...Because its owner made it.
Has this happened to you? You're out walking your beloved furry friend(s) when you see another fellow dog owner and their canine coming from the opposite direction. Just as you've nearly reached them, the other person crosses the street to avoid you and gives you this dirty look to boot which screams "How dare you walk your dog on MY street and on MY SIDE of the street?". To add insult to injury they usually cross back just after they've passed you.
Now I don't know about you guys but personally I considered it extremely important to socialize my dogs from an early age (more on that another day!) so I always look forward to doggy meet-and-greets. More importantly, so do my dogs who love meeting new people and animals. Being a dog owner is more than just feeding your dog and making sure it has somewhere to sleep and relieve itself. The least you can do for the unconditional love you receive is to stimulate their body and mind in any way you can.
I want to make it clear that I respect those who try to train their dogs not to lunge towards other dogs in excitement. When someone takes a moment to smile and ask politely if I mind not stopping so they can teach their dog to restrain themselves, not only do I happily agree but I also admire them for their patience and dedication to their dog. Hell, I'll even offer to do a few more passes if it helps them.
The people I'm ranting about here today are not those dedicated dog-training and deeply caring owners though. They are those who see walking their dog as a chore. Those who never let their dogs have a moment to sniff an interesting lamppost or learn how to interact with other dogs. Those who think stopping to meet another pooch is a waste of their time and don't stop for a second to consider what their dog might need or want.
Thankfully I must admit that the positive encounters I have with dog owners far outweigh the negative. Also I understand that once in a while circumstances may prevent us from giving our dogs the full walk they deserve and we may make up for it later in the day. This is not a post about the one off. This is about those who do this on a regular basis. It makes me angry, it makes me sad and most importantly it makes me feel sorry for their dogs, whose sad eyes seem to follow you as they're forcefully being dragged across the street from you and what could have been their new canine friends.
Has this happened to you? You're out walking your beloved furry friend(s) when you see another fellow dog owner and their canine coming from the opposite direction. Just as you've nearly reached them, the other person crosses the street to avoid you and gives you this dirty look to boot which screams "How dare you walk your dog on MY street and on MY SIDE of the street?". To add insult to injury they usually cross back just after they've passed you.
Now I don't know about you guys but personally I considered it extremely important to socialize my dogs from an early age (more on that another day!) so I always look forward to doggy meet-and-greets. More importantly, so do my dogs who love meeting new people and animals. Being a dog owner is more than just feeding your dog and making sure it has somewhere to sleep and relieve itself. The least you can do for the unconditional love you receive is to stimulate their body and mind in any way you can.
I want to make it clear that I respect those who try to train their dogs not to lunge towards other dogs in excitement. When someone takes a moment to smile and ask politely if I mind not stopping so they can teach their dog to restrain themselves, not only do I happily agree but I also admire them for their patience and dedication to their dog. Hell, I'll even offer to do a few more passes if it helps them.
The people I'm ranting about here today are not those dedicated dog-training and deeply caring owners though. They are those who see walking their dog as a chore. Those who never let their dogs have a moment to sniff an interesting lamppost or learn how to interact with other dogs. Those who think stopping to meet another pooch is a waste of their time and don't stop for a second to consider what their dog might need or want.
Thankfully I must admit that the positive encounters I have with dog owners far outweigh the negative. Also I understand that once in a while circumstances may prevent us from giving our dogs the full walk they deserve and we may make up for it later in the day. This is not a post about the one off. This is about those who do this on a regular basis. It makes me angry, it makes me sad and most importantly it makes me feel sorry for their dogs, whose sad eyes seem to follow you as they're forcefully being dragged across the street from you and what could have been their new canine friends.
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