Training the dog neutral dog

[Jenko109]

My whippet puppy wants to be everyone's friend; people and dog alike.

I have three dogs, of which one is reactive so most of our walking is done very early morning or in private fields so we dont see anyone.

I do however want to be able to walk my whippet with friends sometimes. Today was his first introduction to a friends puppy and dog. He was quickly put back on lead as his play was just too boisterous for my friends puppy.

He plays very rough with my other two at home; which is okay as every participant enjoys the game. This however has seemingly translated to him thinking its okay to play like that with others.

I think my best bet is probably to not allow play dates going forward and instead teach him to ignore new dogs. He gets plenty of play with his pack at home, so he does not need to play with others.

But how do I create this dog? He goes to puppy classes at the weekend which is all on lead so I'm sure this will help but how do you tell a mega sociable dog to not be sociable?

 

[Spotherisk]

My lurcher is just the same, our other four dogs are different types of breed and will not play with him. He is about 11 months now and we’ve started agility and the bronze kc award for a bit of socialisation.

 

[CorvusCorax]

You have to make yourself more interesting/of more worth to him than other dogs/give him something else to do that is of equal or more worth than playing with other dogs.

Not everyone agrees but I would put a stop/end command into the rough-housing at home, when you decide and encourage some form of time out or social isolation, IE it's OK to chill out on your own away from your mates for short periods.

Otherwise, it is unfair to expect a young dog to know 'I can do this here/with these dogs for as long as I like, but not there/those dogs'.

 

[Clodagh]

Scout (my 6 month old) didn’t understand STR lurcher pup’s play style at all, he was quite overwhelmed. He just gave up! But if we needed to stop them one was put on a lead until the Adrenalin levels dropped and they started mooching again and then they could both be let go again.
He does know ‘enough’ as a command at home.
When we meet dogs on walks he has to sit up and wait with the others. I do slip a lead on him as couldn’t be sure he would stay sitting if I wasn’t paying attention. He gets a treat for lead on and sit as he used to be bad to catch.

 

[Jenko109]

He will stop on command and settle down at home.

The trouble I find is that he loses all interest in food when there are exciting distractions, even really high value food.

I think I am perhaps expecting too much and need to start smaller with distractions further away. I've just never had such a sociable one before. I'm sure I'm basically dead to him when there is another dog close by ?

 

[Clodagh]

He will stop on command and settle down at home.

The trouble I find is that he loses all interest in food when there are exciting distractions, even really high value food.

I think I am perhaps expecting too much and need to start smaller with distractions further away. I've just never had such a sociable one before. I'm sure I'm basically dead to him when there is another dog close by ?

A toy that he only sees when he needs a proper distraction? If I hold a tennis ball it’s like waving drugs at an addict. They don’t even blink. Trouble is anything squeaky will rev up the other dog!

 

[Spanny]

Following with interest - sounds very similar to our pup. I'd like him to able to have more off lead time but it's just not possible at the moment unless we're meeting up with people/dogs we know. I use high value treats for recall on his longline and reward when he checks in and when he keeps focused on me. I do think we're seeing progress in the right direction but it's slow!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Not hungry enough

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

It's stilla bit early in the year but we have found that agricultural show etc are really good places for training pups to be dog neutral because all dogs will be on leads and not trying to interact, so pups get the idea that you can just walk past other dogs.

 

[P3LH]

In addition to the above I find being a miserable/unsociable git helps? I like dog walks in peace so don’t stop for pleasantries or chat with other dog walkers so mine really just see other dogs as something you just see on a walk in the same sense they see trees, horses, other people etc. Irritatingly my OH, who is much more sociable than I, is a chatter and from walks with just her my youngest is definitely more of a greeter to other dogs than my others!

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

You have to make yourself more interesting/of more worth to him than other dogs/give him something else to do that is of equal or more worth than playing with other dogs.

Not everyone agrees but I would put a stop/end command into the rough-housing at home, when you decide and encourage some form of time out or social isolation, IE it's OK to chill out on your own away from your mates for short periods.

Otherwise, it is unfair to expect a young dog to know 'I can do this here/with these dogs for as long as I like, but not there/those dogs'.

I agree with all of that. I’ve taught mine to sit to greet new dogs. Goose is a work in progress, Mitch is more into us than anything, so we’re winning there.

I remember watching some Borstal for dogs type programme, where the trainer (possibly ex-military) told his colleague a springer owner was just ‘too boring’ for the dog. You have to be much more interesting than anything else. Feed him only on walks, maybe, start the walk with him hungry, or use high value treats-mini sausages, for example.

 

[Karran]

When Mrs Collie was a complete and utter brat, she only got fed on walks and engaging with me and not the environment.
I taught her to look at me in the face of distractions and we took that on the road, teaching her to disengage from everything right down to crisp packets building up to other dogs.

