Context is everything
I was at the beach throwing Hazel's Frisbee into the water when a car pulled up. They had 2 Labs with them so I packed up and we headed back to the car.
In an attempt to be nice, he called out "we won't be long. Just going to play for a few minutes". I replied that we were good and kept walking. Then he said the dreaded.... "they're both friendly..."
Now I know it's meant to be reassuring, and it's often an invitation to have the dogs meet but here's the thing, I don't care. It's nothing personal. I'm sure these dogs are lovely but context is everything. And it something that all pet parents need to understand.
Right off the bat you have to look at the environment. Have these dogs been here before? Many dogs get overly excited or extremely nervous in new places. How do these behave in new environments?
The environment also has water and access to swimming. Both are highly arousing for most dogs but especially for retrievers. Have these dogs been around strange dogs and water? How did they behave?
Then you add toys and balls to the mix. Very exciting stuff there too.
Have these dogs been around strange dogs and toys? Have they been around them in this type of environment?
Another question I want to know the answer to is, can you call your dog away from mine? I need to know that Hazel won't be drowned while she's swimming to get her toy and that she won't be chased around by a dog trying to take her toy. These people were carrying an armload of long lines so it didn't take a detective to deduce recall is no bueno. And as much as I love to see longer leashes, 2 or 3 dogs running around with them on is how injuries happen.
Where you are and what's happening around you influences the way you behave. The same goes for dogs. We need to better understand that dogs are complex creatures and things are never black and white when it comes to behaviour. History and temperament are useful to help us predict how our dogs are likely to behave, but again, context is everything.
In this case I simply said to the couple, "I'm sure they are but with the water and the toys, it's probably not the best time to introduce new dogs." By being proactive and doing a quick risk assessment, I'm protecting and advocating for my dog, and keeping everyone safe. Hopefully this short interaction gave this couple something to think about and maybe even sparks some positive conversations somewhere down the road.
