The Considerate Dog Owners Walking Guide
let’s try and all get along
Walking your dog should be something that everyone can enjoy but more than ever it seems to be a constant battle between dog owners
The landscape of dog walking has changed a lot in the last decade. I’ve only been walking my own dogs for seven years but before that I spent a lot of time with my family dog and my experience couldn’t be any different between the two. There are some things for me have always remained a constant in the world of dog ownership but more than ever it seems the kind considerate owners are becoming increasingly harder to come by. I am by no means a shining example of dog ownership. I’ve certainly made a lot of mistakes but every day I try really hard to have a good walk with my dogs, keep them as safe as I can and respect the other owners around me.
a lead needs no explanation
Something that is spoken about every single day is reactive dog owners wishing people would recall their dog, especially if theirs is on lead. It’s not a new or novel ideal and something that I was always taught was an unspoken rule within the dog community. If you see another dog on lead then you get yours back with you and you do not approach the dog. There are so many reasons a dog might be on lead and that’s not something that should ever be up for debate with a stranger, it’s your choice. It’s not that easy to communicate to other owners about what your dogs needs are but putting your dog on lead or moving to the side is the the simplest way to easily show that you might not want to interact with someone else. I use a lead slip for Ralph to give people more of a warning when we’re in busier spots that he is nervous and needs space.
create space
Having a little distance between your dog and the ones you meet on walks is something that I think is integral for everyones peace of mind. Often on tight paths, especially in the warmer months when the greenery is spilling over it can be difficult but more often than not it can happen if everyone puts in a little effort. I prefer to move to side, stop and put myself in front of my dogs so I’ve created a little bit of a barrier. This isn’t something that I started to do until I noticed that on lead interactions were becoming an issue for my eldest dog and ever since that point it’s something that has become a non negotiable on our walks. More often than not other dog owners notice that we’ve gone to the side and also create that small bit of distance which then I find leads you into a much better interaction.
have a conversation
I think when we talk about advocating for our dogs and wanting them to be able to have little bit of space on walks it can come across like either we hate other dogs or our dog hates all dogs. For some dogs, they really don’t like other dogs and that’s something super stressful for their owners to work through and they need the space to do that. Personally, I love meeting other dogs but there is a way that I prefer to do so which has my own dogs best interest at heart as well as others. Creating some space between the dogs and then talking to the owner and seeing if it’s something that would be ok for both parties is what I’ve found to be the best. These days I don’t really like my dogs getting into full on play with other dogs as there is three of mine and it can quickly become unequal and that’s something I never want to risk around someone else’s dog.
advocate for your dog
The most important thing for me is my dogs welfare and then everyone else around us but they come first. When I got Josie she was such a bouncy puppy and quite unmanageable at times around other dogs and even though at the time walks were a nightmare it taught me so many important lessons that now help me everyday. Far too often I see videos of dog owners screaming at each other and whilst in the moment it is tempting and I have certainly done it but in reality no one learns from a screaming match whilst dealing with a very stressed dog. There are more owners than not that if you shout ahead ‘hey, my dog needs space’ they will give it to you. Of course, there are those owners who seemingly don’t care about what their dog does and how much stress they might put on yours and that is really tough to deal with. Until you have a dog that struggles in social scenarios whether that’s other dogs or just being out and about it can be hard to put yourself in others shoes and one thing can set a dogs progress back months.
the outdoors is for everyone
It seems like something so obvious but once we step outside it’s a shared space for everyone to enjoy and no one should take precedence over anyone else. Sharing a space means that we should all be mindful of anyone else who is also enjoying the space and being cautious about what interactions happen. For me and my dogs, I try and scope out super quiet spots as not only is my preferred option but it’s what I feel is the best for dogs so we’re not constantly on alert but that isn’t always an option for everyone which is why it is so important to make shared spaces enjoyable for all those in it. Whilst quiet spots are my preferred I do try and make sure we mix it up so that my dogs can get used to a lot of different environments with varying levels of mental stimulation for them.
