How do I make my dog less interested in other dogs?
Instead of pulling on the leash, anticipate the behavior and using your knee gently nudge your pup in the side to distract him. If he settles down, give him a treat. If he doesn’t back down, you may need to give the leash a short sharp tug to get his attention while calling his name. Reward him for good behavior.
Nervous reactivity/aggression (Fear)
There are numerous reasons this behavior develops. Behavior problems can often start at the breeders (or wherever the puppies are raised) from 5-8 weeks, or the groundwork for this behavior can get its start at “puppy class” before 16-weeks of age. To understand how breeders or early puppy raisers can contribute to this behavior read “How to buy a puppy”.
A common way this behavior develops is a lack of proper dog socialization before 16-weeks of age during the critical primary socialization period. A proper socialization program is not as simple as giving a puppy the opportunity to play with other puppies or dogs. To better understand early socialization and puppy classes visit the socialization page. Socialization prior to 16-weeks presents a challenge since this is the period of time when the puppy is susceptible to disease. More veterinarians today are now recommending early socialization for puppies as long as appropriate precautions are taken. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) has stated “that it should be the standard of care for puppies to receive such socialization before they are fully vaccinated.” (Socialization) Unfortunately there are still veterinarians today advising owners basically to quarantine their puppy until they completes their full set of vaccinations.
A puppy can learn reactive behavior from its mother or other dogs in the home either at the breeders or at their new home. If the puppy’s mother or another dog is reactive towards other dogs and the puppy witnesses this behavior then the puppy in the early weeks of life can learn to be frightened of other dogs and how to be reactive because they had an early role model(s) for the behavior.
Another way this behavior can develop is if the puppy has been attacked by an older dog. Timid dogs “socialized” at the dog park are more likely to be bullied, and now we have possibly laid the foundation for fear aggression to develop. Overly assertive, pushy, rude, or simply unruly dogs will often target timid, fearful or easily overwhelmed dogs. What is bullying behavior or an attack is determined by the puppy. It could be full on aggression toward the puppy or it could be rough inappropriate play or being bowled over for a timid puppy. This could result in the puppy being reactive toward dogs similar to the one that attacked them, or it could make the puppy insecure and reactive in the same environment. (e.g. park, building, exiting vehicle, confined space, vet’s office, etc…) Repeated traumatic events can cause the puppy to develop fear and anxiety to all areas or all dogs.
If a dog will run over 50’ to get to another dog not on its property I think you can rule out fear as the cause of the reactivity/aggression.
If you have a young reactive/fearful dog don’t look for opportunities to “socialize” them without a proper plan. Your dog should not be around other dogs straining at the leash (or off leash) to get to your dog no matter how well-intention the other dog is.
Group dog training classes should also be avoided for many fearful dogs. Imagine it from your dog’s perspective. They are restrained by a leash (flight is not possible) and without your consent they are forced into a group with other dogs some rude, others barking, and still others straining on the leash to reach them. The reactive behavior may intensify after the first few classes. Over a short period of time the dog learns that when restrained on a leash reactive behavior will usually accomplish what it desires which is distance from other dogs. When they have an outburst it will generally cause the other dog’s owner to pull the other day away, and their owner will pull them away creating distance quickly from the other dog. Behavior that creates a desirable outcome will be repeated.
Equipment
First understand none of these “tools” are necessary to train or work with dogs. Choke chains, prong collars, e-collars, and restrictive front clip harnesses like the Freedom Harness, and Easy Walk Harness, etc. To avoid inflicting damage avoid thin collars and do not place the collar high, right behind the ears.
“What equipment do I use for a reactive dog?” I use a properly fitted martingale collar. When working with reactive dogs any “tool” can have risks. My first choice is a martingale collar fitted properly (just snug enough so the dog cannot escape and no more) so I can be sure the dog cannot get free. I use the widest collar that is reasonable for each dog. I use a very soft nylon or hemp martingale collar as wide as practical for each dog. For medium size dogs I use a 1” soft martingale collar, for larger dogs I like to use a 1 ½” soft martingale collar, and for extra large dogs with a 24” neck or larger I prefer a 2” wide soft martingale collar.
