Very early in my career, I was at a dog event with Tex, my American Bulldog. Tex was a stickler for doggy etiquette. If an easy-going dog approached him, he greeted them well. But if a dog exhibited unbalanced behavior (too excited, dominant, or submissive), he tended to take control. I knew these things about my dog.
At the event, a family walked up with a Goldendoodle, and the way this young dog greeted Tex was not polite. The dog got right in his face and began licking his mouth and turning his body against Tex’s. I did not gently disengage these two dogs, and what followed was less than optimal.
You Know Your Dog, So Intervene Proactively
When I look back on this incident now, I can see where I went wrong. Maybe I didn’t want to make the other owners feel uncomfortable. Maybe I trusted that Tex would ‘correct’ the other dog’s behavior within acceptable limits. Or maybe I didn’t want the other owners to think that my dog was so dangerous that I had to remove him from the situation. The bottom line was that I did not engage, and Tex lashed out and corrected the dog.
Now Tex did not try to hurt the dog. His response was loud and pointed and brief, because the young Goldendoodle backed down. Here’s the thing: Every dog that Tex ever corrected had backed down and no harm was ever done. But — what was going to happen the first time a dog did not back down? That was going to be a problem. Then I would have a full-blown fight on my hands.
As a responsible dog owner, I should have smiled, called Tex’s name and started moving away from the young doodle. I would not want to pull or jerk on the leash because that could trigger a strike. I should have walked away calmly. I should have given him a calm correction to let him know that I disagreed with his actions.
In this case the young Goldendoodle was not hurt at all, and the family and I spoke to had no hard feelings, but the experience gave me a lot to reflect upon.
Do What’s Best for Your Dog
The moral of this story is to resist worrying about what others may think of you or your dog if you must intervene in a situation. Most people do not understand dog etiquette. They think that if your dog lashes out, your dog is the bad dog. Truthfully, if your dog is lashing out it may mean that you and your dog need more training together. That’s the way I looked at it with Tex. I needed to do more leadership and behavior modification work with him to let him know he cannot make decisions on whom and how to correct. Those are my decisions to make.
Looking back, I wish I had separated those dogs immediately. Most dogs can stand a short greeting with each other. From our perspective five feet or more in the air, it can be difficult to see the subtle signs of trouble starting at the dog’s level. Dogs locking eyes with each other, or maybe showing a bit of teeth, can trigger trouble that we do not see coming. It’s best to keep these greetings short and positive, then move on.
As the owner, you know how your dog reacts to certain behavior and you know your dog’s mannerisms. Be aware of your dog’s limitations, as well as your own, and avoid interactions in which you and your dog might feel pushed too far.
Don’t worry about perceptions or what other people want. Do what is best for your dog and your continuing growth together. We want our dog to be easy and sociable and to “fit in” to various environments, but if you anticipate that another dog is going to rile up your dog, it’s best to avoid that situation completely.
