Should I let my dog greet other dogs on walks?
Guillermo Sporer
2025-05-23 15:03:38
Count answers: 2
My short answer is no. While many dog guardians have the best intentions—often told that socialization is key—meeting other dogs while on leash can actually create frustration, confusion, and even stress for many dogs. Despite the popular belief that every walk should be a social opportunity, the reality is that most dogs don’t want—or need—to greet every dog they see. Dogs on leash are physically limited—they can’t move away if they feel uncomfortable, and they can’t communicate freely with body language. That restriction can cause frustration or even fear, especially when met by dogs with poor social skills who charge in too quickly or get in their face. Even friendly dogs can become frustrated on leash because of repeated, inconsistent experiences with on-leash greetings. Walks should be a calming, connecting time—not a gauntlet of social pressure. What they need most is connection—with you.
Margaretta Lynch
2025-05-23 14:28:46
Count answers: 5
There are about a hundred reasons that I could list that about why your dog should not say hi to other dogs on leash, I could even advise you to never allow this. What we should all aim for are appropriate on-leash greetings with other dogs. For some dogs, it is ok for them to say hi to dogs once in a while. Once in awhile means saying hi to only 1 out of every 10-20 dogs. Not every dog wants to say hi and they need to respect that. If your dog is insisting on saying hi to every dog they see then they might be friendly, but they are not being polite. A calm, confident, respectful dog will not be approaching copious amounts of random dogs for no reason. If you are unsure if your dog is about to have an appropriate or inappropriate on-leash greeting you should air on the side of caution and opt not to stop and say hi.