Here’s how to handle off-leash dogs when you’re out and about with your pup

There’s a lot of advice out there about what to do when your dog is off their leash, but what if your dog’s on leash and it’s other dogs who are off-leash?

It can be a difficult situation to maneuver, and can be scary for both you and your pup – after all, you can’t predict what the other dogs will be like and how they’ll react to yours. And, if your dog is on one of the best dog leashes while other dogs are off-leash, how will your pup manage?

If you’re wondering how to handle off-leash dogs when you’re out with your pup, however, certified dog trainer Melissa Goodman of Mission Pawsitive has got some advice to share in a new Instagram post, and it’s really interesting!

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“First, don’t panic and be as calm as you can,” Goodman urges. “Make sure there is no tension on your dog’s leash so you’re dog doesn’t feel trapped. Keep moving to get some distance and naturally break up that interaction.”

Goodman’s dog, Aspen, was on a long line in the encounter in her video, so it was easy for her to ensure she had more freedom of movement and didn’t feel trapped. She explains that, in these situations, she tries to keep going in the opposite direction to break up the interaction naturally, creating distance.

Throughout the encounter, the other dog parent remained present, so she didn’t feel the need to move as quickly as she would otherwise. “I judge every situation differently,” she explains, “But I always have treats to distract dogs from my dog if I feel the need to, and I have an air horn as more of a last resort if there is aggression.”

She explains in the caption that, if a dog seems friendly but their parent isn’t there yet, she might toss or hand them treats to keep them busy until their parent can catch up. But, if she thinks that throwing food could cause conflict, she’ll hold back.

While Goodman doesn’t mind coming into contact with off-leash dogs who have excellent recall and are trained to ignore passersby, she explains that she prefers to use a long line, both for safety and also for the consideration of other people – particularly on busy routes and trails. She sums up, “If your dog can mind their business like this, and has excellent recall, great! If not, keep that leash on.”

If you’re looking for advice about your own dog when they’re off-leash, you might find this article useful: My dog embarrassed me with her terrible off-leash behavior — here’s how I fixed it .