How do I calm my dog when she sees other dogs on leash?

Seeking help
1

Hi everyone, I have a dog who absolutely loses it when she sees other dogs while we’re out walking. She starts whining and pulling like crazy when we get about 50 feet away from another dog, and it only gets worse the closer we get. If I let her greet the dog, she calms down and might play a bit, but if we keep walking, she keeps pulling and wailing for a while. I’ve tried using commands like ‘look’ and ‘leave it,’ but once she’s focused on the other dog, nothing seems to work. Any ideas on how to manage this?

2

Sounds like she’s super excited to meet other dogs! Have you tried using treats to redirect her attention before she gets too focused?

3

Ethan said:
Sounds like she’s super excited to meet other dogs! Have you tried using treats to redirect her attention before she gets too focused?

I’ve tried treats, but she completely ignores them once she sees another dog. Any tips on making them work?

4

@Amaliascarlet
You might need to use higher-value treats, like chicken or cheese, something she can’t resist. Start before she sees the other dog.

5

Have you tried increasing the distance between you and the other dog? Sometimes that helps with calming them down.

6

Matthew said:
Have you tried increasing the distance between you and the other dog? Sometimes that helps with calming them down.

I try to create distance, but she still pulls and whines even from far away. How far should I go?

7

@Amaliascarlet
Start at the distance where she doesn’t react yet. Slowly work on getting closer over time while rewarding her calm behavior.

8

This might be a good situation to work on ‘leave it’ with a clicker. Have you tried that before?

9

JapaneseSpitzExpert said:
This might be a good situation to work on ‘leave it’ with a clicker. Have you tried that before?

I haven’t used a clicker yet. How does it work for teaching ‘leave it’?

10

@Amaliascarlet
You mark the moment she looks away from the distraction with a click, then reward her immediately. It’s great for training focus.

11

It might help to block her view of the other dog with your body or move behind a barrier like a parked car.

12

Unclewaffl3s said:
It might help to block her view of the other dog with your body or move behind a barrier like a parked car.

I’ve tried standing between her and the other dog, but she still whines and pulls. Any other tricks?

13

@Amaliascarlet
Try combining that with redirecting her attention using a command like ‘watch me’ and some treats. It takes practice but can help.

14

Sounds like she’s overly stimulated. Maybe shorter, controlled interactions with other dogs could help her get used to staying calm.

15

andy said:
Sounds like she’s overly stimulated. Maybe shorter, controlled interactions with other dogs could help her get used to staying calm.

That makes sense. How do I go about setting up controlled interactions?

16

@Amaliascarlet
Set up a playdate with a calm dog she knows. Work on approaching slowly and rewarding her calm behavior at each step.