Dog walks and meeting other dogs

Taking your dog for a walk is not always a walk in the park. Dogs can sometimes tug on their leads, or even lunge at other dogs, growling and barking. But how do you train this out of them – so you can have an all-round more pleasant experience? And what’s the best method for training?

Using dog psychology to influence a change in behaviour

Understanding what motivates your dog will make it easier to bring about the change you want to see – and help you achieve your long-term goals with dog walking.

Why is your dog being aggressive?

There are several reasons why dogs become aggressive when they see another dog. It can be out of fear or anger. This emotion is usually triggered by negative past experiences – or even a social frustration, due to not having enough socialisation with other dogs.

Understand how your dog is feeling

Fear in dogs can present itself in either fight or flight mode. So a dog that lunges forward at another dog may be doing so out of fear and a desire to create greater distance from this other dog. If you suspect that your dog may be acting out due to fear, there are two solutions you can try:

1. Stand in between the two dogs, with your back your own dog and facing the other dog.
2. Move away from the other dog, giving your dog distance from the other dog.

In both instances, you may find that your dog acts more calmly in response.

If your dog is excited or frustrated due to inadequate socialisation, creating a barrier or distance between the two dogs won’t necessarily help the situation. In this instance, its best to reward your dog for good behaviour, but maintain distance. You could allow your dog to sniff where the other dog has been after it’s moved on.

Using a harness to train your dog

There’s no universal method for training your dog – what works best will depend on the individual dog and owner. However, many dogs benefit from harness training, with a long lead. A harness helps reduce pressure on your dog’s neck while training – and works well for longer distance leads too.

Set up a pre-warning system for your dog

Get in the habit of giving your dog a heads up when another dog is coming. You could simply say “There’s a dog coming.”

A warning will help reduce the burden of a stressful situation, and will help you to gauge your dog’s reaction to an upcoming meeting.

With time and training, you want to see a relaxed reaction to the warning and the dog falling into the routine.

Encourage positive associations

Counter-conditioning can be helpful for creating a more positive response from your dog. You can practice meetings with other dogs by simply presenting your dog with an object that smells of another dog (for example, their shed fur), or mimics the sounds (like barking played on speakers).

When you present your dog with this object or sound, reward them with a treat. Repeat until your dog is visible more relaxed at the sight/sound/smell of your practice object. Then you can begin to give them positive verbal cues (like “right,”, “good” or “yes”) when you show them this practice object.

This practice session will help reinforce the relaxed and calm behaviour you want to see in your dog. And then it will be easier when they encounter a real dog.

There’s more…

You can go one step further and encourage your dog to perform actions when they encounter another dog.

For example, you could teach your dog to acknowledge the other dog and then come and sit behind you to get their reward. Clever reward placement is key to getting this to work. Hold the reward behind you, at your side, or even throw it onto the ground to encourage your dog to look away from the oncoming dog. And don’t forget those verbal cues (“good”, “yes”).

If your dog has a neutral or even positive body language, you’ll know it’s working. If your dog lunges, puffs up or growls, you need to create more distance and start a little slower. All dogs should be given the opportunity to practice in a calm environment, where they feel safe.

Adapt the training to meet your dog’s needs

Training like this can be hard. Therefore, it’s important to check in with your dog to see how it’s finding it all.

Signs your dog is finding the training difficult – or even stressful – include:

• Lunging
• Licking their nose
• Holding their tail stiff and erect
• Yawning
• Crouching
• Shaking
• Scratching
• Squinting

If you start to notice these quite frequently, you need to simplify the training.

You can tell that the training is working when you encounter another dog and your dog:

• Behaves in the desired manner
• Wags their tail
• Has relaxed ears and a flattened forehead
• Walks at a relaxed pace
• Sniffs the ground from time to time
• Looks at the other dog, but also at you or on other things.

Selecting a location for training

It’s best to let your dog practice in calm, safe environments. If you’re practicing with other dogs, go for calm dogs that allow your dog to have the distance they need.

If you find that your dog is learning quickly, you can change the location and start practicing your walk route. It’s best to avoid your usual walk route when the problems arise when you’re first training.

If the training doesn’t work

When things aren’t working out as you plan, don’t try to remedy the situation by offering treats or verbal cues. This can undo the work you have done in your training – this should be saved for positive, successful encounters. Simply distance yourself as much as possible from the other dog.

If you notice that things aren’t working out more often than not, it’s best to change things up. Try practicing or changing location. You want to ensure that you have as many positive encounters and successful practice sessions as possible. This will help your dog improve faster. Start small, in new and safe places, and let your dog develop new abilities under controlled conditions.

As you start to see long-term improvements, you can vary where you practice, the dogs you encounter, the distance you hold and the rewards.

Reviewed and approved by dog trainer Caroline Alupo, June 2024.