Hi Jane,
Unfortunately not all dog owners have effective control of their dogs when they are off-leash! Dogs generally do view strange people and strange dogs as potential dangers that they may need to protect their family from, but that’s not to say all dogs will react aggressively. Some dogs, even if you don’t pose any real risk at all, just panic and over-react in the heat of the moment. Fast moving objects like bicycles, scooters and skateboards can also stimulate a dog’s excitement level and sense of urgency and again they can over-react. If I am confronted by a strange dog then one thing I do is avoid turning my back on them, but I also avoid making direct eye contact. If I need to I will very slowly back away from them but if I were to turn my back and walk away then this would allow them to feel more confident in ‘seeing my off’ with a nip or a bite! Stay safe! Doggy Dan

Hi Dawn,
The best way to show a dog how you expect them to behave is to be very clear and consistent with how you respond to unwanted behaviour. If you are at the park and your dog starts to get a bit too excited then it would be a good idea to intervene before things escalate too much, maybe pop him back on the leash for a bit until he calms down. If he does calm down then you can allow him another chance to interact with the other dogs but if he again start to get too excited then place him back on-leash and perhaps make a judgement as to whether or not he and the other dog/s at the park are not a good mix to play with. Every dog is different and your dog will play happily with some and other he may find threatening or a bit too pushy for his liking. Being able to keep hi out of trouble means being able to look at the way he and other dogs are interacting and know when to intervene and maybe move onto another area.
If you do need to retrieve balls or a frisbee then make sure you take some high value treats in your pocket so you can exchange the food for the item. You could even teach him a ‘leave it’ command, at home first under a controlled environment, so that if this situation arises at the park then he already knows that ‘leaving it’ when you ask him to means he gets a good treat!
Lastly, trust your judgement…if you feel that a situation is going badly then do what you feel is best for your dog…no matter what anyone else at the park may advise you to do. Best, Doggy Dan

Hi Daniel,
Young children and dogs should always be supervised when they are together. I know as a parent we lead busy lives and adding another job to that list is the last thing we want BUT teaching our kids how to interact safely with our family pets is really important. When dogs are sleeping or resting they generally prefer to be left alone and even a well meaning cuddle or kiss from a child can take them by surprise and startling the dog. A growl is a warning that they want to be left alone and if this communication is ignored then a nip/bite may be the follow up.
Children should be taught to interact respectfully with dogs and not climb over them, pull their ears/tail or put the dog in situations they may not feel comfortable in. One thing I like to encourage children to do when they want to give their dog a cuddle or pat is to always call their dog to them to do that…..rather than approach their dog. This give their dog a choice in the interaction and if they don’t feel like participating then they generally won’t come when asked….and at this point the child should be taught to wait until another time and try again.
The safety of your child, and your dog, is always priority number one and so if you feel you are unable to supervise their interactions then you may need to consider whether your dog will be happier in another home. Best…Doggy Dan

I’m glad you found my Blog helpful Carol..stay safe! Doggy Dan