How to stop dogs reacting to other dogs?

Make sure you check out our WIKI for recommended resources and articles about common problems. This community is geared towards modern, force-free, science based methods and recommendations. I find because it’s embarrassing I’ll try to deescalate the situation, pull him away, try to get his attention before it even happens but he always goes for the other dogs. I haven’t tried using high value treats yet. How should I react or not react to get him more comfortable on leash.

Teach them a Watch Me exercise, 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. Distract them when meeting 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. Always use high value treats to reward them for paying attention to you and not the other dog. Practice is key, remember that patience is very important when training any dog and you shouldn’t expect instant results. It is about being consistent and training each step very slowly and practising a lot. 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. 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.

When our dogs meet on leash, they are typically forced to approach head-on and are often unable to turn their bodies. Their forced body language, and our own, tell our dogs that we want to fight with one another. Most dogs don’t want to fight, so they display a number of behaviors designed to prevent it. These distance-increasing behaviors includes barking, lunging, or growling — anything to make the threat go away. On-leash, both dogs feel trapped, unable to get away from each other. Often, owners have their dogs on tight leashes, thinking this will help if anything happens. Unfortunately, a tight leash tells your dog you're stressed, making your pup more stressed in return. As a result, both dogs may start barking, switching from their flight instinct, to fight. 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.

To stop dogs reacting 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.

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. Keep your dog on a lead and walk or train them where others are also on lead and under control. Consider muzzle training your dog.