How to Ask People to Give Your Reactive Dog Space
Owning a reactive dog can be stressful and takes a lot of patience. But it's not just patience toward your own dog and their behavior. You also have to navigate dealing with other people who may not understand the nuances of dog reactivity. If you're wondering how to ask people to give you a reactive dog space, we'll go over some of the best options to set you up for success.
The best way to ask people to give you a reactive dog space is to be clear, concise, and firm. Don't over explain it. You don’t owe anyone an explanation. If someone violates the boundaries you set, your best bet is to leave the vicinity so you can continue working with your reactive dog and a safe and controlled space.
What to say when another dog owner lets their dog approach your reactive dog
Let's start with the namesake of this website. If another dog owner is allowing their off-leash dog to approach your reactive dog and saying a variation of “don’t worry, he’s friendly,” you need to be firm and clear that you’re not worried about their dog.
Gentle ways to respond to “don’t worry, he’s friendly”
Everyone has a different level of comfortability with confrontation. If you want to be as friendly as possible and make the experience a learning one, try a gentle response like one of the following:
“Thanks for the heads up! Mine’s not.”
“My dog still needs space.”
“Please call yours back, mine is in training.”
“Thanks, but we still need distance. Please call your dog.”
Firm responses if other owners aren’t getting the hint
A dog running up to your reactive dog is a potentially dangerous situation. If the other dog owner isn't getting the hint you will need to be firm. Try these responses:
“Call your dog back. Mine’s not friendly.”
“Call your dog back now!”
“Keep your dog away from mine!”
“We need space!”
However, these situations often result from dog owners with a lack of situational awareness. If they didn't get the gentle hint, they might not be receptive to a more firm response. While unfortunate, this often means you will need to simply leave the area to keep your dog safe. Don’t argue or engage further, just focus on leaving the area.
What to say when people approach your dog to say hi
Many people love dogs and want to show it. When they see a cute dog, they feel enticed to give it some love. While generally a good intentioned act, people should never interact with your dog without asking first. Regardless of if they ask first, here are some ways you can respond:
“Thanks for asking, but he’s not comfortable with other people.”
“No thank you. We’re in training, but appreciate you asking.
“He’s working on his greetings with a trainer, so we’ll have to pass today.”
“No thank you, he can be dangerous around strangers.”
“No thank you, he’s not safe for greetings.”
If anyone pushes back on your boundaries, they are not worth continuing to interact with. While it may feel satisfying to argue or push further, the best thing to do in these situations is remove yourself and your dog to prevent the person from continuing to push boundaries.
You don’t have to overexplain
Some people struggle with feeling bad or rude when it comes to not letting others interact with their reactive dog. But you're simply advocating for your dog's best interests and being a responsible dog owner. Never feel bad about that.
No is a complete sentence. Anything extra may help provide additional context, but it’s not needed. If you say no, you’ve set a boundary. If someone continues to push it once you’ve said no, you don’t have to interact any further. You can simply leave the situation.
It’s unfortunate that the onus is on you to get out of a situation where you did nothing wrong, but if someone is not respecting you and your dog’s boundaries, it’s no longer a safe situation.
If you feel the need to say anything else, try something like this:
“I know my dog and I’m doing what’s best for him.”
“His training comes first.”
“This isn’t open for discussion.”
Don’t Worry, He’s Friendly was created to help reactive dogs thrive in the city. Check out our other articles to learn more about reactive dog training.
Written by: Macey Wolfer
Macey Wolfer is a freelance writer from Seattle. She wants to see more confident dogs and owners with a lower rate of shelter surrenders.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary, behavioral, or training advice.