Even if your dog is perfectly behaved when you’re at home or it’s just the two of you, this might not be the case when you’re in public.
Some dog parents have to manage anxious or reactive pups, while for some people, it might be the case that your own dog is fine around other canines, and securely on one of the best dog leashes – but it’s the other dogs you’re wary of. And, even if your dog has a great temperament or you’ve trained them to ignore passersby in public, other people (and their dogs) might not know that.
If you’d like to know how to manage your dog around other dogs and people in public, you’re in the right place. Certified dog trainer Melissa Goodman of Mission Pawsitive has explained everything we need to know in a new Instagram post that we’ll explore here.
“When it comes to managing your dog around other people and dogs, it’s about common courtesy” begins Goodman. While playing fetch with her dog, Aspen, in the video, she sees someone approaching with another pup. So, she gathers Aspen’s long line and limited the amount of line the dog had to make it obvious to the passersby that Aspen couldn’t run up to them.
“Aspen is incredibly sweet,” Goodman continues, “But that doesn’t matter. Aspen is typically very good about not approaching other people and dogs, but that doesn’t matter. She’s allowed to be curious, and I love how she just did a few more air sniffs before re-engaging with me.”
Once the other person and dog pass, Goodman drops Aspen’s long line and the pair resume their game as normal.
Goodman finishes, “If your dog has a harder time ignoring others, always hold on to their leash!”
In the caption, she explains that other people and dogs don’t know that Aspen is sweet, and that she’s been trained not to approach others. “So, I make it obvious to those passing that they don’t need to have any concern that my dog will approach them,” she says. “And if Aspen didn’t have a solid recall and/or had a hard time ignoring others, I would hold her long line at all times.”
While it’s a great idea to simply hold your pup’s long line if in doubt, you might find this article useful, too: Teaching my dog to 'stop' was the best thing I ever did, here's why. And, if you have a reactive dog, don’t miss this article: Owning a reactive dog is hard. Here's how I navigated the social challenges with my pooch.
