Say it with me: “Don’t approach my dog.”

[richard1970]

This is your permission to say it.

“Don’t approach my dog.”

If someone else’s dog is pulling toward yours,
“Don’t approach my dog.”

If a child is running towards your dog,
“Don’t approach my dog.”

If someone is going to pet without asking,
“Don’t approach my dog.”

Say it. Square your shoulders, breathe in from your gut, and say it from your gut. Deep and clear. Hold your hand out in a “stop” motion. Force distance.
“Don’t approach my dog.”

Saying it is not rude. Saying it is nothing to be ashamed of. Saying it doesn’t make it your fault if the other person gets all weird on you. It’s okay if it’s a little awkward. The moment will end, and everyone will be better off for it.

Saying it is your job. It is your job to keep your dog safe and other people safe from your dog.

Saying it is being a good community member and good dog owner. Just like you’d yell “look out” if you saw someone about to be hit by a car.

You can add “please” to the front. You can add “they’re not friendly” or “they’re reactive” or “they’re in training and not ready for approaches yet” at the end. As long as you say it.

You can yell it, if someone isn’t listening. You can change it to “Get away from us right now,” if you have to. You can say it over and over and over, no matter what the other person says back to you.

This is your mantra. This is your permission. “Don’t approach my dog.”

(Note to self: follow your own advice.)

 

[leerain]

@richard1970 had someone clearly state “MY DOG ISNT NICE SO WERE GOING TO WALK RIGHT PAST YOU GUYS” to me and my dogs the other day i was shocked at the clear communication usually it’s LOL ITS FINE THEYRE FRIENDLY while my dogs losing its shit

 

[believingingod]

@leerain It's so refreshing when you run into another reactive dog owner!

 

[ruzou]

@believingingod It really is so nice sometimes, granted depending on the owner. Other day my dog and I passed by an owner with two viszlas and we both did a magnet hand and switched dogs to the other side while passing a very tight path past eachother. It was so refreshing to see.

 

[capper17]

@leerain I say this to people often: "My dog is going to bark and lunge, but she can't get away from me, so please keep walking."

It's more to assure them that they're safe than anything, because nobody tries to approach when my dog starts up. She's massive and clearly ready to fight.

...okay, everyone but Cheryl's boss. I don't know the woman's name. All I know is that she's always yelling at poor Cheryl over the phone as she walks, and her voice is loud enough that I can understand the conversation from many houses away. This woman has a poodle, and when she sees me, even if my dog is already losing it, the idiot woman will try to walk past me every time. I'm not sure what point she's trying to prove, because my dog would shred hers without any effort, but she'll visibly change directions to come at me, will follow behind me, and is just a menace. I can usually calm my dog down with exercises (work in progress, but she's getting better), but when Cheryl's boss is literally shouting and power walking in my direction, it's a lost cause.

Poor Cheryl needs to find a new job.

 

[leerain]

@capper17 i feel your pain, some
people i tell “she’s reactive we don’t want to say hi” is merely a challenge to them and how it’s fine since their dog is friendly. Doesn’t help mines an adorable little shiba that looks like she wants to play but she really wants to rip the faces off their dogs and wear them like Hannibal Lector. One guy ignored me telling him to give us space insisting his dog won’t do anything, i said im not worried about your dog? i’m not trying to stress mine. NO ITS OK THEY CAN SAY HI. Next thing you know mine has a mouth full of his dogs fur and me saying i fucking told you. He now avoids us on walks.

 

[capper17]

@leerain Love that description!

And yeah, I have a neighbor like that, as well. He keeps suggesting we just let our dogs meet and see what happens.

No. I know exactly what will happen. His dogs are slightly bigger than mine, and there are two of them. My dog will still be the one walking away from that fight, and I don't want a lawsuit.

 

[jesusthis]

@capper17 Cheryl’s boss! That is both very funny that that is this neighbour’s moniker - and also yeah. Poor Cheryl!! And I feel for you and all the dogs involved too!

 

[roroo]

@richard1970 Last week I had my dog in a sit while a family walked by. I pulled him off the sidewalk and let them pass. I could tell the toddler wanted to pet him. The mom was all, “What a cute dog!” I got a little worried. Then she followed up with, “But the dog doesn’t look like it wants pets right now. Keep walking!”

