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So quick background. Me and my husband own 2 dogs; an overly friendly to strangers 30lb beagle mix named Maddie and a 1yr 60lb hound mix, who was a street dog for months before we got him, named Bailey. We are currently living in a large apartment complex until we get the funds to purchase home so there are alot more people around during our walks then usual.
They are both well socialized with people and dogs, are generally friendly(Maddie almost to a fault) and have basic leash manners and training. Just your average dogs.
We've had two instances happen were I feel like my dogs were just dogs, and other people were being out line but honestly I want options in case I'm missing something and we need to do some sort of training?
The first we had taken them to the "potty grass" patches that are inbetween buildings and while I was scooping up Baileys poop(he likes to walk and poop) a young couple came around the corner, and of course here's Maddie, whole body wagging and wanting to be noticed. She is on the leash, and the couple has at least 4-5ft to go around her if they choose(remember, we are in the grass, they on the sidewalk) The girl starts panicking "I'm scared, I'm scared" and hiding behind the boyfriend, who isn't doing better. Both refused to walk around my leashed dog.
I didn't do anything, I calmly said "She friendly" finished cleaning up Bailey's mess, told them to have a good evening and walked back to our apartment. I feel like I shouldn't have to scold Maddie for being friendly, and if you really that afraid of a small leashed dog, maybe you need some professional help?
The 2nd instance we were out walking this evening, at around dusk, on a narrow street sidewalk. Apartment fence on one side, busy road with puddles(the roads around here don't drain well at all) and both dogs are leashed with a tandem leash. 2 people come jogging around the corner. I see them, stop moving with the dogs and hold the leashes about 3/4 quarters of way down, so they can't move into the joggers path. They *continued* to jog straight at us and as the guy passed Bailey jumped at him. Not a lunge, not a teeth barred jump, but a "hey omgosh what are you doing." He shot me the nastiest look, but I had no where to move with my dogs, it was street full of cars or a fence. I made my dogs stop and I didn't give them the full leash.
I feel like jogging towards leashed dogs isn't the brightest idea.
What if my dog feels threatened by that? Is it too much to ask that they walk by for about 3 seconds and then continue their jog. I've never had a problem with them passing *walking* people before, they are normally nose to ground anyway.
Am I being inconsiderate or are some people around here just not very dog savvy?
Our young dog jumps on people too. She doesn't mean any harm, but I know people don't like it. We're trying to train her not to do it, but she LOVES people and gets so excited.
We've lived in apartment complexes with dogs, and it can be hard. Some people really over-react. One of our neighbors used to hug her front door if we happened to walk by with our dog. This dog was old, couldn't jump, and had only ever been friendly to people. Made me kind of sad.
Some people just aren't dog people. I try to be considerate, but there's only so much you can do.
Our young dog jumps on people too. She doesn't mean any harm, but I know people don't like it. We're trying to train her not to do it, but she LOVES people and gets so excited.
We've lived in apartment complexes with dogs, and it can be hard. Some people really over-react. One of our neighbors used to hug her front door if we happened to walk by with our dog. This dog was old, couldn't jump, and had only ever been friendly to people. Made me kind of sad.
Some people just aren't dog people. I try to be considerate, but there's only so much you can do.
Maddie is the same way, she just gets so darn excited. Bailey has been handful from day one, since he came to us at 8 months old and had never even been in a house before. They found him lying in a ditch with a pretty nasty leg wound being picked on by a pack of stray dogs. According to the locals he had been roaming around for months.
I just makes me sad, because he's come sooo far from where he was....but then he does something like that and I'm sure those joggers just think he's some untrained hooligan dog.
I do plan on standing between him and joggers from now on and bringing some treats along, but even then he might still try and get around me *sigh*
I live in an apartment complex with a friendly dog, as well. You did everything right; you've been proactive in the handling of your dogs around people without dogs. I frequently have to restrain my dog from greeting children and others, which I do, unless the people indicated they wanted to be happily greeted by a dog. I insist on proper behavior from him in elevators, no matter who is sharing one with us.
You might try shortening Bailey's leash if other joggers or fast-moving people approach him. You are not responsible for the fears of the nervous girl and her boyfriend who refused to walk around your dogs.
When I take my dog to the car, and then leave the car with him, we sometimes encounter a family whose parking space is next to ours. I believe they might be Muslim; the wife is definitely dog-phobic to the point of rudeness, the kids leary; but I always try to restrain my dog from getting closer than four ft. from them, even if it means that if we're both exiting/entering our cars at the same time, I wait until the family is inside their car or a good distance away before I let my dog either approach my car or leave it on-leash. The husband/father often says hello to me quite politely, at least.
