# Teaching to ignore other dogs



## JayneA (Jun 11, 2002)

While my dog is very well socialised with other dogs and we are happy with that I want him to learn that he cannot just go up to other dogs all the time.
The is happening in two situations - one when out on walks, he's off lead, if we see another dog and call him back to a loose heel then we can walk on past (but he occasionally breaks it to go say hello), if we don't call him in he will go straight over to say hello.
Secondly in agility training, he will often run over to another dog training on another part of the course, or else get distracted by other dogs which are waiting for their turn.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Does he know the commands "leave it" and "watch me"?


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## bmass01 (Apr 7, 2005)

I use leave it. I also want to point out how dangerous letting him run up to strange dogs is, your dog may be well socialized, theirs may be dog aggressive. It may also be bothersome to the other dog owner. I know it irritates me when strange off leash dogs come running up to me when I am walking my aggressive dog.


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## darga19 (Mar 4, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: bmass01I also want to point out how dangerous letting him run up to strange dogs is, your dog may be well socialized, theirs may be dog aggressive. It may also be bothersome to the other dog owner.


I completely agree. You never know about that other dog. Even if you're dog is well tempered...you can't trust dogs you don't know IMO.


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## Laura H. (Feb 23, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: bmass01I use leave it. I also want to point out how dangerous letting him run up to strange dogs is, your dog may be well socialized, theirs may be dog aggressive. It may also be bothersome to the other dog owner. I know it irritates me when strange off leash dogs come running up to me when I am walking my aggressive dog.


I would never let my dogs run up to a strange dog; they're still very young, but with two of them they have the "pack mentality", so like my Grandma would say, I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them, LOL (Which isn't very far, they're too heavy)


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## pjindy00 (Feb 19, 2007)

Personally, especially on walks, I would not allow him to be loose. If you see another dog, go ahead and snap his leash on and get him focusing on you (ideas for commands were already given). 

I know that I do NOT appreciate unknown dogs coming to say "hi" to my dogs - I know nothing about said dog, and my dogs are always right by my side. My dogs behave well, but our GSD came to us with issues, and unwanted introductions can set her back - she's getting good, and I wouldn't be happy to have any dog just trotting up to us simply because their owner didn't want to put them on a leash in public. I know I come across a bit harsh in this area, but it is a huge pet peeve of mine since I personally have worked so hard to get a dog over being dog aggressive so I'm sure others are in similar situations as well.

On the flip, you don't know what other dogs may do, if they're UTD on vaccinations, etc - not always the best idea to just let him go up to them without permission. Your dog is well socialized, but not all dogs have been. No matter what, he needs to be listening to you - what if he runs in front of a car to go greet the other dog?


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

I don't let my dog off leash unless I know she will not meet another dog. I don't have the control over her yet to have a perfect off leash walk - do I ever admire those that do.

I don't even like my dog greeting another on a leashed walk. So many owners will wander towards me when I'm walking Dakota. I'm working so hard trying to teach her to ignor the passing dog that I sometimes get frustrated when this happens. I try not to be rude, but I usually tell them that I'm training her so I will not allow a greeting. I'm sure that I have offended some, but too bad, I'm working on my dog's training which is more important that allowing their dog a social visit.


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## Rhena (Jan 30, 2009)

Have you read "Control Unleashed" by Leslie McDevitt?

The whole book is about focus and confidence. It's written for agility classes (which means it's ideal for your situation), but can apply to all sorts of situations. It's all based on games and activities to do with the dogs to keep them focused. She has a great one for dogs with dog reactivity called, "Look at that!" (Basically you allow and even encourage and reward the dog to look at other dogs so that they will just look and not end up increasing their excitement level beyond just looking.) We've been using "Look at that!" in our regular obedience class and after weeks of her wanting to do nothing but play with the next dog over, she just looks at the other dogs and even if they're barking or playing or whatever else, she looks back at us without going to the next level of excitement.

I think I ordered my copy from dogwise.


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

Just the other day I got very irriatated with a guy at the park. First of all, whenever we see other dogs walking our way, Zisso and I step off into the grass until they pass. This is because we are still learning and mastering the walk. I do not trust him 100% to meet other males politely. Well, as we stood off in the grass waiting for these people to pass us, the guy let his dog (a little one too) pull on the leash getting just as close as he could to us. Now this was a small dog on a retractable leash...to me the man holding the leash was arrogant and ignorant. JMO


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## adas (Nov 22, 2008)

Aloha. The method of training that I have adopted is that I allow 
Rasa to do anything she wants, but only when I tell her to. In this case I have adopted "Visit or No Visit" commands. Rasa knows that visiting is NOT off the agenda, but sometimes she is allowed to visit and sometimes not. This is working with barking (Bark Bark, and Quiet) and with prey (Leave them-Stay, or Go get them). She accepts or respects that sometimes it is yes and sometimes it is no and it is not that she is forever forbidden doing what she may like doing. And of course I size up the dog and owner, before a visit. 

Frank


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

Adas...wow! I like the Visit/no visit 
I have been using leave it and moving forward to try to prevent him from getting too anxious on the other dogs we come across. However we also use that for many other things such as leaving a treat (or something yukky at the park) and to have him leave the cats alone too. Mind if I adopt your Visit/NoVisit?


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## JayneA (Jun 11, 2002)

He knows leave it and watch, we use both on walks and generally. As I say if we see a dog approaching we will call him in, he comes in, walks loosely to heel and leaves the other dog completely. I too know what it is like to have a dog which isn't keen on other dogs and have the other dog come bounding over so I don't just let him do as he pleases and run up to every dog!
The only time we will let him go and say hello is when we have checked with the other owner at which point we will use his release word and let him play.

It's only if we don't get in there first that we sometimes loose him. I do have a copy of Control Unleashed so I will take a look at the Look at that game.


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## bmass01 (Apr 7, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: JayneThe is happening in two situations - one when out on walks, he's off lead, if we see another dog and call him back to a loose heel then we can walk on past * (but he occasionally breaks it to go say hello), if we don't call him in he will go straight over to say hello.*
> Secondly in agility training, * he will often run over to another dog training on another part of the course, or else get distracted by other dogs which are waiting for their turn.*



IMHO if he can not be 100% he needs to be on a leash 100% of the time. If he came running up to me and my dog, there would probably be a fight and someone would get hurt. I take great steps to make sure my dogs are leashed 100% of the time in a public area and wish others would do the same. Again, JMO



> Originally Posted By: JayneHe knows leave it and watch, we use both on walks and generally. * As I say if we see a dog approaching we will call him in, he comes in, walks loosely to heel and leaves the other dog completely. * I too know what it is like to have a dog which isn't keen on other dogs and have the other dog come bounding over so I don't just let him do as he pleases and run up to every dog!
> * The only time we will let him go and say hello is when we have checked with the other owner at which point we will use his release word and let him play.*
> 
> It's only if we don't get in there first that we sometimes loose him. I do have a copy of Control Unleashed so I will take a look at the Look at that game.


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

bmass... Love your signature line!!!


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