Regardless of what leash or lead you use it’s important to always inspect anything you use looking for signs of tearing or excessive wear. Webbing breaks and friction will contribute to the wear of the hardware resulting in loosening of the swivel, thinning of the metals, and even stretching of the snap on the head or the swivel. Rust and the environment can also result in the snap bolt trigger starting to stick or becoming rigid. Having a leash snap/break while attached to a 150 lb dog was enough reason for me to always check leashes and collars after that experience and to use my equipment and not a clients. Fortunately the dog was friendly and just wanted to run and greet a neighbor, all be it a little too enthusiastically. Snap hooks/bolts are available in a variety of configurations and metals. Each has their own strengths and weakness. I believe the breaking strength or Working Load Limit (WLL) of most snap hooks/bolts are more than sufficient for the majority of dogs. But with that being said, there are many people who have experienced snap bolts breaking. Most snap hooks/bolts found on leashes are made with nickel plated malleable iron, or are nickel plated zinc die cast. The strongest are made from stainless steel. Brass would be my second choice. Brass is less likely to break because it’s a more malleable metal, but also the heaviest.
For reactive dogs I minimize the amount of leash they have to minimize unintended corrections. A dog hitting the end of a 6’ leash will get a large correction so I work with the leash shorten to minimize unintended corrections. I will use a bungee leash at times to lessen any unintended impact, but only when working at a safe distance from other dogs and its safe to do so. Any equipment we place on our dogs should be done with care. On rare occasions I will use a head halter device for large dogs that are out of control. These are restraint tools that I consider a last resort and restrict their use to short-term and only with large dogs who are out of control. Whatever tools you use, look to make it as pleasant as possible for the dog while still maintaining control until you get your dog’s cooperation. We ultimately want dogs to desire to be with us, not find us punishing.
The importance of teaching good leash walking skills is that a dog cannot be both walking nicely on a leash and be aware of the location and pace of the person walking them, and be pulling, lunging, or barking, etc… at another dog. Reactive dogs need the least distracting environments to start so it may require finding a controlled environment to start. There is no way to completely control the environment unless you have access to a private location. “Life happens” so I choose places where I can create distance if needed. I choose the best environment possible for each dog I work with. Sometimes I start; in their own neighborhood, a quieter neighborhood, a park that I have several options to create distance from others if needed, and with some at a place where it was very unlikely we would ever see a dog.
Start at the leash walking skills page to learn the most successful method for teaching a dog to walk on a loose leash.Leash Walking Skills
Once the dog has basically over-learned how to walk on a loose leash, practice the leash walking at a distance from other dogs making sure to stay outside the reactivity distance. This is especially important with highly excitable/aroused dogs. Many owners have told me their dog walks nicely but there is always a caveat; unless he sees another dog, cat, rabbit, or squirrel, etc… My definition of a dog that walks nicely on a leash is a dog will stay connected to its owner and under control “even if” another dog, cat, squirrel, etc… Once the dog has basically over-learned how to walk on a loose leash then I incorporate parallel walking at a distance. That distance can be 20’ or 400’. If the dog is reactive at 400’, we work at 410’ to start. Then we keep moving closer over the days in small steps as long as we stay outside the reactivity distance. We then work toward passing other dogs at whatever distance is required to stay below reactivity. All with the goal to have the dogs appropriately social with other dogs, so they are not reacting or struggling against the leash to get to every dog they see. The goal is to teach self-control in the presence of other dogs and people.
For most reactive/excited dogs I’m not a fan of “see a dog get a treat”. With these dogs they don’t need any encouragement to look for dogs, they need to learn to ignore and be socially proper around dogs. This technique is often used in an attempt to classically condition the dog to associate another dog with something good, e.g. treats. Dogs are often mistakenly rewarded for their persistence and fixation, and not for redirecting their attention to us or for exercising self-control or cooperating. Behavior that is rewarded will generally strengthen. There needs to be a disassociation time between the reaction/fixation on another dog and anything that could be considered a reward. I would be looking for 2-minutes of self-control and appropriate behavior before offering anything viewed as a reward so there is disassociation time between the behavior we do not want the behavior we want to strengthen.
To redirect, distract, or counter-condition a reward must be used when a dog is not in a heighten state of arousal. Once we have lost their mind, understand we are no longer training, we are left with management. When a dog is showing interest but not excitement or high arousal, redirect their attention to you and praise them and let them know you appreciate them exercising self-control (but only if the behavior is now appropriate) and if they are not pulling or straining on the leash. If your dog focuses on you in anticipation of something more valuable then what they left, smile and tell them how thankful you are for their attention but don’t offer a reward yet. First with a smile and good attitude ask them to comply with your request to; sit, lie down, stand, shake, touch, speak, spin, wave, etc… Ask for a total of two or three behaviors. (Any time you do this ask for a different set of behaviors or at least in a different order.) If they comply smile and praise them and then offer the reward. The reason for delaying the reward is that we want to put a disassociation time between the fixation on another dog and a reward. This way the dog is getting the reward for complying with your requests and not for reacting or fixating on another dog.