Awhile ago, I had a dog who did not like children, and was not particularly sociable to other people, either. Riding a crowded elevator was a slightly stressful experience. I kept her leash fairly tight, but with a bit of slack near her head, kept my own body between her and any kid, kept her in a Sit, and talked to her as if she were a rambunctious toddler, so she would know I was watching her and the others in the elevator wouldn't think I was worrying that she might nip someone (which, thankfully, she never did in the elevator and very rarely outside it).
We've had two instances happen were I feel like my dogs were just dogs, and other people were being out line but honestly I want options in case I'm missing something and we need to do some sort of training?
Am I being inconsiderate or are some people around here just not very dog savvy?
These people are jerks.
That said, you don't own the property and don't want to move before you wish. So be careful. You certainly don't want some dog hater to call the police. You coud do some home training centering around the word, ''No.'' Dogs seem to pick that up easily.
Your dogs sound like a great pair. It's great to give a home to a street dog.
OP, some people are afraid of dogs and there is nothing that you can do to help them.
Train your dogs to come and sit at your feet if passersby look nervous. It's an easy trick to train, especially if it involves a bit of food treat. Come, sit, wait, wait, good dog, and a little bitty cookie as a reward.
Yes, your dogs are fine like they are, it's not your responsibility for someone else's fear. But be a good ambassador for dogs. Show the world how beautifully behaved two nice dogs can be.
But the original poster should not be held responsible for the fears of other people, since her dogs were leashed and have harmed no one.
no, but it is something to keep in mind. most of us who love our dogs like our children know them and are certain they wouldn't hurt anyone. however how is a person running by supposed to know when this dog jumps up at them isn't going to bite? is the passerby just supposed to assume a dog going towards him is friendly? having the owner say it is friendly doesn't negate the fact that many "friendly" do bite. then there is also the person that may not be afraid of dogs but doesn't want a strange dog they don't know to jump up on them and lick their face.
being aware that others may have worries (justified or not) when they are in close contact with a dog they don't know would go a long way. funny parents wouldn't let their overly friendly toddler go up to a person and try to climb them to be held, yet they have no problem letting their dog get that close to people.
I do respect the op as her dogs are leashed. tons of folks ignore leash laws, which gives good dog owners a bad rap.
no, but it is something to keep in mind. most of us who love our dogs like our children know them and are certain they wouldn't hurt anyone. however how is a person running by supposed to know when this dog jumps up at them isn't going to bite? is the passerby just supposed to assume a dog going towards him is friendly? having the owner say it is friendly doesn't negate the fact that many "friendly" do bite. then there is also the person that may not be afraid of dogs but doesn't want a strange dog they don't know to jump up on them and lick their face.
being aware that others may have worries (justified or not) when they are in close contact with a dog they don't know would go a long way. funny parents wouldn't let their overly friendly toddler go up to a person and try to climb them to be held, yet they have no problem letting their dog get that close to people.
I do respect the op as her dogs are leashed. tons of folks ignore leash laws, which gives good dog owners a bad rap.
I do not feel like my leashed small dog was close to the couple, we were 4-5ft away(think middle of like 20x10ft grassy patch). I feel like they should've either turned around and went back around the building or just gone by us. There was no need to stand there and panic. Which in turn, only got Maddie going more(she loves attention, even negative).
They both can ignore people, its only Maddie who will want attention *if* she acknowledged. If they just walk and ignore she doesn't give the second thought. The problem is she doesn't understand the difference between positive attention and negative attention. Which is why I keep her leashed at all times, cause she's too friendly for her own good lol
**side story - When I first adopted Maddie years ago she slipped out my apartment door and wandered down to someone else who was bringing in groceries, they asked if she was mine(I was headed down the hall to grab her) I said yes. They patted her on the head and apparently that's all it takes to win her over. She walked INTO their apartment with them and laid down on *their* couch. Luckily they thought it was adorable and it hasn't happened again, but it gives you a sense of how trusting/friendly she is lol
The jogger is not supposed to know, no, unless of course he knows my dogs.
But jogging head on towards a strange dog seems like a poor decision to me. I can speak for my dogs, but as for everyone else's? Someones dog is going to see that as a threat and try and lash out.
I appreciate all the responses. I do plan on standing between Bailey and joggers from now on, and attempting to block his response. I hope in turn that maybe some joggers will be considerate of us and slow down. As for Maddie, we'll just continue to leash and let her relish in the attention she does get from strangers
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