Defining good canine public manners can take on a subjective approach.
A dog owner's perception of good public dog manners and behavior or denial of what many onlookers deem obvious obnoxious behavior is a never ending source of comic relief for me. Many pet parents, yes some dog owners like to be called pet parents, think of their dogs as angels no matter the behavior. Some parents of human children also have blinders on when in public with their children and think their child can do no wrong.

If you are walking your dog in the city or on a nature trail you may experience a leashed dog dragging their owner toward you while you are hearing that out of breath owner declaring, he just loves other dogs. The next thing you hear from the dog is a grrrrrrrrrr, followed by a lunge and pounce at your well mannered dog. One popular excuse offered by some owners of a rude dog is she is only lunging and barking at your dog because she wants to say Hi.

Some pet parents defend their angels rude on leash behavior as the normal way dogs greet each other. First off, dogs are not a species that love every other strange dog they meet on the street. Humans don't love every stranger either. Some owners of ill mannered, untrained dogs expect other dogs that are well mannered to accept their feisty Fido lunging and barking at them under the guise of just wanting to say Hi.

I am out and about daily with my clients and their dogs. I am all over Seattle and the Eastside for my reality training program and there is not a day that goes by that we do not encounter or witness poor public canine manners allowed by a dog owner. I do not blame the dog in any of these circumstances. I point out these examples of poor public dog etiquette to clients to help the owner what situations to avoid. If we encounter great on leash dog behavior and an owner with control over their dog's on leash manners I use that wonderful control as an example for new owners to follow.

One of my pet peeves is an owner's inappropriate use of retractable or flexi leashes in crowded areas where owners allow their little canine angel to be rude from a distance.
The distance these flexi leads can allow from that owner to their dog may be around 10 feet.

The owner acts oblivious that their dog is taking up more than their fair share of real estate on a sidewalk, in a parking lot, down a pet store aisle, or in any city park forcing other leashed dogs and owners to move out of their way. Reminds me of shopping at Costco and navigating around unattended shopping carts left in the middle of an aisle while that cart custodian gets engrossed in a book or more likely a free snack.

I am curious as to your positive or challenging experiences around other leashed dogs when walking your dog.

Diane Rich
Diane Rich Dog Training, LLC
www.spokesdog.com