Is it normal to approach dogs at the walk by?

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It's like every time I see someone's dog, I just want to go pet him. I can't help it. I love dogs, and dogs have a tendency to like me too. I do this all the time when I was younger, and now that I'm an adult, I feel like I'm too old for this, and I need to grow out of it. My peers just stare at me and call me strange, and I'm trying so hard as to not be strange to others. Same with cats. Everytime I see a cat, I'd want to approach it. If it's a feral cat, I'd try to feed them. In college, we have cats all over the place, so I spend my mornings playing with the wild kittens. People just stare at me and call me ret*d. THat implied that I wasn't allowed to go near the animals, but what's an animal lover to do?


Is this normal? Or should I stop the habit?

I stop to pet dogs.
No-one seems to mind.
Generally the owners (especially if they're older) seem to like the little chat I have with them.

I get really excited when I see a dog too, but you should never go up to a dog you don't know without asking the owner first. You never know if the dog has human aggression problems, or is shy around strangers. My parents have a lab, and people always let either their kids or their dogs come up to her when we're on a walk, and I always have to tell them to stop because she gets scared around strangers and other dogs. They look sort of offended sometimes, but I really don't want to risk her biting someone or another dog.

I think it's perfectly fine if you ask to go up to dogs, although sometimes I'm not sure if I should because you never know if someone's busy or you're going to intrude in their personal space. As for the cats, go for it, I always do!

I always ask the owners before petting them, it's common sense. Just like how humans can read the body language of others. While I'm not good at reading cues, I can read the body language of other animals. If a dog is wagging its tail and arches backward, he wants to play. If he stares at you with his tail upright, and his body still, he's being wary. If I'm petting a cat and she twiches her tail, she wants me to stop.

Nothing wrong with asking. I like it when people stop to pet my dog.

I still stop to pet cats and dogs I meet on the street. Yes, it is important to be careful to notice the animal's reaction; if an animal is uninterested in being approached, I won't force them, although I will try to coax them if they merely feel uncertain. But I think most animal lovers are sensitive to the wishes of animals, anyway. As for anyone who thinks it is "ret*d" to love and enjoy animals, that particular attitude is enough to convince me their opinions aren't particularly worth paying attention to.

Most dog owners - and cat owners - appreciate positive attention being shown to their pet. There are a few jerks out there, mostly folks who are afraid "Killer" (or whatever other evil name they chose) will learn to like people instead of wanting to kill them all. And it is a bad idea to approach any working dog or assistance animal - they have a job to do and your approach would distract them from it. But those are special cases.

I admit, I'm not the best person to ask about "normal". But people are different. If you love animals, you pay attention to them. I don't just stop to pet dogs and cats; I stop to admire squirrels playing, and to feed them in some cases. The same goes for just about any creature I spot. I even like to watch skunks wandering around in the dark - although I am careful not to startle them...

Edited to add: Anyone who can resist playing with kittens, wild or otherwise, scares me. Kittens are some of the most wonderful creatures on the planet. How on earth could anyone be so warped as to consider stopping to play with a bunch of kittens "ret*d"? On top of which, that word in itself is indicative of a rather superior attitude, a snobbishness I find irritating.

If the dogs don't mind or the cats don't mind then who cares what people think? Do your thing.

It does make sense to ask the pet owner.

I do the same with cats. Only if they're ferals, they always run. But I must be an odd sight in the neighborhood, me standing with my cat in the stroller, and looking at the bushes in someone's yard where there's a little kitty.

Petting someone's dog you don't know can be bad because you don't know if that dog has the tendency to snap back at you like bite. I once tried to pet a dog when I was 17 and he almost bit me but I pulled my hand away before he could and the owner yelled at him. I felt so stupid for it. That's why you need to ask first before you pet.

I stop to pet dogs all the time.

Hah, telling you you shouldn't pet dogs or cats, sounds like teenagers/people in their early 20s. A lot of NTs in that age reject anything they did when they were younger as automatically immature - y'know... unlike getting drunk, crying uncontrollably about someone wearing the same shoes to the party and puking in your lap. The funny thing is once they get older they'll start to wish they could still do those things, and when they get even older realize that the only thing that ever kept them from petting strange dogs and cats was themselves and start doing that again.

At least that's what it feels like from noticing who stops to pet animals, just odd people like me, kids, and old people. I don't pay attention to people who tell me I shouldn't bother with animals, the animals seem to enjoy it, I seem to enjoy it, and if people can't handle something as innocuous as me stopping to pet a cat they really should be taking tolerance lessons as I think they may run into some problems later in life with that outlook on life.

If you like dogs, then go ahead and ask people if you can pet theirs. If they don't want you to for some reason they will say so, but many people welcome having their dogs petted. Dogs get a chance to socialize with people so they bark less and aren't so skittish around strangers. Unless you really don't want to, why stop?

I don't see anything wrong with what you're doing. You love animals and approaching them may even lead to making friends with their owners.

If a dog comes up to me, I'll be likely to pet it, especially if its a bigger dog. It will depend on the behavior of the dog. If it wags its tail, gets jumpy, and starts sniffing me, it's usually a sign that he/she is interested in being friends. Cats not so much, and many around here are feral and are more likely to bite/scratch and carry diseases.

I once went to a local bike store and one of the employees had brought in their dog. Since the dog was out front (and not shut in the back), the owner was okay with the dog interacting with customers

I say that you should just ignore the people who consider it immature. I just think that it's their problem, that they can't appreciate the simple things in life. Life is to short to spend it worrying about such trivial matters.

I generally know when a dog is friendly, and when it is not; I won't get near it unless I am sure. Cats usually just run if they don't want you to touch them.

I fear strange dogs. I was bitten as a child. I rely on introductions before I pet any strange dog.