The above is one of the best articles on dog behaviour that I have ever read. It ties in to both the Shiba temperament subject and my pet peeve about dogs who are allowed to run up to mine.
A lot of owners are oblivious or just plain stupid when it comes to their dogs running up to others. They think that just because there is no fight starting immediately that their dog is “just being friendly” when, in fact, he is creating the potential for a severe backlash.
Clothier provided an excellent analogy in the above article, but let me provide another.
I’m walking down a city street and notice a big man staring at me. Without warning, he starts running towards me and nearly knocks me over. He then starts feeling me up and asking personal questions. When I kick him in the nuts and follow it up with a boot to the head, he starts screaming that he’s going to call the police and charge me with assault.
Sound fucked up? But that is exactly what thousands of fucking assholes are doing to responsible dog owners every day. The implication is that they can allow their dog to run up to yours and jump all over him, but if there’s a fight it’s your dog’s fault because their dog was “just being friendly”. For variety, there’s the OMG!thishasneverhappenedbefore! breed of idiot haunting city streets and pathways.
I also love how morons with their dogs on Flexi-leads allow their dogs to pull them over to my dog so that the dog can jump all over him. It smacks of the dog telling its owners what to do and the owners allowing a potentially dominant dog to get into my dog’s face. It’s like somehow things are okay because the dog was the one initiating contact. Never mind that I might be holding my dog close by my side so that we can pass by in peace.
Tierce is friendly with most other dogs. I like to have him meet other dogs regularly. On my terms. I don’t like it when someone else assumes that he is fresh meat for their dog to jump on. I know Tierce and I know that he’s a dominant little sumbitch. Therefore, I like to initiate how far and fast he gets into other dogs’ faces because he will jump all over them and paw at their eyes and nibble on their ears. Not a good thing with the wrong dog.
Tierce also is figuring out that I will not allow him to dictate where we go and what he does. Because I’m the Alpha and I say whether he gets to meet that dog or run over to that person. Poor little guy never gets to have any fun.
People assume that since I am cute, I obviously must be friendly and that their dog can just interact with me.
If I was a Pit Bull being walked by someone in gangsta clothes, would they let their Cockapoo do the same thing?
Pit bull owner here. Though I’m not in gangsta clothes: I’m the type of white female that people assume is naive and innocent (I tend to be those things too, to be honest).
And people don’t run up to my dog. Nor do they let their dogs do so. Instead, they keep to themselves, or once in a while ask: “Is he friendly? Can I pet him?”
So, The Shiba, you are probably correct.