Post by @championdogtraininguk

We’ve all been in a situation where an off lead dog has come running over, completely ignored its owner and got into our dog’s space. I see so many videos online where situations like this quickly turn into screaming matches, swearing, arguments and panic… Sometimes even when the owner is genuinely trying to recall and retrieve their dog. The best way to handle these situations where possible? Remain calm, politely ask the owner to recall or collect their dog, create space and advocate for your own dog. Of course, not every situation is this easy to deal with, and not every owner is as polite and understanding as the young girl in this video. I’ve had full blown arguments with people while training dogs before because these situations CAN become stressful and dangerous; particularly when a dog is completely out of control, the owner ignores repeated requests to recall it, or responds with arrogance instead of simply taking responsibility. This young lady is a perfect example of how it should be handled. Dogs aren’t robots. Sometimes they have a cheeky day where their ears suddenly seem to stop working! 😅 If that happens, apologise, collect your dog and move on. It really can be that simple. And PLEASE stop with the: “It’s okay, they’re friendly!” It doesn’t matter if your dog is friendly. The dog they’re approaching might not be. They could be nervous, fearful, recovering from an injury, in training, elderly, reactive or simply not want another dog in their space. Bonnie, for example, is anxious. If another dog gets too close and she feels trapped or threatened, she may react out of fear and potentially snap. That doesn’t make it okay for another dog to continually invade her space just because that dog is “friendly.” Responsible dog ownership isn’t just about YOUR dog. It’s about being considerate of every other dog and person sharing that public space. If your dog doesn’t have a solid recall, keep them on a lead or long line while you continue working on it. Because one ignored recall can put your dog, somebody else’s dog or even a member of the public at risk.