Often times when people are using the “see a dog, get a treat, if you watch closely it often looks more like a marathon runner changing their focus for a brief second to grab a cup of water while they continue to run. The dog’s focus often goes right back to the other dog, and we likely had no effect on their emotional engagement.
When working with dogs timing is of absolute importance. Dogs just like us cannot be both cognitive functioning and emotional/reactive at the same time. (Although they can quickly bounce back and forth) A dog cannot be both walking nicely on a leash and be aware of my location, and be pulling, barking, etc… at the same time. So “before” I see unproductive arousal from the dog I immediately change directions. (be unpredictable) If we wait until the dog pulls the collar pressure is now on the front of the dog’s neck which is what we want to avoid. So by turning around before there is tension in the leash and lowering the leash below the dog’s base of the neck, the tension will be on the side of the neck stopping any forward movement and now turning him around. With the hand lowered as the dog turns around now in a following position the immediate pressure will be on the top of the neck as we gently pull/lead him forward to the appropriate position. If we have built “good” loose leash walking skills the dog will be patterned to refocus on the person holding the leash (without a word said) and will avoid placing any tension in the leash.
Another important point is to not let the dog move forward unless they are exercising self-control. Meaning they will not exit the house, gate, or car unless completely under control and given them permission. Be careful not to move so fast that you are rewarding them for persistent. For example, as soon as you exit request they sit while you calmly shut and lock the door. If the dog is not a wild child I may not ask for a sit as long as they wait patiently for me. If this means it takes 10-minutes for them to exercise self-control I take the time because soon the dog will realize that his persistence gains nothing. Consistency will result in a dog cooperating in a shorter amount of time as you continue to practice.
I’m big on “permission” when working with dogs. Meaning I want them to sniff and have opportunities to explore. But it must be with permission. Many owners get this wrong. The dog will be distracted and pulling and just as soon as the owner pulls/guides the dog back to where they should be they give the dog “permission” to move away, sniff, explore, etc… What they get wrong is there was not a 10-second disassociation time between guiding them back and the dog exercising self-control before releasing them to sniff. Dogs are often rewarded for persistent, not being under control or cooperating.
How to Train My DOG to IGNORE other DOGS (4 Tips)
If at all? The reason for asking is that I have had my lowest day every with my 8 month old lab. I sat in the car crying after our walk today so please be gentle! Our lab is wonderful in so many ways except that she is obsessed with finding and playing with every dog she meets. This means she will start straining on the lead to get to every dog we come across (which is a lot) even if theyre at a distance and even to the point of choking herself on the collar. Sometimes other dog owners see this and, maybe thinking shes reactive or aggressive, will cross to avoid us. My lab in frustration will then start demand barking which makes it worse. She just looks barmy and out of control. Distraction doesnt work. She is literally obsessed. We have invested so much time in training her starting from the day she came to us at 8 weeks. This is not for lack of training. We are on the Dog Training group on FB (which has brilliant advice) and we have worked super hard on making her more dog neutral. But it feels like were getting nowhere. To be clear, she does get to play with other dogs. We do regular doggy dates with her friends. We let her sniff and greet other dogs (after checking with the owner) but not every single dog and Im not going to cross roads or go out of my way to let her greet a dog shes spotted. We are training so that its on our terms. Its also not practical to let her greet every dog as sometimes we need to get from A to B and dont have time for this. We use lots of positive reinforcement and high value treats. We also use a long line. But progress feels so slow or sometimes non existent. Today I took her to the woods and thought as there were no dogs around, she could go off lead. Usually, I see or hear other dogs, I put her back on the lead. Today, she must have smelled them because she ran off. I did find her. She had smelled another dog and found him. He didnt want to play and made it clear. Before I could get the lead on, she then bolted again through the woods and I found her with several other dogs. Her recall is fab when other dogs arent there. She becomes deaf if there are other dogs. It was a nightmare getting her back on lead. None of the other dogs wanted to play. A couple tried to dominate her grabbing her by the neck with their teeth then pinning her down. She doesnt get the message. She keeps going back for more and one day she may run up to the wrong dog. The other dogs all had great recall. It was only my dog running round, being annoying and ignoring me. I felt like