How do I train my dog to not be reactive to other dogs?

Consistently use reward-based training methods and keep them on a lead when needed. Choose quiet places and times for walks, when possible, to avoid triggers while you’re working on changing their emotions. If you encounter a trigger, calmly move your dog away, avoiding adding extra tension to the lead. Try luring them away with a tasty treat or favourite toy to play with. Reward calm behaviour. Practice focus training to help them pay attention to you. Learn to recognise your dog's body language. This will help you understand when they're feeling worried or frustrated. Speak to your vet to rule out any underlying medical conditions.

Teach them a Watch MeDo 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 (as long as they are not sleeping) so you can get their attention in a variety of places and situations. 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. Slowly build this up to being able to do it at closer proximity but never too close that your dog feels that they need to react to the other dog. Always use high value treats (your dog’s favourites) to reward them for paying attention to you and not the other dog. 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. It is about being consistent and training each step very slowly and practising a lot. Practice can take some time and results can vary depending on your dog’s personality and breed so be prepared to allocate sufficient time and effort for training sessions. It is also about avoiding situations where you know your dog will be reactive – and that might be avoiding other dogs by turning round and going in the opposite direction rather than having an encounter that will sabotage all your good training.

If the dog owners decide to visit, or let the dogs say hi, the problems may get worse. On-leash, both dogs feel trapped, unable to get away from each other. Unfortunately, a tight leash tells your dog you're stressed, making your pup more stressed in return. Many owners don’t recognize rude behavior in their dogs, thinking they’re just overly friendly. They may let their dog charge up to another one, get in their face, or jump on them. This is extremely rude behavior among dogs and is sometimes the result of a lack of socialization past the puppy stage. Adult dogs, while patient with puppy antics, will usually start to discipline puppies once they reach 5-6 months. Many people correct their dog for any perceived display of aggression. Some may force them to sit or lie down in an approaching dog’s path thinking this will help correct the behavior.