Howard -

You are so right on the money! 3 years learning to manage a DA dog has taught me that controlling starts with knowing the dogs body language. I can see when my girl senses another dog before it is ever visable, her tail goes straight on alert with a slight amount of lift, it wags back and forth very quickly in short intervals, her brow wrinkles and her ears rotate forward, yet no dog visable, but I know it's coming and now is when I re-focus her!

Some dogs are just not the type to be chummy with other dogs...mine ceratinly isn't!

I believe that socialization is a vital asapect of a dog's life. I myself socialize my dogs with other "select" packs. But I've known them for years and they've been socializing since they were all pups. Even then, I closely watch their every movement.
Subtle responses takes time to master reading. That is why the author of this site advices to ignore strange dogs rather than to take chances. I can see where he's coming from.
Like I said, it is much better for a dog to ignore new dogs that are present because that means it is accepting their presence without ptotesting. Take steps and don't rush. Don't go too far ahead that stepping backwards is a mile's journey. The primary concern of a pack leader is the welfare of his own pack and not animals outside the pack. I know your intentions are good but in the dog's eyes, he trusts you not to put him in a situation where he will be in distressed and will have to show aggression.

 Quote: erick caramat

I believe that socialization is a vital asapect of a dog's life. I myself socialize my dogs with other "select" packs.

Why?

 Quote: erick caramat

.... The primary concern of a pack leader is the welfare of his own pack and not animals outside the pack. I know your intentions are good but in the dog's eyes, he trusts you not to put him in a situation where he will be in distressed and will have to show aggression.

Yes. And this is not really something that the owner can predict by watching the dog's reaction to a first meeting with a strange dog. It would require a lot more analysis of such a situation than most humans are capable of to accurately read the reactions and intentions of both their own dog and the strange dog, all in a few seconds. I have no reason to trust strange dogs or their training or their reactions to other dogs, and no reason to trust their handlers' savvy.

My dogs do have a couple of "friend" dogs, but it would also be fine with me if they did not. And the "friend" dogs became friends only after pretty long acquaintance.

Socialization is very important -- absolutely! But socialization to me does not mean my dogs chatting up dogs they have never met, during chance street encounters.

Fantastic comments from all of you. I hope this helps our friend gain some ideas and would help her understand her situation.
To Allysa, to me dog socialization is very different from human socialization. It doesn't neccessarily have to involved physical contact. Close proximity but ignoring the presence of the other dog to me is a form of dog socialization - as the author of this site mentioned "being neutral". Dogs don't chat like we do in our human world. They normally communicate in body languages and to make it a bit mystical by the aura they project to the animals around them. Even marking is a form of socialization. But I guess you already read some of this.
Well, I can't remember how I started letting my dogs play with my friends' dogs only that they seem to hit a good connection from the start. Nowadays they just sniff each other's backside and would very seldom play - just minding their own business. Yeah, so I guess I swayed towards that path a little bit but only because I know the dogs well and they knew each other from puppyhood. So yeah I'm still a bloke with a beer...

Erick, it sounds like you and I are very much in agreement about dog socialization.

Waw thanx. It's just a shame that whenever I'm online you guys aren't. I really love reading from this forum. I'm learning a lot. Good day. It's 12:32AM in Brisbane, Aus.

I do appreciate everyone's input on my situation. Obviously the consensus is to keep her away from strange dogs. I do plan on trying to do that on our walks from now on. I keep reading through the forums and all the other info here on the site. Sooo much to learn.

I am working on marker training with her and that is going well since she is such a chow hound. As we progress a little further, I will bring treats with us on her walks which I know will take her attention off of most anything else. I’m not too sure she will even be able to focus on walking with treats around