puppy walking ettiquette lol!!

hiya, just wondering what the ettiquette is and what you should do when letting your pup meet and greet others?

Obviously Milo will be on the lead full time for a wee while but how should we let others approach us and vice versa. There were always people who let their dogs come taring up to ours in the past and it really used to annoy us as we called ours to heel plus we knew our dogs were 100% but they didn't know that did they and we didn't know about theirs!

We live in the woods with the kids these days as they are infront and behind our house and they are really popular with dog walkers and people let their sometimes huge dogs come racing up to our children 7,4 and 2 1/2 and the 7 y/o is the only one used to dogs because she remembers our JRT and staff well but the other 2 do not and are therefore frightened of dogs (not now due to Milo ha ha!!) and well I've had them scared stiff and in tears on occasions. Whilst the dogs were friendly the kids didn't know that. I'm a little worried Milo might get frightened if people let their dogs come at top speed to meet the new boy or that things may get out of control any advice welcome please. :0)

I've always shouted out to people "Could you put your dog on a lead so that we can introduce our pup calmy, please? It's part of his/her training, you see!" Most people are ok with this & will cooperate.

Caryll wrote:I've always shouted out to people "Could you put your dog on a lead so that we can introduce our pup calmy, please? It's part of his/her training, you see!" Most people are ok with this & will cooperate.

Very politly put after what you've just gone through!

I haven't had to go through that for years with a pup, have to agree with Caryll and you can never be too carefull with other dogs. Most will be fine, and I don't doubt that with the kids around. Just have 3 sets of eyes, 1 for your kids, one for your dog and one for theres!!

with harvey he has been going for walks for a couple of weeks, and we have just started to trust him of the lead, because for one he isn't interested in going to see other dogs he prefers them to come over to where we are, plus we know most of the dogs that go to the park as it's literally across the road from us. But if there is a dog we don't know we put him on the lead and slowly let them say hello from a distance to begin with and see how it goes.

Caryll wrote:I've always shouted out to people "Could you put your dog on a lead so that we can introduce our pup calmy, please? It's part of his/her training, you see!" Most people are ok with this & will cooperate.

that sounds great..will have to remember that for Winston when he is abit older.... !

Morning all and thankyou. Common sense I guess ha ha! We did I remember used to yell 'are your dogs ok' if they were coming our way fast lol!

I think if I'm honest i'm a little worried of exactly that Janey in case anything breaks out (eyes everywhere!). We had a couple of 'set to's' instigated from a couple of dogs over the years and our old boy suffered a deep puncture wound from husky (the owner stupidly told me after the apology that he had done it before it's scary even though I knew our staff was Mr.mellow and not the sort to be provoked but who would obviously defend himself if the other dog 'went for him' and if I'm on my own with 3 kids in tow what do I do?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I think it worries me more now because a) we have 3 fairly small children now and b) I know Milo is pretty defenseless and I know from experience plus also from some threads here that some owners aren't responsible enough

Correct, and its always the owners.

With a small puppy I'll pick it up if an off leash dog approaches.. BUT - it's very important not to stress about it, just calmly pick it up like nothing is wrong. You don't want to make the pup afraid of approaching dogs by acting afraid yourself, but you don't want it afraid of other dogs bc it was attacked either... Some people will be rude if you pick your dog up when their dog approaches, but having had a dog completely ruined by a strange dog like that I'm all for being careful (besides, someone who doesn't keep their dog under control isn't quite right to begin with, so doG knows what their dog is like).

For people who doesn't respect training as a reason to keep their dog away from theirs claiming to have contagious deseases or having a bitch in heat can help, too..

aw thanks didn't really occur to me to pick him up...der! I'm very aware of the whole 'energy' thing lol.....thanks Ceasar so if I do get nervous I'll hold it down! I'm hoping I'm just over thinking

picking up isnt going to be the best thing to do, as a dog may jump to get your dog.

If a dog comes bounding over i stand between them and my dogs and wait till all is calm, if it comes over in a dominante way i'e head raised or too low as if stalking, etc i keep them away, If they are neuteral i allow them past or my dogs forward, its manners at the end of the day and if the owner don't like me sticking my foot out towards their dog not kicking out just forcing it to keep its distance then they can shove it, at the end of the day i am going to protect my pack and me and the other poor dog if he has not been taught proper introduction manners.
If a dog comes running over in an aggressive way like the staffy the other day i will tie my girls up (luckily there are alot of fence posts around for me to do this) I will then hold onto Taz and keep the other dog away (but i can't do that when Cassie wants to throw herself at the dogs feet submissively and Blondy wants to play..try holding three staffs x back its hard work) usually, but the other day i had to let Taz go because the other staffy was to close and i didn't have the time to tie my girls up before it was on Taz.