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In my experience it seems a lot of people just will not get this and will continue to let their "friendly dog" run up to others until they one day own the reactive dog then suddenly they understand what you told them a million times.
My sister had a Collie who loved other dogs and when I was visiting her we were at a park that allowed dogs to be off leash ( it was not a dog park per say but a large park that allowed dogs off leash). We were walking along when I spotted a leashed dog coming down a trail. Her collies say it too and started over towards it and teh owners say that and had their dog sit and focus on them so I told my sister to call her dog to keep him away from that dog. I got the why he loves other dogs? I explained to her it would appear that other dog did not. Over the years when I would visit I did this numerous times and she never really got it until he died and years later she got her current dog who tuned out to be a reactive dog...now she gets it!
Also had a lady in agility that gave me a hard time because I asked others to keep their dogs out of Jazz's face. " my dogs are friendly they can say hi to other dogs" When they would get in Jazz's face she would react and I would get stink eye from that owner. The club had a rule if your dog was not running the course it was to be on leash but of course there were people like this person that did not think that applied to their dogs. Karma does come around as when she added a new border collie puppy to her pack he grew up to be VERY reactive towards other dogs. Finally she understood.
I frequently walk my dog with a guy I met years ago at a the dog park. He has a very sweet dog that gets along well with others . He refuses to leash his dog on walks and it runs up to other dogs all the time. I am forever having to tell him to call his dog back as I can see the other dogs reaction to his dog approaching and he always says " Oh it is ok he just wants to say hello" I have told him over and over not all dogs want to say hello so it is not all about his dog being friendly or not.....so far he refuses to listen to me . I guess holding a leash is too hard for him as he just will not leash the dog. I myself am surprised the dog has not been hit by a car yet as if he sees a dog or cat he will race across the street ignoring his owner to go see the animal. I can tell him over and over he needs to leash his dog at least around roads and traffic but it falls on deaf ears.
I used to hear about the so called friendly dogs all the time when I was an insurance investigator handling bodily injury claims. The problem was with the large dogs that were specifically bred to be aggressive guard/attack dogs. They were never meant to be pets. These kind of dogs were kept in homes and apartments all day with no exercise. They had a master and everyone else was an intruder. Invariably especially when a stranger came into a home or near the master the dogs snapped and attacked causing serious injuries. But they were so friendly up to that moment.
I've never had a dog that attacked another dog, but I've had dogs that were attacked by other dogs off -leash. Every single time it was a German Shephard.
The first time, my Scottie dog was running along with me on my horse, and as we ran past a property - on the road - there was a loose German Shephard who ran out to the road and bit my dog on the back, requiring stitches. Those owners did apologize and paid for the stitches.
Another time, I had a different dog, a spaniel/terrier mix on a beach where other people had their dogs off-leash. My dog barked at a German Shephard, and that dog immediately ran from the water to my dog and bit her.
The last time was another different dog, and we were hanging out at an open area park where dogs were allowed off-leash. My dog was digging off the trail, probably after a mole, and a German Shepherd, with it's owner walking a couple of other GSDs, ran up to my dog, who was minding her own business, and flipped her onto her back and put it's teeth around her neck. Fortunately, it didn't actually bite my dog.
My experience with any areas where dogs are allowed off-leash, is it doesn't matter if your dog is friendly or not. Don't trust any dogs - yours or others. If you're wrong, it will cost a lot in vet bills. And, if for any reason a human ends up hurt, you'll likely be required to put the dog down.
Just find somewhere you can have your dog off-leash where there are no other dogs or people that could be hurt in any way.
I have found a place like this near where I live. It's just a grassy area behind a business. But, it's great, because I also don't have to worry bout anyone bringing a sick dog to a dog park, either. I've seen some really sick dogs at dog parks.
I can see if you have a puppy that you would want to socialize it with other dogs, but after that, it's really more detrimental than beneficial.
The worst part is that people justify letting their dogs off leash with some version of "he is better behaved off leash". If you can't control your dog on leash, it should not be off leash in public. FULL STOP.
I had just gotten my youngest dog who was not fully vaccinated, and was walking him with my two older girls down a local bike path. A doodle something or other starts charging down the path at us, and I yell to the owner please call your dog. And instead of calling him what does she yell? Any guesses? "Oh he is just friendly".
The dog was pushy, and would not get out of my dogs faces (the older two put themselves between him and the puppy) so I shoved him back with a knee in the chest. This woman completely loses it, screaming "you kicked my dog" and yelling about the police. I offered to call them for her, we have leash laws in my town, and signs are everywhere on this bike path about leashing them. When the police wrote her summons instead of even saying boo to me, she started to complain "its a bike path he shouldnt have to be leashed" to which I replied "yes its a bike path, and is he a bike?". Wish it was a one time incident.
Been waiting for an article like this for a long time. I have a 12 year old cockapoo who does not like other dogs. Trouble is, Rowdy is as cute now as when he was a pup, so people are drawn to him and think he can be petted indiscriminately. I also have a territorial English Shepherd who doesn't much care for other dogs or those who think they should reach out a hand to her. I tell oncoming dog walkers that my dogs are not friendly and I take them completely off the trail and they are ALWAYS on a 6' leather lead. We are out of the way and off the trail, but not off the trail of those godawful retractable leashes which don't seem to work at retracting. Why those are used to indiscriminately walk dogs is beyond me. There is NO CONTROL with those leashes, whatsoever. Neighbors dog "found a skunk" on one of those leads and the "skunk found the dog" in no uncertain terms. The skunk was down in a culvert....about 12' from where the dogs were being walked. But on a 16' retractable or not retractable leash. Dog stunk for months. Not all dogs are friendly....not all people want you to pet their animals, and as the article stated....not any more than you would let your child go up to strangers on a path.
Since many agree this is GREAT info to share... I would like to keep it going. The more the word gets out, maybe a few people will learn. One can hope.
However, please don't share negative stories about other dogs, naming breeds. If you do, the mods will close the thread.
I replied "yes its a bike path, and is he a bike?".
Quote:
godawful retractable leashes
Sooooo agree!
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and she never really got it until he died and years later she got her current dog who tuned out to be a reactive dog...now she gets it! 
