Why don’t I let most strangers pet my dog in public?

When my Australian cattle dog and I are out in public, I politely decline strangers’ requests to pet her.

Why, though? She generally likes people. Though shy at first, she makes friends quickly and rolls over for belly rubs sweetly. If someone asks if she’s friendly, the answer is “yes”.

But she also trusts me — and that’s something I’ve worked really hard to earn.

Here’s my reasoning to keep strangers out of her personal space!

* Update August 2021: As time has gone on, I’m more willing to allow polite strangers to interact with my dog when she’s comfortable. You can read further details on how I make those decisions — and overall how our thought process has evolved — in this newer blog! Most of the general points in the below article still stand, though, so I’m leaving it intact below.

1) Many people don’t know how to politely interact with dogs

In the past, I let many people pet Scout. She was a little bit shy, and I hoped that having positive experiences with strangers would help her be…