Too Excited, Sometimes Barking At Other Dogs.

[luffy4688]

Bailey is a Pembroke Corgi, 1 year old. He gets very excited around other dogs, or when he sees another dog across the street etc.

Normally what we do is either we try to walk past the other dog as calmly as possible. But normally that doesn't work as he tries to pull towards the other dog.

Sometimes we put him in a drop position as the other dog walks past, but he is still very excited and still tries to gets up and go to the other dog, so we have to literally hold him down.

If the other owner allows the dogs to greet each other, he is happy just to sniff and then continue his walk.

But if he's not allowed to greet the other dog, when he's given a correction(we use a check chain) when he tries to pull towards the other dog, he'll start barking non stop until the other dog disappears out of sight.

Any ideas and suggestions would be hugely welcomed.

[Kavik]

Have you done any focus work to get his attention on you?

I find clicker training very useful in this situation. I found the book Click To Calm: Healing the Aggressive Dog very useful, even if your dog is not aggressive, it works just as well for excitement. If you click/treat for attention on you, and once this is established at home, take it on the road. Maybe start with the other dogs a distance away (across the road maybe) so you don't have to worry about what the other dog is doing and can concentrate on yours. Then let the dog look at the other dog and wait it out and when he looks at you click/treat. Gradually you can do this with the dogs closer (maybe pull into a driveway or go to the edge of the footpath at first when on your side of the road). You should find that after some practice he should look at another dog then look back at you quickly for his click/treat and you now have his attention around other dogs

[Cosmolo]

Get a copy of Leslie McDevitts Control Unleashed and follow the principles of the Look at That game- Bailey would love it and it would over time, resolve the issue.

[persephone]

How is he with doggie friends, off leash?

[luffy4688]

Have you done any focus work to get his attention on you?

I find clicker training very useful in this situation. I found the book Click To Calm: Healing the Aggressive Dog very useful, even if your dog is not aggressive, it works just as well for excitement. If you click/treat for attention on you, and once this is established at home, take it on the road. Maybe start with the other dogs a distance away (across the road maybe) so you don't have to worry about what the other dog is doing and can concentrate on yours. Then let the dog look at the other dog and wait it out and when he looks at you click/treat. Gradually you can do this with the dogs closer (maybe pull into a driveway or go to the edge of the footpath at first when on your side of the road). You should find that after some practice he should look at another dog then look back at you quickly for his click/treat and you now have his attention around other dogs

Get a copy of Leslie McDevitts Control Unleashed and follow the principles of the Look at That game- Bailey would love it and it would over time, resolve the issue.

Haven't done much attention work with him. ;) Guess it's time to start.

Any ideas where to get Click to Calm and Leslie McDevitts Control Unleashed?

How is he with doggie friends, off leash?

He's loves to play with other dogs. He goes to doggy daycare once a week and thoroughly enjoys his day there. Out of daycare, we do not know much friends who own dogs. Of those that we know and Bailey plays with regularly, we find that we can walk both of them side by side calmly on leash. It is stranger dogs that seems to be triggering the behaviour.