In my experience and experience with Miko, I think introducing dogs on leashes is a bad idea unless you plan on letting them off leash in an enclosed area soon after. I know it is meant well but dogs on leashes tend to stiffen up, pull, stand, etc, limiting what a dog normally does when it interacts with a new dog the first time. If I am taking her on a walk/hike, she is not going to be playing or really interacting with any other dogs. Of course we encounter them, but I shorten up the lead and we all pass on by unless we are close enough she gets a sniff, but normally when she sees another dog on a walk, she will immediately start pulling in that direction. A dog interacting with other dogs will naturally want to go in circles, sniff butts, play, paw each other, etc, and trying to introduce multiple dogs to each other while leashed sounds like it could be chaotic.
Like I said this is just my experience with my dog and previous dogs and everyone's situation is different. When we took Miko to puppy class, and in every class they let all the dogs off leash 3 or 4 times a class for a few minutes each time so they could interact with each other and the other humans. Other than during those 3 or 4 times during class, they did not interact with each other while they were on leash. It worked great for socialization with other dogs and interacting with humans not familiar to them.
That sounds like a good idea, does Sunday (October 8th) at forest park around 11am sound like something that would work for anybody?
That date/time works for us. What part of Forest Park?
The goal isn't necessarily for them to meet face to face for the first time on leash - I do agree that dogs tend to tighten up and react more harshly in that situation. For Umma it's more about getting used to being in the same general area as a new dog. When meeting new dogs and people it makes her more comfortable because she takes her cues on the social situation from us. If her humans are cool walking with and lightly interacting with other humans and dogs in a shared activity, it helps set her at ease.
If only there was one approach that worked for everyone it would be easier, right?
I'm down for a walk in Forest Park if I'm not working! I work there, though, so depending on my roommate bringing Kurasi, I might be able to sneak away for a meet up anyway~
Umm somewhere close to the zoo probably? I don't wanna go somewhere that would require too much walking since Haruki is still pretty young. Somewhere that we could walk a bit then sit would be good.
I can attend a walk on the 8th dependent on the time. My usual puppy babysitters are busy during a big chunk of Sundays so I may not be able to get someone to watch Jotunn and I don't trust leaving him alone for long yet.
Another suggestion for a good meet up place would be the WSU campus in Vancouver. I know at least on Sundays there is virtually nobody there, lots of very wide open spaces, lots of trails, and benches to sit on.
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Like I said this is just my experience with my dog and previous dogs and everyone's situation is different. When we took Miko to puppy class, and in every class they let all the dogs off leash 3 or 4 times a class for a few minutes each time so they could interact with each other and the other humans. Other than during those 3 or 4 times during class, they did not interact with each other while they were on leash. It worked great for socialization with other dogs and interacting with humans not familiar to them.
The goal isn't necessarily for them to meet face to face for the first time on leash - I do agree that dogs tend to tighten up and react more harshly in that situation. For Umma it's more about getting used to being in the same general area as a new dog. When meeting new dogs and people it makes her more comfortable because she takes her cues on the social situation from us. If her humans are cool walking with and lightly interacting with other humans and dogs in a shared activity, it helps set her at ease.
If only there was one approach that worked for everyone it would be easier, right?