It helps that Mrs Spaniel was very strict with her. She has always been a bit of an introvert, doesn't play With other dogs but will say hello politely before resuming Spaniel activities. She had zero tolerance for Mrs Collie's antics and quickly taught her that, we don't do chase games or anything rough.

 

[Annette4]

If food isn't working try a tuggy, the fluffier the better!

With Fizz we stopped all play dates and walks were pure training and me being super exciting (on a long line to start with so she couldn't fail).

For Dobby, we stopped feeding meals and only fed on walks to reward engagement as well as his tuggy.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I remember watching some Borstal for dogs type programme, where the trainer (possibly ex-military) told his colleague a springer owner was just ‘too boring’ for the dog.

Most people are. Genuinely, it's the biggest issue I see. Standing there like a wet sock while their dog stares at everything else and won't engage.
I'm a bit of a silly sod with my dogs but I don't care how daft it looks.

 

[Spotherisk]

Most people are. Genuinely, it's the biggest issue I see. Standing there like a wet sock while their dog stares at everything else and won't engage.
I'm a bit of a silly sod with my dogs but I don't care how daft it looks.

I’m the totally ott super enthusiastic owner running away from the dog and being loud and exciting.

 

[Karran]

It's been the biggest thing I've had to learn with Mrs Collie.
I knew that I needed to be interesting and entertain my dogs but she's the first one that I've REALLY had to put myself to the test to learn that its not a case of teaching it and then leaving her to it. I had to learn how to engage her in a different way to my old lab and Mrs Spaniel and the need to keep on engaging her.
It's alright when we go further afield and she can chill, sniff and disengage on her own terms but the parks here are so busy and so crammed with people and life and amazing chase worthy distractions, I don't think I'll ever be able to just go for a casual walk playing on my phone and day dreaming or chatting with friends. I constantly need to be working her in some form or another or she gets herself into lots of unsocial misadventures.

 

[GSD Woman]

Get a lunge whip and tie a fuzzy to to it. Hold it at the right angle and wave it around around when needed. Eventually you should be able to keep closer to you and use that to engage. If that doesn't work, he goes without breakfast and he'll want those treats.

 

[Annette4]

Get a lunge whip and tie a fuzzy to to it. Hold it at the right angle and wave it around around when needed. Eventually you should be able to keep closer to you and use that to engage. If that doesn't work, he goes without breakfast and he'll want those treats.

Even Mrs Can't tug, won't tug Fizz loves my lunge whip flirt pole. Letting them win lots soon does the trick and it becomes the best game ever.

 

[Prancerpoos]

My dog was a pain when she was younger, running off and ignoring me. On the advice of a dog trainer I got her a weasel on a rope - basically a long, furry squeaky toy on about a metre of rope. If I called out “Toy!” and swung the weasel around she would always come back to play with it. I never let her have it at other times, so it stayed special.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Most people are. Genuinely, it's the biggest issue I see. Standing there like a wet sock while their dog stares at everything else and won't engage.
I'm a bit of a silly sod with my dogs but I don't care how daft it looks.

I’m the same, don’t care how batsh!t I sound, I’m all for being excited and squeaky to get their attention. We’ve used several key phrases at home for treats/recall, I’ll make a fool of myself rather than have a disengaged dog.

I’m the totally ott super enthusiastic owner running away from the dog and being loud and exciting.

My OH does this (I can’t run!) and they find it hilarious! The pelting after him is adorable to watch.Trouble is, Mitch would probably run after anyone! ?

My dog was a pain when she was younger, running off and ignoring me. On the advice of a dog trainer I got her a weasel on a rope - basically a long, furry squeaky toy on about a metre of rope. If I called out “Toy!” and swung the weasel around she would always come back to play with it. I never let her have it at other times, so it stayed special.

This is why we always had a dummy/ball and did training with Zak. He had a tendency to wander off for a mooch otherwise.

 

[Parrotperson]

Following with interest - sounds very similar to our pup. I'd like him to able to have more off lead time but it's just not possible at the moment unless we're meeting up with people/dogs we know. I use high value treats for recall on his longline and reward when he checks in and when he keeps focused on me. I do think we're seeing progress in the right direction but it's slow!

yes this. rocky was very easily distracted but continues to improve as he gets older. he gets special treats when on the long line and today I went to the beach when I knew it would be busy to practice his attention to me. its not quite there yet but he's improving all the time and is beginning to walk past people and dogs without getting over excited. sadly he's not very toy orientated. he'll chase a ball for a bit but soon gets bored. so treats it is.

he always gets lots of praise and treats when he make the right choice and a sharp "ah ah!" and a little pull on the long line if he doesn't.

my biggest problem is he loves eating seaweed! grrrr cos he then brings it up at home ??. so that's a sharp "ah ah!' and a sharper pull on the long line. he's getting the idea. dogs eh. eat anything!