Avoiding other dogs when on walks?

No one is enjoying the leashed walks. Your dog may be barking or lunging, hurling nasty names at other dogs walking by. Maybe you’re walking your dog only at 5am and at 10pm or just actively avoiding other dogs when out on walks. It’s stressful for everyone.

Is there a path toward quieter walks where your dog isn’t pulling and you can both relax? 

We are contacted, almost daily, about dogs showing this behavior when on leash around other dogs (or people or joggers or bicyclists…) and, the good news is that, yes, we can help your dog make different choices in those scenarios. But, first, you have to make different choices. When you change what you’re doing, your dog will change what he is doing.

Where to start?

Many dogs who display this behavior are doing so either out of frustration that they cannot get to the other dog, ie they have good intentions and are excited to see another dog wanting to say hello. Or they may feel defensive and want to yell at the other dog to be sure it stays away. Sometimes, it’s a combination of both— They are excited to see another dog but worried that, if the other dog comes near, it could be scary.

We help your dog react differently when he sees other dogs by recognizing the motivation behind the behavior, first. Much of the time, he may be reacting out of fear. Whenever any of us, dogs included, feel threatened, we all have the option for fight or flight. With a leash attached, your dog may feel that flight isn’t an option. To compound that, it’s normal for you to want to pull your dog in closer to you in these scenarios. But, when you pull on the leash to limit your dog’s movement, you have further limited his options for flight. If that’s the case, all he has left is fight. Unintentionally, you may be increasing your dog’s motivation to pull and vocalize. I’m not suggesting that removing the leash is the answer; however, you can handle the leash in a way that allows your dog to recognize that he may choose flight.

If your dog is feeling at all defensive when around other dogs on leash, we can show him that you will keep him safe. He doesn’t need to be proactive to keep himself safe. If he’s barking and lunging at other dogs, then he believes that it’s up to him to be sure that other dogs stay away. What if, instead, he looked to you asking for your help? Or what if you showed him that you’ve got his back and he doesn’t need to defend himself– you’ll be sure to help him get out of a sticky situation?

On the other hand, if your dog is excited to see another dog, and you allow him to pull to that dog to say hello, he learns that pulling works. You’ve rewarded your dog by allowing him to pull to the other dog. If that’s the case, why wouldn’t he continue to pull to get where he wants – it works!

Your dog has likely pulled and barked at other dogs on leash for quite some time. It has become a habit. Like any habit, it takes time to develop a new routine. That goes for you and your dog, but it starts with you. When you change how you respond to those situations, your dog will change how he responds. With practice, you’ll both develop different habits that will make walks more enjoyable for both of you. One of the best comments one dog owner said to us was, “I used to avoid other dogs when on walks. Now, I look for other dogs to walk by just so I can practice.” With training for both you and your dog, you’ll gain new techniques, giving you confidence and clarity to support your dog allowing for more relaxing walks for everyone!