Dogs Recognize Each Other

There's so many variations in dogs that I can't figure out how dogs seem to recognize each other as dogs.

Maybe they're not recognizing each other, just reacting to any four legged creature that happens to go by and most of them that happen to go by happen to be dogs. My dog goes nuts -- virtually -- when there's another dog in the area.

We were down at the park and a lady came walking by with a little white dog. My dog noticed it right away and wanted to get to know it better. Or at least do some significant sniffing, then probably some significant growling.

As it was, I cinched up the leash because I've seen enough of these encounters to know they're without much benefit to any of the parties. There was a duck in the area and I let her have a close encounter with the duck. Of course when we got close the duck flew, so that's the kind of close encounter between dogs and other creatures I like to see.