Saying Hello To Other Dogs

[charlie mouse]

Hi

just wandered if anyone had any advice for me.

my german shepherd just loves to say hello to other days, he is totally happy tail everytime and is never agressive but i can imagine how scary it must be to see a fully grown shepherd sprinting towards you.

I take him to a off the lead beach nearly everyday and he loves it but does insist on running off to say hello to every dog. I have taken to putting him on his lead until the dog gets close then asking the other owner if they mind before letting him off.

If he does make a break for it he normally just says hello then runs back to me, i have been working on his come to me training and he is great until another dog is close by.

any suggestions.

[B-Q]

keep working hard on recall and i wouldn't let him off till your confident you can call him back. Last thing you need is for him to run up to a dog that isn't happy about large dogs bolting up to it and you could have a lot to handle.

I take buster to the dog beach on occasion, but leave when I see another dog coming, basically because I'm scared of someones dog runing up toit because i know he won't welcome it with open arms

[Mushaka]

ok recall is great to learn,but u need to teach ur dog to IGNORE distractions such as other dogs..

teaching "look at me" for this behaviour could be fundamental

[charlie mouse]

ok recall is great to learn,but u need to teach ur dog to IGNORE distractions such as other dogs..

teaching "look at me" for this behaviour could be fundamental

thanks for your comments

I have been working on look at me as well, i get him to sit and look at me everytime we cross a road, sit and look at me before a treat or his dinner and he is getting really good but when there is another dog distracting him he wont look or do anything and even ignores food.

He such a bugger bless him.

[charlie mouse]

I might add that i get him to drop before i throw his ball and if i tell him to stay he will stay in this position until a dog, horse or elephant passes (not that you get that many elephants on our beach)

[JulesP]

Got to say if your GSD ran up to me like that you would cop a massive earfull!! Both my pup and I are still rather traumatised from being attacked.

If you don't have a 100% recall then don't let the dog off lead. I don't let my dog run up to any dogs.

[leopuppy04]

*sigh* - over friendly dogs can be a pain at times.... apparently EVERYBODY is their friend!

I found this really helped me - along with having a great recall.....

Firstly - with him going up to say 'hi' he has just been rewarded for 'making a break for it'.... eventually (from experience!) this break will become earlier and earlier until they break before you even SEE the dog!

The best thing I found was to get my dog to 'ask' to see the dogs. This means - focus on me and 'sit' before saying hello (the release is usually a 'say hello' command). I do this for anything of high value for them which involves running like a mad chook

As you do at the moment - you may want to start with them on lead. I didn't as I didn't want them to associate the lead coming on with a dog approaching (more reason NOT to come).... but having said that, I knew I would have good control of my dog off lead.

I initially started to ask for a sit as soon as I saw the dog (the dog might too) but before your dog is close enough to break. I would then keep rewarding (and I mean KEEP REWARDING) the dog for sitting and 'focusing' on me. I may not make direct eye contact with the approaching owner (watching my own dog) but will ask them if the dogs can meet.... if they agree, I will wait until my dog is giving me eye contact before releasing to 'say hello'.

I will then not call again unless I am 110% sure my dog will come back, but I WILL shower with praise and food every time the dog 'checks in' (wow - mum is GREAT).... this helps keep your recall command and not waste it while the dog slowly tunes out

Gradually I will decrease the distance between approaching dog and asking mine to sit (I may have to use a 'leave it' in there- to remind them) and am now at the point where I can walk both dogs past another without saying hi unless told (well.... except when it is a dog they know well) . I use this same concept to be allowed off lead etc.

Hope this helps

ETA - just read that your dog may refuse food - couple of suggestions:

* use that ball to maintain focus

*use super yummy treats such as BBQ chicken, cheese, devon etc ;)

Edited September 4, 2007 by leopuppy04

[charlie mouse]

Thanks leopuppy04 for a really great reply.

I can see i have a long way to go yet but I will give it ago.

Thanks also jules P I totally understand your point, thats why i am trying to do something about it.

[Mushaka]

leopuppy can u come train my dogs..im tired!! lmao! Sounds like u have done great work!! I have just started "full on" training with my dogs,and i notice that alot of problems stemmed from my busy house.Too many people saying too many things!!

I have now posted signs through the house,and at the front door requesting no looking at my dogs even until i say so.

Good luck muckypup.

My last staffy didnt think he was a dog so he didnt even look at another dog. A group of blokes together were his target lol...LOVED MEN!