One of the most common issues that people experience on the walk is
the over excited dog, and trying to introduce them to other dogs on the
leash.
Everything from Great Danes to Chihuahua’s can get so excited it looks
like they are going to explode. There is nothing worse than when they
try to meet other dogs and they are almost pulling you over and
dragging you along. It can be scary, dangerous, embarrassing and very
quickly escalates till you feel out of control and at the mercy of your dog
Aggression or Excitement?
Sometimes it is very hard to tell what they are experiencing and feeling.
The behavior is very often a mix of both excitement and stress. This
however is not a great state for your dog to meet other dogs in as there
is far more chance that things will go wrong, especially over time if it
goes unchecked. See it from the other dogs point of view as your dog
approaches rearing up on their back legs, barking, eyes bulging,
gasping for air… you’ve go the picture.
So how do you avoid such a situation? Well in this post I shall explain
the 3 options available to you. Then you will have a simple, basic
approach to select one of the three and go and practice with your dog.
Having a clear plan of action is the first stage to success.
Firstly it is important to be clear that there are ONLY 3 options available.
And secondly, you must have established yourself already as the pack
leader – this is crucial.
Approach the other dog – Your dog is calm and you decide to
simply approach the other dog on the leash. Yes, this is the ultimate
goal! Remember that we are looking to reward good behavior so do not
get in the way in this situation. Stay silent as you walk your dog towards
the other dog and let them meet. In other words stay out of it and do not
upset the calm environment that you have in front of you.Stay well away – Picture your dog barking like crazy, completely
out of control… this is where your gut instinct knows that it’s best not to
go and visit the other dog and you are better off just walking past. It
could be for a number of reasons. You may feel that you do not have
time to work with your dog and try to calm them down, the other dog
may not seem keen to play, maybe they look a little unsure, old or small.
One other important reason to do this is to show your dog that
sometimes you do not get to meet and sniff every dog on the walk. (This
is how it is in life, so get used to it!)Calm your dog down then make a decision – In other words do
some training to calm and distract your dog. After you have done this
you may choose to approach the other dog or not. The choice is still
yours. The really important point to remember is that you are taking time
out to show your dog that if they calm down (even just a little bit) good
things happen. Over time your dog starts to learn that the calmer they
are the more chance there is of meeting the other dogs.