Could a Stranger Walk Your Dog?

My dogs have adequate leash manners to be walked if I hand over the lead.  If my dogs dont know you,  I doubt you could get your hands on them unless you were very dog savy and very patient with lots of time to spare.

While my dogs also have excellent leash manners, they would not take kindly to a stranger walking them.  However, gsds are not supposed to take kindly to strangers doing much of anything.  While they are all oversized babies, they sure don't want the rest of the world to know it.
 
Tyler is perhaps a bit odd for a gsd. Or maybe a sterling example. Tyler is probably the most stranger friendly of my dogs and he has let my then 3 year old great niece walk him, under supervision, and will walk like a lamb for my almost 83 year old Mom.  He is very calm and assertive, but not agressive in any way.  However, I'm not sure that a total stranger could take his lead and walk off with him.  Not without my ok and some very strong reassurance.

Maggie and Gracie would go off with anyone.  Maggie is best friends with anyone she meets and licks everyones face.
Zoe might be a little reserved.  It's strange some people she likes some she doesn't.  Lucy would run from anyone who tried to catch her she would walk on the leash if they chased her down and forced her to.

My dog does walk for strangers every once in a while, when my regular dog walker can't make it, the agency sends a replacement.   In my experience, it's more to do with the person walking the dog, than the dog itself.  i.e. he walks beautifully for Nick (a very chill guy), but no so much for Libra (a very spazzy, flighty girl).  For Jackie, his regular walker - he has good days and bad days, just like with me! 

Fergie would walk for anyone, and Maska would walk for most.  But, the herders are another story.  Their natural reserve about strangers would get in the way, and no doubt they would be skittering to try to get to me.

I'm pretty sure a stranger could walk both of them, but they wouldn't behave as well for anyone else as they would for me (probably due to the fact that I'm the only one that walks them usually) unless the person was an experienced dog person who knew how to handle them, or got some instrcution from me first.

Cassidy would be at least somewhat aprehensive about it, but not too hard to handle. If she was allowed (not corrected in some way--like I have certian words I say for her to slow down, come along, etc) to, then she would pull, I think.  Like if I was walking with someone else and handed them the leash, Cassidy would keep looking back as if to say, "Why is this person holding my leash? What are you doing back there!?" Overall she would be ok, but would probably keep looking around for me every couple of seconds!

Mirelle's problem (and I've seen this) would be that she gets too excited about other people walking her. She would keep jumping up and licking them instead of walking nicely, even more so with someone she doesn't know well (don't ask me why!)  So the person would have to be firm with her in telling her to get 'Off' and tell her the right words to walk nicely. I'm willing to say she'd be just fine if they knew how to handle her, because that's what's going to happen when she goes for advance training and other people have to walk her. Otherwise, she wouldn't be concerned that it wasn't me walking her.

We actually tried a couple times to see if a backup dog walker who Wes didn't know could come in to get him and walk him - and he was not having it.  He doesn't let strangers come near him in the house when we are not there...  But, if his regular walker comes in and leashes him and takes him out of the house and hands him off to a stranger, he will walk nicely for the person...   

ORIGINAL: schleide

We actually tried a couple times to see if a backup dog walker who Wes didn't know could come in to get him and walk him - and he was not having it.  He doesn't let strangers come near him in the house when we are not there...  But, if his regular walker comes in and leashes him and takes him out of the house and hands him off to a stranger, he will walk nicely for the person...   

 
Haha!  I didn't even think of that!  I guess he's not much of a guard dog - as long as someone is taking him to the park, he's happy. 

Gypsy has gone in the ring with a person she doesn't know well, but ADORES.  She had no problems with her unless she saw me.  As for total strangers, I doubt it.  Her leash manners are excellent but since she and are "co-dependant" I suspect she would giv ethem fits.

She will walk for DH and DS#1 with no problems, but has gotten away from DS#2

Max would waltz out the door with the Boston Strangler if he snapped his leash on and said "lets go."

 
That is so funny. Panama is like that too and with or without a leash he'd get in a car with anyone. Once I was walking him back from my son's house (3 doors away) and a lawn care guy opened his car door in front of my house. Panama was in the car in 2 seconds flat.

Mine spend too much time trying to get to where I am that I'd have to say "no" for the most part.  If they decide they like someone and want to go with them (i.e. at a dog show), then they do walk very nicely. 

ORIGINAL: kpwlee

not sure - they'd have to know not to say "OK" when he is stalking a squirrel or they'd be in the ride for their lives!
He is so powerful that I would be very worried if it wasn't someone who was healthy enough to handle him.  I'd like to think he'd be fine, but my gut worries.
As for being willing as someone else said - he'd walk with anyone for as long and as far as they liked. 

 
Exactly what I would like to say[sm=clapping%20hands%20smiley.gif][sm=angel.gif]

Ours put on quite the barking show when a new person comes into the house, but I think it's more excitement than an intimidation attempt. They love everyone. I'm pretty sure that if a stranger grabbed their leash, they'd be ready to go without a care in the world!

For some reason, Max does his  "absolutely nicest" leash walking when we meet up with someone else with a dog, and we walk along together. If I didn't know  better, I'd think he was trying to show off his walking skills for the other dog. [][]
 
Joyce

Max would waltz out the door with the Boston Strangler if he snapped his leash on and said "lets go."

 
Same here.  He'd go with anybody, anywhere.  He doesn't even bark at strangers or a doorbell, so clearly he'd be happy to go along especially if someone had a treat to offer!  I don't even think you'd need a leash!