Hello friends! And welcome to another edition of: Maggie Climbs Up the Soap Box and Talks About Dog Supplies! I haven’t been up here in a while, and I definitely love the view…
We recently had a series of dog runs around town that I wanted to discuss. You are probably familiar with these situations. And if you feel yelled at reading this post, I hope you’re willing and open to reconsider your behavior.
In our neighborhood, there is an even mix of fenced yards with physical and electronic fencing. There are two roofed houses in the front yard and a few roofless houses above.
These houses are mapped in our brains, and we’ve created routes and routines for Cooper to walk so he can avoid or go through problem places.
First court on the left? Leap. A small white dog that is not kept in captivity and runs around the street.
The recently remodeled gray house is only on par with the white house with its slate front porch? Proceed with caution. There’s a dog that sleeps in the yard all day and isn’t really a threat since it’s very old, but it still leaves the yard every now and then.
The guy with two puppies? Avoid at all costs. One dog roams freely and the other is on a contortion machine. Track and change direction!
And such.
Those of you with reactive dogs may have similar maps stored in your mind… houses to avoid, streets that are generally safe, yards with dogs tied up in front.
But here’s the problem: It’s an imperfect system.
Why?
Well, because who knew the people across the street had a Basset Hound?! The dog has actually never been for a walk since we lived here but wandered outside the fence once when their group left the gate open.
Or, another time, a dog that was still unhooked to his leash and lunged at Cooper and John, chasing them down the street.
Or, the time that old dog wandered after us on the street and got right to the cart, which thankfully allowed us to take Cooper across the street.
Whenever something like this happens, someone who realizes their dog is letting loose, or someone who intentionally left their dog on a leash, or who hasn’t realized their electric fence has been cut starts screaming:
“It’s okay! She’s friendly!”
The same goes for people walking their dogs on leash trails or in parks or outdoor soccer fields. When the dog attacks us:
“Do not worry! He’s friendly! ”
Except.
It’s not fine. And I worry.
Even if you don’t have a dog that reacts like Cooper, chances are you won’t appreciate an unfamiliar dog rushing up to you and sticking his nose in your dog’s nose or buttock. Who wants to be ambushed by someone they don’t know? I certainly don’t, and I don’t expect my dogs to want (or even tolerate) it.
For those of us who love a reactive dog, we are generally very good rule-followers. It keeps our dogs safe. We go to leash parks. We hiked the trail on a leash. We avoid known trouble spots…but I guess my point is There should be no trouble spots.
Everyone should follow the rules.
Keep your dog in your yard, and if you’re going to use an electric fence, make sure it works. If you are in an area with a leash, keep your dog on a leash. Or, consider a dog park where your dog can run free and not be bound by your heart. We’re definitely not there to ruin your dog’s day, so don’t let it run around us and ruin ours!
My dog is not “unfriendly.”
However, he is worried. He gets nervous around new people and dogs. In the end, he warms up to both humans and dogs, but not when they swoop in all of a sudden and pounce on his face or ass while someone yells, “He’s friendly!”
Cooper didn’t like that. I do not like it. I don’t like it on behalf of him, on behalf of all other sensitive dogs like Cooper, and I don’t like it on my behalf because I’m forced to yell back, “My dog isn’t! Get your dog! ”
And then I felt angry – on the adrenaline of a wild dog slamming at us – because I wanted to protect Cooper. “It’s not that your dog is unfriendly. My dog needs space. He needs to feel safe, and he needs to be safe. We’ve worked really hard to create space, security and safety for him for years, and your loose dog ruined it for us. “Or something.
If you are the type to let your dog run around in leash areas…
If you’re the type to let your dog roam the yard – it almost never roams! -Without some sort of containment measure…
If you’re someone who relies solely on an electric fence and you don’t regularly check it’s working…
Review. Please.
Put your dog on a leash. Check your fence. Have your dog run at the park on a leash. Simply follow the rules. Yelling, “He’s friendly,” is never enough.
And if you’re the one to follow the rules, even though your dog doesn’t react, THANK YOU! We are very grateful to you!
Finally, if you were the owner of a reactive dog, what would you add to this? What else do you wish people would do (or don’t) to keep you and your dog safe?
Step down on my soap box now. Pack it in the closet for next time. (:
Read more: I wish you knew about my reaction dog
Photo: Blake Barlow on Unsplash
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