LOL

OK..

Did this thread not start due to your wife's thread about NI - plague...and people avoiding dogs?? hence the wolfy statement..

I did take offence to your statement
Mine can do that on leads thank you... where they are under total control, can't run off under a bus or eat a sheep etc etc

No. It didn't. I am my own person as she is her own. I don't want to come back to a pro / con NI debate. My wife gets heated sometimes (and I guess I do to ) but this was a thread that I wanted to start as I had this crazy idea a few nights ago.

Sorry if that sounded like an attack. it really wasn't. This is the problem with text based conversations... it's really hard to gauge tone. it wasn't sarcastic.

That's great! I wish mine could. I mentioned in an earlier post that Cassie has an issue meeting new dogs on a lead. Not sure what happened to her in her previous life, but she feels to defensive on a lead and can snap. It's nothing that we do as we have tried to discourage it (and she is getting better), but I don't wanna work on this too hard because it stresses her out and she is already a nervy dog. I do worry about her running of, but she's pretty good with recall and never wanders off without us. Plus, being a lurcher, she'll run like mad for 10 minutes and then she'll be knackered for the rest of the night.

I meant the only way to avoid people who are overprotective of their dogs. My dogs are well socialised because we have regular dog walkers here - we meet up every orning on the field and have up 10 dogs running together at the same time.

I think partly it's down to where you walk as well. EG if you are walking along a track then people seem to want to just get on with their walk and so put their dogs on leads in order to carry on and not hang about.

But if you're somewhere like a park/playing field then people are more likely to hang out and the dogs get to play.

That's what I find round here anyway.

Hmmmmm, sounds familiar I've got a terrier cross, a staffy and a Bedlington terrier who all think they are Malamutes

Sorry I missed this last night..

LOL.. Malamutes (and Samoyeds) are independent animals..they don't "need" you
They are bred to run.. and run they do..They have whats called selective deafness..and also a "You threw it you go get it" attitude..
They can think for themselves and don't need to do what you want them too..they don't need to please you they please themselves..

I think its hard to explain..its more a case of live with them and see it work LOL...Or live with them and not see it work

I have noticed as well that the way men and women walk dogs differs. When it all men in the park they stick round the edge and all seem to walk there own walk. When women are out they seem to be more willing to stop and chat or change the path they were taking to meet up.

Interesting thread.. but I think if there were "flags" of any type to use, someone would get them mixed up and give the wrong signal.
Having had to keep a rescue dog on a lead whilst retraining her I honestly do think that if a dog is on a lead it is for a reason. Easiest signal of the lot. Talking to the owner will find out the reason, if I want to know. Else their body language will tell me tons too.

There are times I would love an impaled teddy flag - however my dog steadfastly loves all the little brats

My boy is not fab with other dogs. He goes on a lead when we are approaching another dog, but if you can control your dog and call it away first time, then I'm fine with your dogs staying off the lead.

Just yesterday, a little terrier bombed it across the park towards mine. Alfie went into a down and ran straight at it when it got close. Chase started, which for the terrier was a game but for Alfie was very much not a game! I'm 80% sure he wasn't playing, and had he caught him, things would have been bad. The owner was at the other side of the park, I got hold of Alf's collar and had to hol on to it hile the other dog continued to sniff Alfie, and the owner at the point began trying to call her dog, which ignored her entirely. It wasn't until the owner was walking out of the gate the the dog left us, and that was yet another bad dog experience for Alf.

It's that type of owner that drives me mad, gives me no time to get Alfie on lead and will most likely blame me should he have a snap.

Yep, my dogs DEFINATELY think they are Malamutes (and my friend's Springer Spaniel too!)