It doesn’t make people soft to be worried bout there dog , to be fair if someone’s dog kept grabbing or mouthing my dog if tell ye owner get it on a led as even if your dog isn’t sinking his teeth in to there dog it can cause there dog to start fretting around other dogs and end up biting out fret , I have no problem with dogs off a lead and mine we’re always off a lead but they never went up to other dogs and tried To play rough , if he comes to your whistle try whistling him befor he goes and try’s rough up another persons dog, or better still put it on lead in public places , as sooner or l