Off Leash Dogs Charging - How to Deal

As the weather warms up here in Colorado, without fail we see more and more off leash dogs. Don’t get me wrong, if your dog is off leash in an appropriate area, and it isn’t going to charge at me, I really could care less. But that is not what I am talking about, I’m talking about dogs that have no recall and really have no business being off leash making my life harder than it needs to be. So today I wanted to share strategies you can use if you find yourself in this unfortunate situation. 

First, be real about who your dog is and how they are likely to respond to an off leash dog charging at you. For example, I know that Waylon is almost always patient and non aggressive when dogs who are smaller than him come up in a manner in which they want to greet and say hello, even if it is a little overzealous. So in situations where I can see that the dog isn’t trying to aggress at us, I keep Waylon's leash loose and allow the greeting to take place. I will note that I am silently judging the other owners while they try to collect their dog and telling Waylon what an amazing dog he is. Spicy, is almost always non aggressive to dogs charging up that do not behave aggressively. So if I am out with both of my dogs and a small size dog comes running up to say hello, I will let it play out. On the other hand, Waylon is consistently more confrontational with dogs that are larger than him, especially young males. In a situation where a larger dog is running at us I will do everything in my power to prevent the dog from getting to my dogs. I also know that any dog that is running up at us and in an aggressive manner is not going to go great. In these situations I warn the other owner that my dog is not going to respond well (which almost never really matters because they can't prevent their dog from coming but I do anyways). In these moments I do my best to let my dogs stand up for themselves while also trying to get the other dog away from us. These situations get really messy, real fast but I do my best. So get real about who your dog is and how they are likely going to respond to different off leash dogs approaching. 

Second, learn to read dog body language so you can gauge what the charging dog is likely trying to accomplish. This is a GAME CHANGER! The more you can read the approaching dog's body language the easier it will be for you to make a decision about how to best handle the situation. Typically a dog who approaches and is not trying to attack us will approach with looser body language. Ears flopping in the wind, tail high and wagging, bouncy movements. If you have a dog that will aggress no matter what, I know it doesn’t feel like it matters but at least you could see that the dog might just respond to you tossing a handful of treats at them so you can make a getaway. On the flip side, dogs who approach with ears pinned back, tail low, focused on your dogs are the situations where I would try yelling, stomping, using your body to be as big as possible to at least slow the dog down. While also keeping your dog on a short leash so you can more easily navigate your escape. Dog body language is something that takes time to learn, but it gets easier. I made a whole free mini course to help on your journey. Decoding Dog Body Language

Third, pack necessary tools. Many of my clients live in areas where the off leash dog approaching is an annoying constant and for those that have dogs who really will aggress at any dog approaching I think it is wise to pack some additional tools. I will say that for your own dog, if they have a history of aggressive behavior towards dogs and they have done major physical damage to other dogs, I would suggest muzzle training and your dog wearing their basket muzzle in these situations. Yes I know it doesn’t seem fair that your dog has to wear a muzzle when other people are to blame for the off leash dogs but at the end of the day, you need to also protect yourself from legal trouble. It is not right or fair but even if your dog is on leash and there is an altercation, animal control could still issue you a dangerous dog citation. Beyond that there are a few other tools that could potentially help, the only caveat is that you’ll need to make sure these things won’t scare or trigger your dog. An umbrella popping up in a dogs face can certainly at least slow it down, an air horn is another more intense intervention as well as a product called “Spray Shield". Personally I have never had to use an umbrella, blow horn or spray shield but they are options if you need them. Lastly, I always have treats on me and like I mentioned before tossing a handful of treats at the approaching dog can sometimes work to stop them or slow them down. 

Fourth, do your best. These situations are not fun, they are not fair but they are a real possibility when you take your dog out into the world. So do the best you can to understand how your dog is likely to react and respond in the best way possible. I wish I could say that I am always patient and kind in these situations but I am not. I always do my best to not feel bad about other dog owners causing problems. Let them take the blame for their foolish behavior. 

No one situation is going to be the same and if you are feeling burnt out and you nor your dog can handle another off leash dog charging at you I want to suggest looking into Sniffspot. You can rent a private yard to enjoy with your dog, knowing there isn’t going to be a rogue dog coming at you!

Hope this helps!

-Rachel