While many dogs enjoy the opportunity to play with dogs they know, most adult dogs don’t enjoy social interactions with every single dog they see. Unfortunately, social media and dog park culture stereotypes suggest that all dogs should be friends with one another. This leads to owners allowing — or even pushing — their dogs to interact (often rudely) with other dogs they meet in public.
Although most puppies are very dog social, in adulthood most dogs become dog selective or dog tolerant, with very few remaining truly dog social. Some may even become dog reactive.
Hearing someone proclaim “but my dog is friendly” can be frustrating for many dog owners, especially when their dogs are being bombarded by young, boisterous dogs whose owners have let off-leash but have no off leash recall.
Unfortunately, these negative interactions can lead to dogs developing behavioural challenges like reactivity.
If your dog does enjoy meeting and playing with dogs, be sure to seek consent before allowing them to approach another dog. Or, better yet, connect with other dog owners to set up planned play dates with dogs you know are healthy, social, and have a compatible play style with your dog.