How to train your dog to be calm around other people?
Katheryn Kunde
2025-07-22 11:22:18
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Dog owners can use positive body language and treats to teach a dog how to sit and stay when called and to obey you when around other dogs. Dogs get hyper around each other because they want to socialize and make new friends. You can train a dog to ignore other dogs by following these steps. Prepare the right equipment, plan to bring along all of the gear you need to take your dog on a comfortable walk as well as bring training tools for positive reinforcement. Take a walk with no distractions, begin by taking a normal walk with your dog where there are no other dogs around. Practice rewarding your dog when called, every so often, stop and call your dog’s name, reward your dog and use your clicker if they look at you and remain calm. Start walking at a distance from other dogs, once you have trained your dog to stop, calm down, and leave objects alone while on walks, you can begin slowly walking around other dogs at a distance. Gradually move closer to other dogs, over the course of multiple days and dog walks, begin moving closer to other dogs while still using positive reinforcement to bring their attention back to you when distracted.
Keith Legros
2025-07-22 10:59:09
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To train your dog to act appropriately and be calm when he encounters strangers you should never punish reactive behavior, do not yell or pull back on a lead, which creates more excitement and anxiety and makes the behavior worse. You want your dog to be mentally relaxed when he encounters a stranger. Although he may be happy, and excited, or bark to let you know someone is there, there would be a confident, balanced, relaxed posture, and his behavior should be controlled and calm. The best way to create calm behavior around strangers is to socialize your dog early by exposing him to lots of different people and situations. During the training period you will want to keep your dog from being exposed to strangers except during scheduled training sessions, where you can modify your dog's behavior. Do not punish or force your dog to accept handling from a stranger during training, you will need to exercise patience and move at your dog's pace. Enlist friends who are not afraid of dogs, and who your dog is unfamiliar with, to assist you in training. Have lots of treats available to positively reinforce appropriate behavior.
Talon Smitham
2025-07-22 09:02:42
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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. Try to stay as relaxed as possible when you see a dog or if your dog lunges. If you react when they do, you will only add stress into the situation. Practice having them walk next to you on a loose leash. Then have them sit multiple times on a walk just because you asked them too.
Jena Lowe
2025-07-22 08:25:58
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We're getting closer to a default sit or drop when a stranger walks past/approaches, but only people without dogs. I've been using our daily walks to try to practise being more calm as strangers approach for a pat or walk past, but it feels like super slow going. I have a 9-month-old Samoyed who's full of energy and wants to be friends with everyone.