Hi We have an 8 month old Chocolate Lab bitch. She has been going to training classes since about 4 months, and is now well trained around the house, and is pretty calm around us during the day and relaxed in house and out in the garden. She has learnt basic commands, sit, stay etc… very well. She is generally quite good when out walking (i.e. loose lead) and attentive to us when no other people or dogs around, still a bit “pully” at smells around telegraphy poles etc but generally can be bought into line with treating and key words. She has also improved when walking past other people, although often does pull towards them despite regular treating under her nose, and key word usage of “Close” and “Yes” before, during and praise after if did ignore them. However, if she sees another dog she is very fixed on it, and pulls hard and wants to go to it despite every attempt to get her attention, usage of high value treats and key word usage - this is when on the lead. Any walk past another dog is now getting harder and harder the bigger she gets as she is pulling and straining towards them. When we have her off the lead in parks - she recalls really well when no other people or dogs around. If there is another dog she will run over, initial sniff and then try playing with it even if no reciprocal behaviour from other dog – most stand still but she still jumps and tries to get them playing. Eventually she will come back to us, but often only once we have got very close and/had to grab her or run other direction to get her attention! We obviously don’t let her off the lead much/if at all if see another person/dog (we don’t know) coming. She isn’t vicious or barks, all pure play but jumps, pulls and generally very over excited and uncontrollable in those situations. Feels like we have tried a lot of the common approaches, and trying to make us as “interesting” as possible in these situations. Is becoming more an issue the bigger she is getting, and struggling to see how we curb her excitement for other dogs to allow us to have a more peaceful walk, and not dislocating our shoulders when she pulls, and ideally give her freedom off the lead. Look forward to ideas and help!!
Hi, can't help I'm afraid, but just wanted to say you could have written your post about my Florence! She's 7 1/2 months old now and LOVES all other dogs, even if they don't want to know her! I will read any advice with interest!
Hi there, I can wholeheartedly recommend using the Look At That technique, which is described in the book Control Unleashed. I've used it successfully to deal with dogs who are scared of things, and for dogs who are over-excited, like your girl. It works! A bit more blurb about it. https://clickerleash.wordpress.com/...itive-approach-to-dealing-with-reactive-dogs/
