Dog walking etiquette is one of the simplest ways we can keep walks calm, safe and enjoyable for everyone — dogs, owners and the people we share our spaces with. 🐾
In my early years of dog ownership, because my dog at the time was super social, had great recall, and loved greeting every dog in sight, I always let him off lead. He’d bound up to every dog we passed… and I thought nothing of it.
Then I owned a nervous dog — and suddenly everything changed.
When an off-lead dog with zero chill (and an owner without recall awards) came sprinting over, my dog went over threshold instantly. Reactivity, panic, fear… everything I’d been working so hard to undo came crashing down.
Until you’ve owned a reactive or sensitive dog, you don’t realise how much your heart drops when you see an off-lead dog beelining toward you. It’s like watching a slow-motion disaster — except the other dog is moving full speed and you’re silently begging for divine intervention.
The Unwritten Rule of Dog Walking Etiquette 🐾
If you see any dog — on or off lead — the polite thing to do is:
- Recall your dog
- Pop them on lead
- Give the other dog and owner some space
This gives everyone time to work out whether a dog-to-dog hello is appropriate. It keeps reactive, injured, elderly, or simply “not in the mood” dogs safe. And it prevents your dog rehearsing unwanted behaviour.
Livestock, Horses & People 🚜🐴
This goes without saying — always pop your dog on lead near livestock or horse riders. They will thank you for it. Many horses can spook easily, and a loose dog can unintentionally cause a dangerous situation.
For a deeper dive into why this matters, have a read of: Why Keep Dogs On Lead Around Horses. It covers safety for riders, horses and dogs, and why clipping the lead on is such an important part of responsible walking.
And remember, not every human appreciates a “friendly hello” from a dog. If your dog struggles with greeting politely, here are two useful guides:
👉 Greeting Dogs & People Without Jumping
👉 Recall Training Tips
If Recall Isn’t Reliable Yet… 🎣
If your dog is more of the “I hear you… but I’m ignoring you” type, it’s time for a long line. Controlled freedom keeps everyone safe and prevents your dog rehearsing unwanted behaviour.
Before you start giving them full off-lead freedom, it’s really important to build that recall properly. Take a look at: Reliable Recall Training: Before You Go Off Lead, which walks you through why recall often fails, how to build engagement and when your dog is truly ready.
You can also check out our guide: Everyday Essentials Dog Owners Might Not Know About.
If you want to seriously upgrade your recall, my Rapid Recall Online Course teaches the exact techniques used in assistance dog training. It works — and you can start today.
Don’t Forget the Basics 💩
Speaking of good etiquette — please pick up after your dog. No one wants to see poo on a path or a bag hanging off a tree branch!
The Doo-Kee clips straight onto your treat pouch and holds full poo bags when a bin isn’t nearby. Hands-free, stress-free, cleaner walks all round.
Please share this post on your socials to help spread the unwritten rule of Dog Walking Etiquette — it makes walks better for everyone. 🐶❤️
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