I’m often asked this question about Dog Aggression…
‘When out with my dog what do I do when another dog, who’s off the lead, appears from nowhere and is aggressive, circles or follows me?’
Here’s what I suggest…
The best thing you can do in this situation is to RELAX and act as if NOTHING IS WRONG.
Why?
Because the concern, fear or anxiety you feel will go into the atmosphere and cause tension that both dogs will pick up on. This type of tension can CAUSE a fight.
Another point to mention here is it’s easy to start what I call…
‘There are so many irresponsible dog owners who have no control over their dogs’
…story.
Are there irresponsible dog owners who have no control over their dogs?
YES!
Do you want to attract those type of owners?
NO!
This is what I mean…
When we fear or dread something going wrong it usually does. When we tell the ‘There are so many irresponsible dog owners who have no control over their dogs’ story we attract more of them!
So instead, consider this…
Most dog owners will admit that there have been times when their dog has behaved in a way that they felt embarrassed or a bit out of control about.
There are even occasions when dogs who are normally great in a particular situation suddenly act out of character and the owner is left feeling shocked and embarrassed.
I often hear people say…
‘The owner wasn’t sorry enough or didn’t care that their dog didn’t come when called’
It’s true…when people are embarrassed and feel awkward they often don’t know what to say or how to act!
So give other dog owner the benefit of the doubt and ‘LET IT GO!’
Simply keep walking and act as if the other dog is not there – most dogs become uninterested and don’t follow for long when they get no attention from other dogs or owners. In most instances dogs off the lead have just wanted to come and say hello and nothing else 🙂
Give it a go!
By doing so you’ll have a recipe for attracting dogs and owners who are balanced, responsible and on the RIGHT wave-length.