How do I stop my dog reacting to other dogs on walks?

First, bring extra yummy treats when you walk with them. These should be treats that they ONLY get when they see other dogs. As soon as you see the dog, start praising them lavishly and give them a treat. This will help them learn that dog equals treat. If dog equals treat, then there is no reason to bark and lunge. Keep treating them as long as they are calm and try to create enough distance between you and the other dog so they don’t react. If your dog does react, calmly say “nope,” block them for a moment with your body, then turn and walk away from the other dog. Try to stay as relaxed as possible when you see a dog or if your dog lunges. Make sure the walks have structure. Practice having them walk next to you on a loose leash. If you aren’t already using one, a front load harness or head halter can give you more control on a walk, especially when your dog is excited.

To stop your dog reacting to other dogs on walks, always consider the emotional state of your canine companion when out and about. He or she can only learn if they are calm and not in a distressed state or jumping around in excitement. If you’re ever concerned, increase the distance between you and the other dog so they’re not distracted. Don’t test their behaviour, always build for success and stick to the training plan. Take charge but in a gentle way and always be positive. This will put you both in the best mood for a successful training session. If you don’t see much progression, go back and repeat previous steps in the training for a few more sessions before moving forward again. Always consider safety. Keep your dog on a lead and walk or train them where others are also on lead and under control.

Teach them a Watch Me, do this randomly throughout the day, start where there are no distractions, and your dog isn’t doing something else. Say their name enthusiastically and when they look at you reward them with a high value treat. Once they can do this reliably, practise this everywhere – always rewarding them. Do this until no matter what they are doing or where they are, so you can get their attention in a variety of places and situations. Avoid places with many dogs, start training your dog the Watch Me exercise in a quiet place indoors where it’s just the two of you. Once you can do this at home, you can progress to the garden where there are more distractions from sights, sounds, and smells. Distract them when meeting other dogs, once you know how to get your dog to start responding to their name by giving you their attention, you can start using this technique in the presence of other dogs. Start off a long distance from them – beyond the point where your dog would usually react. All you want your dog to do is look at you, and you will reward this. Practice is key, remember that patience is very important when training any dog and you shouldn’t expect instant results. If your dog has been barking at other dogs or being reactive for a long time, it will take time, patience, and consistency to break the habit or change the behaviour. Use a long leash and avoid pulling on it, while you are training, you can use a comfortable harness with a long leash, this will allow your dog to have more freedom and practise your distraction training safely at a longer distance – and if you need to, gently guide your dog back to you.