08/02/2026
Dogs do NOT need to interact with other dogs.
I know that may seem controversial to some but very few dogs are "dog social".
If you encourage your dog to "socialise" with unfamiliar dogs (even with all the best intentions of encouraging your dog to play and interact), you may subject your dog to stress, inadvertently encourage reactivity and it could be damaging to the mental and physical wellbeing of your dog.
Dogs do NOT need to play with dogs they do not know.
A scenario I often talk to clients about is to put yourself in the dogs position.
Imagine you (without your dog) are walking down a street. Some people wave and say hello from their yard, you acknowledge and wave back.
Now imagine another stranger walks out of their yard and starts walking beside you. How would you feel ? Uncomfortable ? Would you feel safe ?
What if a stranger ran out and touched you, or was so far into your personal space that you had NO choice but to REACT physically.
For the majority of dogs.....its exactly the same. Other dogs getting into your dogs space can cause your dog to feel unsafe, and can force them to react in negative ways.
Dogs, (just like us) can have friends that they feel safe around, are predictable and know they will not harm us mentally or physically.
A dog that you do not know approaching yours, is just that.....a dog you DO NOT KNOW. You do not know how it will react, you do not know if it is safe and you do not know how it will interact with your dog.
Why would you encourage them to meet ?
So keep a distance.
Size is also absolutely no indication of how a strange dog will behave, and neither is a wagging tail.
Advocate for your dog. It will strengthen your bond and your dog will know it can trust you to make great choices.