Drew opened a segment of The Drew Mariani Show with a quick story: a man steps out of his car at a dog park, and an off-leash pit bull races toward him. Startled, he pushes the dog back, and suddenly the owner was angry.

“Yo, don’t put your hands on my dog!” Words flew, tempers flared, and a petty moment almost turned into a fight.

Drew Mariani’s takeaway is simple: what’s “friendly” to you might feel threatening to someone else. “Not everybody loves dogs the way you do.” Some people carry fear from past bites, allergies, or trauma. And even a sweet dog at home can look terrifying when it’s charging a stranger.

One caller, Jacinta, admitted that after being attacked, “the fear is there,” and she believes dogs can sense it. Another caller, Debbie, added a key reminder: you should always ask permission before petting someone’s dog, and never get in a dog’s face.

Drew frames it as more than rules. “Good etiquette isn’t about rules… it’s really about respect.” Responsible owners keep dogs under control, usually on a leash, not because they love their dog less, but because they love their neighbor more.

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