One Dalmatian, Two Reactive Dogs, And A Lot Of Judgmental Strangers: Why This Redditor Isn’t Budging When It Comes To Who Touches Their Furry Friends
Some people see a friendly Dalmatian and treat it like a free, public cuddle machine. This Redditor did not get the memo, and honestly, the judgmental stranger stares are doing most of the work in this story.
They walk three dogs at once, including a super friendly Dalmatian paired with two reactive dogs. One is a nervous Romanian rescue who can get scared if someone crowds him, and the other is a German shepherd that was never socialized, so he reacts when humans get too close. Both reactive dogs wear visible signs and labeled leads that say they need space and caution, yet people still reach in to pet the Dalmatian anyway, making the whole walk spiral.
So when strangers keep ignoring “no touch,” the OP refuses to budge, and the comments are split.
When out for walks, the OP politely tells people not to touch the Dalmatian.
Original Post
I walk three dogs, two of which are people reactive. I walk my dalmatian who is extremely friendly alongside the two reactive dogs to keep them calm and collected. Now when I walking with either reactive dog, I tell people who attempt to touch my dalmatian that he isn't to be touched because it will upset the accompanying dog and then I'll have to calm the dogs down again.When I say that my boys aren't allowed to be petted, people usually shoot me nasty looks or say that they'd be fine to pet my dogs. There are times that I've had to put both dogs behind me and be really firm.Both my reactive dogs wear signs and labelled leads saying that they need space and caution and I don't hide those signs, I keep them where they can be seen. So am I the asshole for not letting people touch my dog?Edit: for those saying that I shouldn't own aggressive dogs, I'm going to clarify; they are not aggressive. They are reactive. One is a Romanian rescue who is extremely nervous. I can trip over him by accident and he'll get scared.He is afraid of people and I can't say I blame him. The other dog is a purebred German shepherd who was owned by a relative of mine who chose to be reclusive. So the dog was never socialized with humans or other dogs.I've just had to rehome my cats because he hadn't been well socialized with them and kept chasing them around the house. I only have the dog because the relative died and left him in the will for me to handle. I cannot change who they've become, but I'm working on changing the way they react.
Here's how the Reddit community reacted.
"You’re looking out for the well-being of your dogs."
"It is what it is."
NTA.
"You're putting too much energy into explaining the situation to complete strangers."
You're keeping people, and your dogs, safe.
The New Yorker’s debate over prioritizing their dog’s comfort when strangers keep trying to pet it is similar to this Redditor’s “no touch” rule.
"No explanation needed."
"It's their problem, not yours."
"No means no."
"No touchy."
They need to ask you AND your dogs!
They need to respect what you say.
"They are your dogs."
They're not public property.
It all starts on the sidewalk when OP politely warns people not to touch the Dalmatian while the reactive dogs are trying to stay calm.
That’s when strangers shoot nasty looks and insist they “would be fine” petting the dogs, even though the signs are literally right there.
Then OP has to get firmer, sometimes putting both reactive dogs behind them, because one wrong reach can trigger the nervous Romanian rescue or the unsocialized German shepherd.
And after OP explains the Romanian rescue’s fear and the shepherd’s history, the real drama becomes the strangers’ attitude, not the dogs’ behavior.
In the end, the OP stands by their decision: protecting the Dalmatian from being petted isn’t just about rules—it’s about keeping all three dogs safe and stress-free. What are your thoughts on this situation?
Nobody gets to turn “no touch” into a debate, especially when OP is trying to prevent a full-on reactive meltdown on the walk.
Want more petting drama? See the foster parent criticized for using a scary-looking muzzle on a nervous husky cross.
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