a useless dog owner. One owner commented “Youre clearly not as fun as the other dogs” (said it as a joke) but I felt terrible. I do try to be more fun! I once made myself more fun than another dog by playing chase with her and fell and hit my head. She came over and started to eat the treats that were in my pocket as I lay hurt on the floor. Another low moment. She isnt into balls, toys or games. She will even ignore her most favourite treats – chicken or cheese – to get to another dog. She is obsessed with them. I saw all these other dogs off lead, listening to their owners, able to sniff and greet other dogs then move on. Then there was my barmy lab. I felt so sad. She is otherwise a relatively calm and placid puppy but in the last two weeks, she has been really jumpy (constantly jumping on me when we walk) as well as being a nightmare on the lead. She used to walk to heel relatively well. So walks on the lead havent been fun either. Today was a super low point. The obsession with dogs is one thing but combined with the recent jumping and pulling, its not enjoyable taking her out for walks. The training is relentless (or feels like it) and I just for ONCE want to be one of those dog owners I see who go for lovely walks and their dogs behave nicely off lead. If there are no other dogs, shes amazing off lead. Always checks in and reliable recall. But she turns into this mad lab if there are other dogs around and we cant avoid this. Sorry for the long lost. Im venting. Ive never cried before after a dog walk but I do feel so dispirited today. I know they say 8 months is the adolescence and regression stage but I am so tired. I know shes still a puppy. But today was exhausting and I feel like a useless dog owner. We arent going to get a trainer as were already doing exactly as they suggest but, as I said, it seems that progress is so slow. I need to know she wont be like this forever. Please, if your dogs were ever like this, when did the obsession ease off? I want her to remain sociable but theres a thin line between this and being obsessed. On a recent camping trip, she was asleep tied to the stake. She heard another dog and the next minute, she was up and managed to drag the stake out – a metal stake ended up snapping in half – and after her as she made a beeline for the other dog in their tent. We just cant relax with her if other dogs are around. To end on a positive, she is a fab sleeper, was quick to toilet train, is bomb proof in new situations, great with the kids, loves all people and is usually chilled and mellow at home. Sorry again for the lengthy post and thanks for reading.
& months is the worst! They are big, they are teenage, and you feel like you should have cracked it by now but the training is going backwards! Its fine, keep at the training, everything fell into place with my barmy lab almost exactly on his first birthday…
My labrador wasnt interested in balls until after this age but now I can get her back from dogs/ deer/ rabbits every time by offering it, so maybe keep playing with the ball and see if it becomes more attractive. I used the Total Recall book for puppy and also older rescue and found useful things in it which I still use as games. Dogs are the most interesting things to most other dogs so its the hardest thing to train. Good luck
I remember feeling like this. Our dog used to run off to greet other dogs. He was on a long line for ages. I thought he would never stop doing it. We would have a few good days then he would run off. The lowest point is when he was playing chase with another dog running loops around a field. I felt like such a crap owner. I didn’t enjoy walking him for a while. Just had no trust and my confidence was really knocked. I continued with the training, and over time he stopped being so obsessed. I think it was a lot to do with his age. He calmed down around 14 months. He loves to greet his doggy friends but isn’t really bothered by dogs he doesn’t know. I think you will find the same will happen with your dog. Might take a bit longer because she is a bigger dog. Hang in there.
Thanks everyone. Your responses give me some hope. Ive got the Pippa Mattinson book and more besides and do train, so not seeing the results definitely knocks my confidence and patience. I will continue training as the alternative is to give up and it never gets better. I am literally counting down the days until she gets older in the hope maturity will kick in and she mellows a bit in this sense. Thanks again for responding. Tomorrow is a fresh day with another opportunity to train.
Mine was exactly the same. She was one a few weeks ago and it has got so much better in the last month. It wasn’t even really gradual, it just sort of happened. She’s still super interested in them, but won’t run off now, and if she does begin to run towards one she’ll stop and come back when I call. Unless the dog is really close and then she can’t help herself. For this reason I put her back on the lead when I see a dog on lead. We walk in more open spaces so they’re generally easy to spot. Training wise I just used a long lead, started off with a “yes” and a treat when she looked at a dog in the distance then progressed to doing that when she looked away. I still do this now just to keep reinforcing. I never thought we’d get there, so if we can do it I’m sure you can. Just keep going.
