training your dog to ignore other dogs???

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Blue-bear

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I guess this has a little to do with earlier posts but i would like to hear peoples tips and hints about training issue. How best to train them to walk nicely past other dogs whether on or off the lead?
I guess a certain amount of it relys on recall training if your dog goes up to another and what are your tips on recall, use a long line etc?
The problem i have at the mo is my lab who is young and very over friendly, if on the lead he just whines and barks giving the impression he is going to be agressive but he isnt at all if the dog then comes over he just does the usual sniffing and licking and just wants to play. If he is off the lead (i try my hardest to put him back on when i see any other dogs, but sometimes they just come round the corner before i get to call him back to me.) When he does bark and whine i dont know if im best ignoring it or telling him off for it although neither seems to stop him doing it.
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I'd suggest a long line and some very very tasty labrador treats! You really want to be in the position where if he doesn't listen to you you can still get him back - or ideally not get into a situation where he doesn't listen, so don't call him if you know it is unlikely he will respond - otherwise they learn all to quickly that they can ignore you!
I wouldn't tell him him off for whining in excitement - you are better off distracting him eg get him to do something for a treat.
I taught mine to come back and perform something such as a sit,down,left,right etc and then reward the behaviour.Our latest pup loved coming back to play tuggy so much so she will run full speed and try to play tuggy with her lead now!
basically then you aren't punishing them for coming back - as in just putting on the lead.
Do you have some friends you could practice with? Use their dogs to help you train - start off a fair distance away, with them getting closer - I'd still do this on a long line so that you can stop him just in case!
I tend to put my dogs in a down when other people are coming up the paths - but I have a right mix of dogs - one nervous aggressive bitch on a lead, 2 entire males, a 9 month pup, an age-ing nutty springer and a completely deaf old boy, who we tend to leave to himself as he rarely notices other dogs nowadays!
Both my boys tend to have a bit of a dislike for young big male labs for exactly the reason you are having a problem with! They don't like something big bulldozing it's way into their pack - so I know if I met someone out on a walk trying to train a recall/manners with other dogs I'd happily help them - with the use of the calmer dogs!!
I have several times recently put all my lot in a down and given the person time to try and recall their dog rather than us carry on and taking their dog with us!!
Although I do struggle with dogs that can't understand body language and don't realize a snap from our nervous-aggressive bitch (who is on the lead and under control) means please go away rather than please jump in my face more!!
 
I have lots of dogs, so the last in learns alot from the rest of the pack.
Otherwise I like to teach them to respond well on the lead before trusting them off, I put alot of emphasis into lead training, as I hate bad mannered dogs that pull
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A good training lead and check chain/half check is a good start, and although I don't use the treat method very often, I think it is a good positive way to get their attention from the distraction, you should be on a winner with a lab(they are by far the most food responsive breed)
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take some chicken breast in very
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small pieces, and do some close heel work, slipping in a treat, hold it within your hands, and allow him to get a smell, and to take every now and then as a positive reward, and a command, my mam used to use "Watch me" I just say "Heel" and check
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When passing a dog, do the same, keep him close on your left hand side, lead in rigt and treat at waist height, get him smelling it, as you approach, and only allow him to take, when you pass the dog, with your chosen command, if he does not show full attention, check and turn him in a tight circle around your legs, by the time you get back to your position, the dogs will have passed, and reward with his treat.

Only give the treats for this occasion, as a postive assosiation reward for this exercise.
A training class is also a good idea, to get him used to lots of dogs passing by and sorrounding him, and practicing keeping his focus, I have 17 thousand dogs, if mine have seen one, they have seen them all
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Do some work on the long line with the same treat method, allow him to roam to the end, then call and treat, even introduce a clicker, then u can eventually use this as his recall, and reduce the treats, take some one with you, in later sessions to test his distraction levels.
Also with free off lead exercise, call him, treat, and let him go, so he assosiates returning with a delicasy
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thanks CALA (i was hoping you would reply!) its so dissapointing because at home around the yard and with my other dogs he is very good. I can recall, sit, down, and stop on a recall as many times as i like with the smallest hand signals but it goes out of the window as soon as i loose his concentration. :-( i know this will get better with work and time but its slightly disheartening!
 
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I can say that Cala's advice to me on the same issue has been very good, GB.
In the end I had to resort to a pinch collar (under supervision) as my boy was so big and strong he just ignored check chains.

It does take time and I thought I would never be able to get him to focus on me rather than protecting me from all the other dogs in the world, but in just a few weeks we have made loads of progress.

I now keep walking - I found making him sit as other dogs passed created more problems than they solved, as it created a sort of tense, stand-off situation - they were allowed to move and he wasn't, not fair!

Also agree with MandD about not admonishing him for being exciteable - for us, this reinforced the message that him being quite happy to see other dogs - resulted in negative behaviour from me.
 
If it makes you feel any better, my 7mnth border collie is EXACTLY the same! except his recall goes out hte window too whenever there is another dog!!!! he can now do it well for me with my friends 2 springers around........ but introduce new dogs, or ones he only sees once in a blue moon........ your scuppered!!! And he isnt food orientated in the slightest, or really that bothered about toys! so you are one up on me!!! :-)
Keep your chin up!!! And I agree its horribly disheartening!
 
Lucy - you have a collie that doesn't like toys and I have a labrador that isn't fussed for food
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Basically - you have to make yourself the most interesting/ exciting person to be around. If dogs like food alot - then food works (cos you have it) and same for toys.

My lab isn't bothered about either of those... whihc is a pain - but I basically have to make the walk very exciting by playing with him and running around to keep his focus on me. What works best for me is walking another dog with him - he is always much better when he is in a pack.
 
O thank god I am not alone! stupid dogs that don't obey their breed stereotypes!!! hehe (still love him though)

Ye I can run around like an utter but the moment a strange dog comes along its like right laters mum!!! (grr!)
But we are improving, steadily but surely! which is good! I guess......
 
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