Quote: Michael Soldwisch

.... I am calm. Calmer than my dog. And I don't think about what will happen or could happen on the walk. But the matter of fact is, that if an untrained dog approaches (Flexi Leash, Pulling dog, etc.) he is more than eager to put that dog in his place.

He ignores dogs that walk on loose leash, besides or behind their owners.

Yes, I completely get that. I have a recovering dog-reactive senior dog whose only trigger now (after lots of desensitizing) is an uncontrolled dog wildly pulling his/her owner down the street towards us.

I kinda gauge the situation and proceed in one of two or three ways. If the dog looks like trouble to me, I just calmly cross the street or change direction way before we get close. If it's minor, then we march on by with me on the strange-dog side.

I never pause, never give either dog time to give the other dog the stink-eye.

Also, teaching my dog to focus on me has been a major step.

I pretty much don't want that uncontrolled-dog situation anyway, though, and have no compunctions about changing my direction.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

... If the dog looks like trouble to me, I just calmly cross the street or change direction way before we get close. If it's minor, then we march on by with me on the strange-dog side.

I never pause, never give either dog time to give the other dog the stink-eye....

Well, I won't change sides, because I don't won't to teach him to avoid another dog. The stink-eye I can control on him , but not on the other dog. All I do is to give appropriate space, if possible. Some people are not able to hold their dog back, what causes problems, when the other dog gets to close.

Uncontrolled dog problems are really @#$ %* to me! Makes me so mad

I think it was Teddy R that had the right idea about free running dogs.
He said "Carry a big stick"!
At least I "think" that was about free running dogs.....wasn't it?

 Quote: Michael Soldwisch

Well, I won't change sides, because I don't won't to teach him to avoid another dog.

Why not?

 Quote: JessicaKromer

 Quote: Michael Soldwisch

Well, I won't change sides, because I don't won't to teach him to avoid another dog.

Why not?

Ditto

Changing sides of the street doesn't have anything to do with your dog making a choice to "avoid another dog."

The dog changes sides of the street because you decided to.

I'd suggest you change sides of the street often--or change routes, make 180 turns, or walk in circles. Whatever you do, it's because you, as the dog's pack leader, decided on the course and pace.

Avoiding a potential threat is what a responsible pack leader does. Putting your dog into a situation that you don't think he will succeed at (confrontation with a nearby strange dog) makes your dog think you have bad judgment--and gives him reason not to trust you.

IMHO

Mr. Soldwisch,

Changing sides of the street, or changing directions, or sitting or downing your dog, in my mind has nothing to do with 'teaching your dog to avoid another dog' and everything to do with you leading and working with your dog.

I lead and the dog follows. I anticipate issues and take the initiative to be the buffer between my dog and another. I take the action necessary to protect my dog from another, as I would to inhibit the unwanted advances of a person.

I think it unwise to train a dog passively or actively in confrontation when it comes to walks.

I don't teach any of my mutts to avoid other dogs but I do teach them to respond to my commands. And there are dogs or situations wherein interaction might be unnecessary or problematic. That assessment is mine alone to make. I do not expect my dogs to take control of a dog situation. That is my work, my responsibility.

Too many dog owners think their dog has to be the tallest strut on the street. For my part, I want my mutts to be confident enough to ignore the boorishness of idiot owners and their undisciplined dogs. And that is not to imply in any way, shape or fashion that a well-trained, confident dog is a pansy. Quite the opposite is true, or so has been my experience.

We proceed to the other side of the street because that is what I lead. The dog sits or downs because that is what I lead. We reverse directions because that is what I lead. As far as the dog is concerned, it is what I lead.

It is, in my opinion, unnecessary and foolish handling to put a dog in a needlessly unpredictable circumstance that you as handler can easily avoid. Such an approach to handling, has little to do with 'teaching.'

Ok, i don't know how we got to the assumption, that my dog doesn't see me a his leader? For the record, he is good in obedience. I was also talking about the other dogs being on a leash.
If I change the side, or the other dog, then my dog is ok, because there is enough space between him and the other dog.
On our walks, we have a few roads, where changing the sidewalk is simply impossible (one with 4 lane traffic, and another with only one sidewalk.
My dog just has to learn to deal with another dogs passing in closer proximity. Avoiding this situation will not make it better.
A whole different situation would be another dog approaching off leash, what has happened before. In that case it was a 2 year old pit-bull approaching pretty quick, but no owner in sight. That was quite uncomfortable, but both dogs stopped growling at each other as I told them to leave it.