Why Are Leash Greetings Frowned Upon?

Ah, leash greetings. The ever-divisive topic of the dog world. Let’s unpack it. 

You’ve probably heard through the grapevine someone say that you shouldn’t have your dog greet other dogs while on a leash, and perhaps you’ve either scoffed at the idea, or welcomed it.

Either way, there is a good reason behind the advice, and we will dive into detail as to why you may want to reconsider the next time you go to approach another dog on the street in an effort for your dog to say hello.

You Don’t Know the Other Dog

This is a big one. While the owner of the approaching dog may say that their dog is “friendly”, you can’t be 100% sure of their behavior, or compatibility with your dog’s personality, or vice versa. 

While 9/10 it will *probably* be OK, it only takes once for your dog to be pinned to the ground, or worse.

As dog trainers, one of the most common reasons we see reactivity in dogs occur, is that they were at one point in their lives, attacked, or pinned down during a leash greeting.

To us, the risk does not outweigh the reward. You’re potentially looking at thousands of dollars of work thereafter to get your dog back to a level of neutrality around other dogs, and sometimes if the fear is so great, there is no guarantee that they’ll ever be OK approaching another dog in that manner again.

Excitement Leads to Other Unwanted Behaviors

Let’s say that your dog becomes accustomed to leash greetings and they cannot wait to leave the home to greet their next friend on the street. What’s wrong with that, you say? 

Well, excitement tends to drive other unwanted behaviors, such as intense pulling around other dogs, as well as, barking, or lunging, when the dog doesn’t get their way (i.e. you’re rushing to a work meeting and you don’t have a moment to stop). 

This is considered frustration-based reactivity. Does your dog have to be attacked to turn reactive? Nope. They can also become reactive just by routinely getting to say hello to other dogs on the street. 

So whether it be due to fear, or frustration, the risk of a dog turning reactive when practicing leash greetings is very high.

Does That Mean My Dog Can’t Play?

Of course not. Your dog certainly should have a group of friends that are a good influence on them and that they are compatible with. The keyword is compatibility. 

Not all dogs are going to get along. Therefore, it’s always best to test your dog 1:1 with another dog in a controlled environment, such as a backyard area, or park with little distractions. 

Additionally, we always recommend taking a walk beside each other first (i.e. with the dogs on opposite sides of their owners to provide a buffer) to mitigate any over-excitement, or arousal, and once that arousal begins to drop between the two dogs, then you would allow the dogs to greet each other off-leash, while you are closely monitoring.

If at any point, you see teeth showing, a stiff body, or rough play that is not being interpreted by the other dog as “play”, you want to step in immediately and remove your dog from the situation. You now have your answer to whether your dog is compatible with this particular dog and their respective personality.

In Closing

Leash greetings can be a ticking time bomb that most dog parents don’t recognize until it’s too late. Reactive behavior in dogs can seem like it happens overnight but is actually a behavior that slowly builds over time until you realize you’re unable to walk your dog around other dogs without them acting out. 

Take caution the next time a stranger and their dog asks if they can greet you and yours. The benefit to your dog by saying no to them greatly outweighs any reward that could be had at that moment. 

Your dog will thank you for it.

Happy Training! 🐕✨