Pets and Their People Blog

It’s that time of year for various walks to benefit one nonprofit cause or another. Several of you will undoubtedly participate, running or walking and doing your part to help others. Thank you!

Some of you with dogs will even bring your dogs to this mass gathering of humanity and semi-organized chaos. Based on my many years of experience at these events, many of your dogs will proclaim in various ways, “Why didn’t you let me stay home?!”

Does Your Dog Enjoy Public Events…?

…Or would they rather stay home? Please recognize that all the people, the frenetic activity, and the tight spaces may be just as stressful to your dog as a thunderstorm or fireworks. If your dog easily gets anxious or is typically shy, please, for their sake, let them stay home.

I had one dog who loved these events and another who immediately made it clear she wanted to go home. In that case, we returned home right away. Sadly, I have seen so many unhappy dogs at these walks that I no longer enjoy participating in the events. I choose to support the organization by just mailing them my donation.

Dog Body Language

Dogs enjoying these events will let you know with their body language. If their body is loose and wiggly, their ears are in a neutral position, and their tongue is lolling out of their mouth, they are happy to be there. You can see some examples of relaxed and comfortable dogs in this graphic:

However, understand that the behavior of any individual organism can be affected by every other organism in the environment.

At these events, there may be the potential for your dog to be exposed to hundreds of people and hundreds of other dogs.

Thus, the happy, content dog can become upset very quickly. If your dog exhibits “Stay Away” signals, as shown in the graphic above, please consider taking your dog home.

Dogs Under Stress

Dogs under extreme stress will typically be very reactive, lunging, barking, and growling to keep a threat away. These dogs should not be brought to public events as they threaten public safety and have a higher probability of biting due to their high level of arousal. These dogs are experiencing severe emotional trauma, and keeping them home for their mental health is equally important.

People often think their dog is “ok” or “fine” because they are not offering any behavior. These dogs are so terrified they appear as if they are frozen. They are motionless, avoiding eye contact and interaction with everyone and everything. If you see your dog frozen like this, please take them home.

If your dog frequently shows signs of extreme stress, I encourage you to speak to your veterinarian as soon as possible. You may also want to consult a veterinary behaviorist and/or an accredited Professional Canine Behavior Consultant.

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About the Author

Don Hanson lives in Bangor, Maine, where he is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop and founder of ForceFreePets.com, an online educational resource for people with dogs and cats. He is a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC-A) accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB) and a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP). Don is a member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG), serving on the Board of Directors and Steering Committee and chairs the Advocacy Task Force and Shock-Free Coalition. He is also a founding director of Pet Industry Advocacy International (PIAI). In addition, Don produces and co-hosts The Woof Meow Show podcast. 

The opinions in this article are those of Don Hanson.

©2025, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved