Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Question for the masses

If you are jogging down the road and see a dog in a yard, do you approach it or not?  I've noticed more and more when I'm home during the day that people stop and say hi to Leloo.  Now I think it's great that they aren't scared of her.  Believe me I'm glad for that. 
I just have to ask what people think about this.  Would you walk up to a dog in their yard if you don't know him or her?  I wouldn't, and I've asked a few friends and the consensus is NO.  I personally wait to see if the dog comes to me and I find it's better if the owner is there.  You never know if the dog is territorial or been abused.  Not to mention the fact that you don't know the owner!

I would love comments!

6 comments:

  1. First question: One time visit or along the route of daily walks? There are several dogs along our daily route that we stop & say hello to, a huskerboo & a golden come to mind. There are others that we walk on the otherside of the street- this is a judgement garnered over weeks of daily pass-bys. On the other hand when out & about in new areas- other sibes /northern dogs- usually at leach approach & see reaction, other breeds not so much but it's always a case-by-case call.

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  2. That make sense if you're sure about the dog. I can't tell if these people have come up to her before or not. They all seem to be locals. I assume this because they are walking and we live in the country.
    I don't have a problem with them playing with her, god knows she loves it!
    There is a golden down the road that growls everytime we go by. I wonder if they approach him.

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  3. I wouldn't approach a dog because usually I have a dog with me if I'm walking the neighborhood. Some of my dogs are reactive, so it's best that I don't invite a conflict. :)

    Maybe if it came up to me and I was alone, I might, but it depends on the dogs reaction to me.

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  4. Nice to meet you!

    I usually always will stop and pet a dog I see, even if it is fenced. I would never go into a person's yard, but if the dog, or fence line, is along the sidewalk I will pet the dog and talk to it. As long as the dog is wagging its tail, and looks like it is nice, I will pet it. Of course, I am aware of the signs to look for in scared or mean dogs, so I will not approach if I notice any of those signs, but normally I will always stop to pet a pup!

    I even stop if I am with my dog, since Suka is super friendly and loves all dogs.

    I grew up when dogs were let out of the house in the mornings for their runs through the neighborhood (and I am not even that old! Times sure have changed). No fear of dogs back then. We always saw dogs all over the neighborhood, including ours. :-> My parents' and grandparents' generation grew up the same way. Most dogs just ran free and only the mean dogs were chained or kept in fenced yards. I miss those days!

    K and Suka

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  5. I know my dog growing up was a mutt named Brittney. We never had to leash her or fence her in. We just let her outside.
    Of course with a husky I know I can't do that.
    Today she hasn't had much luck with visitors. They've all just kept walking.:(

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  6. I would never walk up to a strange dog...mostly because my dog was almost eaten by a strange pit bull when he was a pup. Not because we were bothering it...just because we walked by too slowly.

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