Dog walk encounters: openings between unacquainted persons walking their dog in public space

This thesis presents a comprehensive investigation into chance encounters between people walking their dogs in open spaces. These unplanned interactions occur as dog-guardian formations converge, resulting in inherently mobile encounters that are intertwined with the progression and coordination of the walk. Rooted in ethnomethodology (EM) and conversation analysis (CA), the study explores the gradual development of interactional openings, focusing on what constitutes a ‘proper’ beginning to such encounters.
During dog walks, guardians engage in multiple courses of action, monitoring and instructing their dogs while also preparing for safe interactions with oncoming walkers. The development of an interactional space between mutually approaching dog-guardian formations is crucial for negotiating how the encounter will unfold. This also considers the conditions of possible contact between the dogs since the type of action initiated by guardians also depends on their assessment of whether the dogs are compatible. Moreover, the study examines how guardians publicly display their expertise and make relevant their dogs’ competence, revealing normative and moral aspects associated with walking a dog.
The interactional order and public accountability in these encounters are shaped by methodic practices achieving normativity, orderliness, and intersubjectivity. Adopting a praxeological approach within EMCA, the study transcends traditional ontological divisions between animal and human. The embodied manifestations of dogs interacting with humans are treated as significant phenomena, revealing how intelligibility and understanding emerge during the everyday activity of dog walking. The analysis of dog walk encounters thus highlights the active participation of dogs as ratified participants in interactions with humans.
This thesis enriches our understanding of human-dog interactions and offers valuable insights into the dynamics of chance encounters during dog walks in open spaces. It contributes to the broader field of interspecies interaction and provides a deeper understanding of the interactional intricacies that shape social encounters between individuals and their canine companions. The findings advance our knowledge of how humans and dogs engage with each other within the context of walking, illuminating the complex and nuanced ways in which interspecies communication and coordination take place.