Picture this! You’re enjoying a relaxing stroll in the park minding your own business when suddenly one or two people come running at you head on! You try to run away while shouting “please leave me alone” but, your leg is hurting so you can’t get away quick enough. They reach you and start shouting in your face to play, they are poking and prodding you trying to get you to come with them. You’re scared and in pain, so you snap and start shouting at them, telling them to go away! Seems like a reasonable response, right? They didn’t listen to you before. They leave you alone and go away but, everyone around you is looking at you like you’re the problem! Surely that’s not fair?

You’ve just experienced what it is like for many dogs and their owners when out in public places. There are lots of reasons why dog’s need space from other dogs/people and it’s every dog owner’s responsibility to make sure they follow the doggy code. With lockdown easing and life returning to normal, dog’s that may not be as used to the large numbers of people and their canine companions, may struggle more. That is why it’s important to refresh your doggy code knowledge.

There are plenty of reasons why a dog may need space, the here are just a few examples:

· Dog has health issues/contagious/recently neutered

· Dog is in training

· Dog is scared of other dogs or people

· Dog is in season

· Dog prefers gentle introductions

If you see a dog on lead, the first thing you should do if call your dog back you and clip them on lead if needed. If you think that for any reason your dog will stop listening to you as the other dog approaches, ALWAYS clip them on lead. When you are a little closer (but, far enough away that you are still giving space) you can always ask the owner if they need the additional space! Respect the answer here, the other owner knows their dog needs much more than anyone else. If they need space, there’s usually a very good reason for it.

“It’s ok, my dog is friendly” is NEVER ok. As stated above, just because your dog is friendly doesn’t mean it will have a positive impact on the approaching dog – if the other dog is scared, having a bouncy dog bounding up to it’s face will be the last thing they want! I wouldn’t really want someone to run at me with something that scares me either!

Remember, if a dog is on lead, that owner is being responsible – it’s your responsibility to ensure you and your dog follow dog walking etiquette to ensure that the other dog doesn’t feel the need to react in a big way to keep themselves safe – the same for the owners too!

Yellow Dog UK

Yellow Dog UK is a project that is aimed at creating awareness for dogs that need space. They aim to spread awareness by using a yellow ribbon tied to a dog lead or collar. The yellow ribbon gives a clear signal to other dog walkers that this dog needs space. This is now being represented by ribbons, yellow harnesses and even yellow leads. If you want to know more check them out here!

And remember…

Owning a dog that needs space isn’t easy! It’s tiring and even short walks can become tiring and stressful. Something as small as popping your dog on lead can have a huge impact on the confidence of the other dog and the owner too!

If you need advice on recall, socialisation or reactivity, please get in touch at pittvillepets@gmail.com

Doggy Etiquette – What to do when out and about!