to be honest I let Maximus play with anyone that he wants as long as a. I have asked the owner if he/she is friendly andb. Maximus tries to make a beeline for them.....Maximus will try to say hi to EVERYONE...and when he tends to be quiet and pass up a dog, I figure there is some reason that I don't know...like animal instinct??? Anyways this morning I was walking Maximus and there is a man walking his doberman without a leash...mind you I have seen him before (never with Maximus) and the dog is very well behaved so Maximus is in his harness and leash and I notice him..but no big deal right??and we are walking on the other side of the street...well all of a sudden Maximus tenses up and tilts his head so I look and this dog is like stalking us..this is the best way I can think to describe him slowly walking up on us...so I pick Maximus up and the owner is now trying to calmly walk after his dog telling him to heel...well the dog is not listening, and so Maximus starts barking (way to make a situation worse..huh??)..so I am telling him "Shh...Maximus quiet"...this dog was about 10 steps away from me when the owner finally got him to heel....he then proeded to tell me that his dog is very friendly and he NVERE does that...yeah well I saw the look in that dogs eyes and I don't know who he wanted to eat more Maximus and I....so i told him maybe a leash isn't such a bad idea from now on..and turned around with Maximus...lol..the little brat decided that he would start barking at the back the man and the dog once they were fair away enough that he felt safe...lol!! Anyways the whole point is follow your dogs instincts...they will come out of their shell eventually if it's meant to be!! |