Polite Greetings on Leash

Overview

On-leash greetings are surprisingly risky. Leashes create tension, dogs can't use natural distance-increasing signals, and one bad interaction can create months of reactivity. Default to "no greeting" and reserve greetings for known, calm dogs.

Why it matters

A confident "no thanks" to strangers protects your dog and keeps walks calm.

Watch: demonstration

[VIDEO PLACEHOLDER] Handler declining a greeting request politely, moving off the sidewalk. — trainer to attach a video via the admin uploader.

Step by step

1. Default answer: "we're training, thanks!" and keep walking.

2. If you do greet: keep it under 3 seconds, then move on.

3. Reward your dog for looking at the other dog then back at you — no greeting needed.

4. Never force a greeting. If either dog is stiff, avoiding, or stressed, walk away.

5. For your dog to greet: loose leash, loose body, both dogs choosing to approach.

[IMAGE PLACEHOLDER] A "no greeting" hand signal / body block posture. — trainer to upload one or more still images.

Common mistakes

• Letting your dog drag you toward every dog they see.

• On-leash meetings with unknown dogs on tight leashes — recipe for a fight.

• Feeling obligated to say yes when someone asks "can they say hi?"

Practice this week

Practice one polite "no thanks" per walk this week.