I think we’ve all had those days where if someone in that moment offered to take your dog and give them a good home, you’d enthusiastically hand them over! If I’m honest, the recall is not reliable as you’re stating. Solid recall means that they return to you in the face of distractions, not just ignore you! I think longline until she can be trusted. Not having solid recall is dangerous for her as today it was just luck that another dog didn’t hurt her seriously. Do you have any socialisation classes near you? They do a lot of walking past other dogs to curb the fascination.
My lab cross is the same loves other dogs and doesnt get when they dont want to play. We just have to take her when its quiet and she responds better. Ive got her to sit and reward when she sees another dog its little small victories and trying to keep her focused.
I totally agree with the above posts. I have a golden and she was absolutely obsessed with other dogs until after her first season… She was about 10 or 11 months before I could reliably call her off from playing with others. Around this time and after some (actually quite helpful) encounters with pissed off older dogs she became quite submissive, flattening if she saw another dog. She is still very annoying if the other dog is also off lead and receptive. Then she will chase and hare around like a whirlwind. That age is horrendous. Even our police dog trainers were a bit like “eh, shes lively isnt she?” It eases, it really does
I think it also depends on the breed as well as age. You’ll have some people with reserved breeds like collies or breeds with a tendency to become self employed like cockers who don’t seem to have such a problem. But if you have something like a golden retriever you san end up having to work on this until 2 or 3 to get it reliable.
Keep at it, youll get there. Im 16 months in with a goldie so feel your pain. Some days are better than others even now. He goes on the lead as soon as we see another dog. I understand that every time he runs of to greet a dog is self rewarding so I have been trying to prevent that happening. If your girl is hunting other dogs out by smell I think you have no option but to stick with the longline. One day it will just click. Youve got this.
I’d knock the doggy play dates on the head as it’s mixed messages. Can she play with other dogs or not? If she’s often allowed but sometimes not it’s too confusing. Also please don’t let her off lead if her recall is not 100% – if she runs upto the wrong dog she will get hurt.
This is a training thing might be with finding a trainer who does group sessions so you can practise around like minded people but agree with others it’s also an age thing & does get better
I thought my boy. Lab cross had it until recently when he massively let me down He is two in a few weeks. Very frustrating.
Thanks all. Many of the great suggestions here we are already doing. Shes on a long line or lead except if were somewhere where its quiet then shes off lead – back on as soon as I see another dog – so we can have the opportunity to practice recall off lead. Yesterday was the first time shes found dogs by smell and gone off. I didnt see or hear any dogs in sight which is why I let her off lead as I wanted to practice off lead recall. Lesson learnt. Shes definitely back on the long line! @EbbyEbs a doggy play date maybe once a fortnight. We find this helpful because the other dog is a bit older and calm and is a lovely role model. I also agree that I dont want her going up to the wrong dog for her own safety. Equally, I dont want her bothering a dog that might be reactive or stressed by her. I want a well mannered dog! @Bananarama21 we do this too! Costs me a small fortune in chicken!! @SarahSissions totally agree. My friends have cockers and they got round this because their dogs are more info sniffing. Other labs I know are super ball focussed. Ours has never been into the ball. A bit more into it now but will still abandon it mid chase and divert if she sees another dog. We have a lab which is a breed known for loving other dogs. I expected friendly and sociable rather than obsessed though! Thanks everyone for the reassurance. I really hope the combination of age and training means it does improve. I feel like I spend a lot of time apologising to other owners and telling them the clichéd “shes friendly, please dont worry” when my lab goes barmy. @Goawayangryman your post gives me hope!
My lab was a total dickhead between 5m and 1 years. You have to find their thing for mine it was the ball hes obsessed with it. Will totally obey for the ball. Now 18m and minimal interest in other dogs happily do off lead.
Please don’t worry. Your labrador is very very young still. Ours was an angel in the house but so naughty when he saw other dogs, balls etc, recall terrible despite long leads, training etc until he was about 18 months! Then he just got it. He is now a very loving and obedient 2,5 year old. Keep going OP, and don’t be afraid to ask for help from a trainer.
