Comments on How do I make people not be afraid of me and my dogs?
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How do I make people not be afraid of me and my dogs?
I like to hike, and I have two large dogs (German Shepherd, Presa Canario).
After a long hike I look reasonably homeless (long hair, unshaven, muddy). Combined with two large, potentially dangerous dogs, it might scare off some people.
How can I make sure we do not scare people / make them more comfortable meeting us on the trail?
I'd like to suggest a different approach than the majority which seem to suggest that dogs shouldn't ever get to go hiki …
6y ago
It's really rather simple: All dogs in all public areas must be kept under control at all times. If your dog goes towar …
1y ago
Most of the times the hikers might be more afraid of the owners having big dogs than the dogs themselves. So (if you at …
5y ago
Some more points in addition mainly to @CharlieBrumbaugh's answer: Both in Central Europe (where I'm from) and travelin …
7y ago
Get a visible dog muzzle, so people clearly see that your dogs are harmless. Something like this: but nothing like th …
7y ago
The most important thing is keeping all dogs on-leash in public areas. Technically, you can't make any person not feel a …
7y ago
As someone who is fine with dogs, I'm saddened that my son was nipped by a puppy when he was very young and is now very …
7y ago
Couple suggestions for meeting people on the trail with dogs, Keep the dogs leashed. When passing people put the dogs …
7y ago
I read a leash as maybe saying, "The owner doesn't trust this dog unleashed"; and no-leash as saying, "This is a well-be …
7y ago
Consider a dog vest or one of those cute outfits women dress up there pets with. Always have your dog on a leash and und …
7y ago
Though you don't actually state it, I get the impression you normally let your dogs roam free on your hikes. If this is …
7y ago
Unless your dogs are well behaved (will sit on a single command and not move) then address the dogs and distract them. …
7y ago
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/q/18330. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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I'd like to suggest a different approach than the majority which seem to suggest that dogs shouldn't ever get to go hiking without being leashed.
To me, you need two components, and you'll be successful according to how well you can pull them off:
- Be able to read other people's reactions and body language to gauge whether they're interested in 'meeting' your dogs or not.
- Train your dogs to ignore strangers and stick close to you when passing others unless you tell them it's okay to say hello.
If you're not sure on the first point, assume they don't want to meet your dogs. Personally, I love to meet dogs out walking, and I'll always say a 'Hey, pup' or something like that - it should be obvious if someone else is keen for a pat, just as it's obvious if people want to chat or keep walking without stopping.
The idea that dogs must always be leashed in public really saddens me. Yes, some people are afraid or allergic - and that's totally legitimate - but dogs are part of our world, and I think it's perfectly appropriate that they are governed by manners rather than ropes and muzzles.
As a hiker, you have the right to expect that you're not licked or bitten by someone else's pet in public, but I don't agree that that translates to every pet needing to be tied to its owner at all times.
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/18418. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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