and step on it with my foot. My dog growls and lunges. The man snickered that my dog should be under control and better behaved. Really?!
We do not go up to strangers and stick our faces in theirs. Why do we allow dogs to do this? My dog wore a muzzle, indicating to stay away. A safely geared dog has every right to be in public just like anyone else.
Greetings amongst leashed dogs are inappropriate and intrusive. A leash is a form of confinement. This confinement creates stress for a dog who has social issues or aggression with dogs or humans. The dog can’t getaway. Leashed greetings create tension that can potentially lead to reactivity, aggression, nervousness, and mistrust in the handler.