We are still training this behaviour out of our Lab at 18 months, but improvement is steady (if seeming slow at times!). What works for us isn’t a Watch command but a distraction with treats dropped on the floor at our feet and a Find It command. This gives her the choice to take her focus off the dog/dogs and 9 times out of 10 she will choose to do the right the thing. This was behaviourist advice and it works for her. By the time she looks up from the treat the excitement has evaporated a bit and she can greet calmly if we want her to. Trigger points are still offlead dogs not under their owners control and her ‘favourite’ breeds of Collies, Labs and Springers having what she sees as more fun than her with balls or sticks. It has been disheartening at times to see the behaviour return, but it is happening less. There are walking routes where we pass a lot of dogs but that have ‘escape’ paths off to the side so we can gauge her excitement levels and divert her before she tips over to Unreasonable. One day we are confident she will realise that she’s not entitled to play with every dog she meets. It’s taking a lot of repetition to get that message across, but I never expected a working Lab to be easy all of the time. (Not saying you expected this either, OP!). Recall also patchy but again, repetition, long lines and we are sure she will get there. She is a lot calmer with another dog to walk and play with but that has to be on our terms, not hers.
I totally agree with the above posts. I have a golden and she was absolutely obsessed with other dogs until after her first season… She was about 10 or 11 months before I could reliably call her off from playing with others. Around this time and after some (actually quite helpful) encounters with pissed off older dogs she became quite submissive, flattening if she saw another dog. She is still very annoying if the other dog is also off lead and receptive. Then she will chase and hare around like a whirlwind. That age is horrendous. Even our police dog trainers were a bit like “eh, shes lively isnt she?” It eases, it really does
Mine was pretty much after the season too. I hadn’t put the two together. She’s also very much still like you described when she does get the chance, just whizzes around dogs whether they want her too or not and doesn’t take a hint.
Mine is just two. His recall is great until he sees a dog he wants to play with! We choose carefully when we let him off lead. He has learnt a bit of caution though. I don’t think he’d now approach an unfriendly, reactive dog. But we can’t trust him 100% so unfortunately his off lead times are restricted.
Our border collie lost interest at about a year. Shes 3.5 now, and only occasionally approaches other dogs now. If other dogs approach her, her reaction varies from showing her teeth (in which case I remove her) to tolerating the attention, and rarely, actively playing.
We had another training session this morning on the lead. My arm is sore from her lunging and straining to get to other dogs (even if theyre at a distance) or she plants herself down and waits for them and refuses to move. Its hard as there are lots of off lead dogs that also come up to mine when we are training. Today, I had one lady ask whether mine is safe (understandable when my lab turns barmy) and another lady actually rolled her eyes at me when I said “Im sorry, were in training” when she refused to call her dog away as “he only wants to say hello to yours”. Sigh! @Saucery thats a good tip about the find it. We tried that today and it worked better than just having her sit and look at me. So thank you. The only time it didnt work was when an off lead dog we were distracting her from came and joined in and gobbled up her treats!!
We had another training session this morning on the lead. My arm is sore from her lunging and straining to get to other dogs (even if theyre at a distance) or she plants herself down and waits for them and refuses to move. Its hard as there are lots of off lead dogs that also come up to mine when we are training. Today, I had one lady ask whether mine is safe (understandable when my lab turns barmy) and another lady actually rolled her eyes at me when I said “Im sorry, were in training” when she refused to call her dog away as “he only wants to say hello to yours”. Sigh! @Saucery thats a good tip about the find it. We tried that today and it worked better than just having her sit and look at me. So thank you. The only time it didnt work was when an off lead dog we were distracting her from came and joined in and gobbled up her treats!!
How infuriating! Other people with their off lead dogs are the bane of my life. My dog is very reactive, like yours she would lunge at dogs even from a distance. We started positive reinforcement training but it only works if you can keep your dog under threshold (at a distance where they don’t react) and over time that distance gets smaller and smaller. My dog is now fine with dogs walking at the other side of the road (or a similar distance) but if an offlead dog comes running over it puts our training back months. Some people are just so bloody stupid. I once had a bloke shout to me “it’s ok, he’s friendly” I shouted back “mine isn’t so can you please get hold of your dog!” … he then lectured me on the importance of letting dogs socialise – I swear I could have swung for him!
I find National trust gardens (not estates or countryside ) the best place for training to stop the lunging. All other dogs have to be on the lead, and because they are usually plodding round less interesting than something wizzing all over the place. I try to go to one twice a week to practice heal work. I find parks etc a nightmare because you think you have it cracked and then some little shit comes tearing over or you have some dog haring about after it’s ball and thus making every other dog want to join the fun. I see a National trust membership as the price of three training sessions and I have it for the year so we’ll worth it
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