I could have hugged her.

 

[musicqueen]

@roroo I had a reactive dog for a decade. We tell our kid they can wave at dogs and say high but we never approach dogs we don't know. I am always shocked when I see parents so blasé about letting their kids get up in a dog's space!

 

[caglechick87]

@musicqueen I was out with my nervous dog the other day and some guy let his 3 or 4 year old handle the leash for their dog, in public. Dog easily weighed more than the kid, and the dad was not close enough to even have a chance at intervention if something happened and he ENCOURAGED his kid/dog to come check me and my dog out.

I got up and moved away while saying we don't do leash greets with unfamiliar dogs, especially with kids involved and he just laughed and let his dog continue to drag around his kid.

People are unhinged

 

[newnormal]

@roroo My kids are 3 and 1.5 and I ALWAYS make it a point to say, “we have to stay back and ask first”. I don’t care how close or far the dog actually is. My dog isn’t reactive, just absurdly hyper, and I wouldn’t want someone else’s kids running up to her. I just want my kids to think before they run into situations, sometimes that comes in the form of repetition and modeling.

 

[marc_antony]

@roroo When the humans handle the reactive humans lol

 

[gloveanlee]

@richard1970 I made a little kid cry earlier today because I told him and his father this same exact thing, Don't approach my dog. They didn't listen until I said that she will attack them if they keep coming towards us. As if on cue she started barking and lunging at them. The kid got startled and started crying as he fell on his butt. His dad shot me a dirty look as if he was going to say something snarky but I just said I told you she would. Then I picked her up and loaded her into my car. I absolutely love when people don't listen and she goes full Cujo and proves me right. I really hope it's a learning moment for them and they realize that they are NOT the freaking dog whisperer. Let alone that it's okay to let your little child approach some random dog 4 times their size especially when the owner says not to.

 

[richard1970]

@gloveanlee I could scream about people not teaching their kids to stay away from strange dogs UNTIL you ask if it's okay. I had a dog who would adore seeing one kid, even two kids at once, but more than that made him feel cornered. I had to stop walking him beyond my tiny corner of my neighborhood at the time. Too many roving groups of children who would rush up on us from behind.

 

[falconjudge]

@richard1970 My reactive boy is an enormous fluffy Great Pyrenees and people have literally sent their kids running up to stand next to him for a photo without asking

 

[gloveanlee]

@richard1970 I would be absolutely terrified if I were to be swarmed by a gang of little children too! Poor guy!! My girl is an 85lbs Hound/Mastiff mix so I can't understand why someone would want to approach us when she is barking and lunging at them. She also equates small humans with prey. We are working on it, but small children and skunks/raccoons drive her insane. We have to either drive somewhere extremely secluded or walk in our neighborhood before 5:30am and after 11pm. I feel so bad for her not being able to experience walks when it's light outside.

 

[caglechick87]

@gloveanlee I have a fluffy silly looking spaniel mix that is perfect child hug height. He's a very nervous guy and while his default is avoidance, he absolutely will become overstimulated and snap if he feels cornered. I've had kids just lunge at him and attempt hugs and it's all I can do to throw a body between them and my dog.

I don't want kids. I don't have kids. And I find myself wondering how in these interactions I'm the one worried and being vigilant about a child's well-being because I'd prefer to not have some toddler bit in the face because their parents are idiots

 

[chelsea_harper]

@richard1970 I've got one that is scared of kids (and pretty much everything else /sigh - but he's getting better) and will hide behind me and one that absolutely thrives on getting love from strangers. She got mobbed by half a dozen kids in the park and she was just in heaven. The other one hid behind me lol. He's just glad she gave all the attention.

But let another dog get in eyesight and she turns into a little demon

 

[leemeadow]

@richard1970 “No” is my motto. Simple yet effective. If needed I add a “we’re not friendly.”

“Can I pet your dog?”
“No.”

“Is your dog friendly?”
“No.”

“Can my dog say hi?”
“No.”

“Can my kiddo pet your dogs?”
“No.”

When people approach without asking…
“NO. STOP. WE’RE NOT FRIENDLY.”