How to Train Your Dog to Be Calm Around Other Dogs
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Introduction
Dogs are pack animals. They are highly social animals that crave the attention and company of others, especially others of their own kind, so it is natural for your dog to get excited around other dogs. But what happens when your dog gets so excited he becomes completely out of control around other dogs? A dog that barks, whines, jumps at, or runs at other dogs may not be welcome with the other dog. This can put your dog in danger of being attacked if the other dog does not want their personal space violated. Another issue that can develop occurs when excitement morphs into aggressive behavior, especially where fear and anxiety are involved, as is often the case with hyperactive, excited dogs. Pulling back on a dog that is trying to reach another dog just creates further tension, which escalates the behavior, as does yelling, which just adds to a negative energy level and excitement. Punishing your dog can create a negative association with other dogs, and lead to unwanted behaviors. How do your stop out of control behavior and teach your dog to be calm around other dogs?
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Defining Tasks
When your dog sees or approaches another dog, you want him to behave in a calm, friendly, confident manner. It is natural for him to be interested in the other dog, but not to rush into the other dog’s space, or vocalize excessively, which another dog may perceive as threatening, and can result in aggression. Teaching your dog to be calm around other dogs and making meeting other dogs a pleasant experience may take some time and insight on your part, to address the underlying causes for your dog's excitement. Many dogs who get overexcited are actually anxious, and addressing anxiety issues may need to be part of training your dog to be calm. The methods used to gain control over your dog's behavior and socialize them are useful in many situations, and are well worth investing the time in so that your dog can interact safely with other dogs and in a variety of other situations.
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Getting Started
You will need to be able to restrain and redirect your dog during training. Because an excited dog pulls when around the object of their excitement, in this case another dog, using a front clip harness that will help protect your dog’s neck during training may be advisable. You will also need to find other dogs to help teach your dog to be calm when in the presence of another dog. Find a mature, calm, well-balanced dog to help. A young dog is liable to respond to excitement with excitement, an unsure dog could become aggressive when approached by an over-excited dog and will not be beneficial to training. Have treats available to provide positive reinforcement for calm behaviors. During training, avoid letting your dog have access to other dogs when not in a training session, so that exited behavior does not occur, and is not reinforced.
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The Calm Reaches the Goal Method
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Meet
Have a friend with a calm dog offer to assist you. Arrange to have your friend and their calm dog meet you while out on a walk. Put your dog on a leash and go for your walk to the arranged meeting place.
Stop
When you see your friend and their dog from a distance, ask them to stop while your dog is still calm. Ask your dog to sit/stay.
Retreat
Have the other dog approach.When your dog gets up and starts to act excited, your friend and the other dog should stop, turn around and walk away.
Continue
Wait until your dog is calm again. When your dog is calm and sitting, your friend and the other dog can approach again. As long as your dog stays calm and sitting, the other dog can approach closer. If your dog gets up and acts excited, repeat step 3.
Repeat
Repeat over a number of days until your dog learns that sitting calmly means the other dog will come over, while getting excited means the other dog will leave.
The Teach Sit and Stay Method
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Teach sit & stay or down & stay
Teach your dog to sit and stay or lay down and stay. Practice on and off leash.
Trigger
Have a calm dog come over to your house or yard, or meet you on a walk. Put your dog on a leash prior to the dog entering the house or yard.
Command
When the other dog enters, give your dog the down/stay command, use the leash to pull them to the side, not back, to direct them if necessary.
Reward calm
When your dog is obeying the sit/stay or down/stay command, and is calm with the other dog present, give your dog a treat. Repeat in multiple sessions with different dogs, over several weeks, until your dog learns to calmly sit and stay or down and stay when a dog enters their home or yard, or when he encounters another dog on a walk.
Reward calm with goal
After your dog is calm, call your dog over to meet the other dog.
The Teach “Get It” Method
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Provide treats for get it command
Put treats on the ground in front of your dog’s nose and say “Get it”.
Move reward
Start dropping treats beside you, and then behind you, and giving the “Get it” command, so your dog learns to look for, and get his treats behind you. Use a loose leash, do not direct your dog let him find the treats. Do this repeatedly until it becomes automatic for your dog to go look for treats behind you when you say “Get it”.
Expand
Move the “get it” game to more distracting environments-- go outside. Perform the get it game frequently on walks.
Introduce another dog
Have an assistant with a calm dog approach you. When you see the other dog from a distance, provide the “get it” command and give treats, your dog should move behind you to get his treats, this distracts him from the other dog, teaches him a different behavior rather than getting excited, and puts you between the other dog, which is the object of excitement, and your own dog, which will further distract your dog. Provide lots of high quality treats in small amounts to distract your dog and keep him focused on the get it game and not the other dog.
Increase stimulus
Gradually move the “get it” game closer to the other dog, providing treats to distract your dog, and providing an alternate behavior, so he does not get excited by the other dog, but remains focused on his “get it” treat game. Repeat this exercise over several weeks, until your dog starts to look for his treats as soon as he sees another dog, and does not direct his excitement at the other dog.
Written by Amy Caldwell
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 10/06/2017, edited: 01/08/2021
More articles by Amy Caldwell
Training Questions and Answers
Lily
Pit terrier
2 years 8 months
Question
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
How to get her used to being around other dogs around the same age.
Nov. 18, 2023
Lily's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1133 Dog owners recommended
Hello, If he isn't aggressive toward other dogs, I would see if there is a structured dog walking group or short day hiking group you can attend regularly. Walking with other dogs is a good way for a dog to get used to them and comfortable in a way that's fun for them without direct confrontation, allowing him to get to know them at his own pace. If he does really well with certain dogs, then you might consider setting up a one-on-one play date with a dog he gets along with well. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
Nov. 30, 2023
Goblin
Boxer
Four Months
Question
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
When my puppy is in his crate he chews up the soiled training pads. I cant walk him to go Outside to use the potty yet because he has one last Parvo vaccination in 2 weeks and his rabies as well. I have never had to train a dog indoors before. I dont know how to make him stop.
Feb. 27, 2023
Goblin's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1133 Dog owners recommended
Hello, First, I would speak with your vet about whether pup can go ahead and go outside. From what I have been told puppy vaccines are effective as soon as the mother's maternal antibodies wear off, which is usually between 7-12 weeks of age. If pup has had one round of shots after eleven or twelve weeks of age, they should be safe to go outside already. I am not a vet though, so speak with your vet about how the vaccines work or research it yourself, to see if you can go ahead and take pup outside depending on the timing of their last vaccine series. Furthermore, check out the American Veterinary society of Animal Behavior's recommendations on socialization and vaccine status: https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Puppy_Socialization_Position_Statement_Download_-_10-3-14.pdf Depending on your location, whether you have a yard where other dogs do not come often, live in a big city or apartment where being outside means being where other dogs have been, or in the country, you might be able to start outside potty training now safely. The main concern for catching parvo is the feces of other dogs where other dogs have pooping in the past. Most vets do not recommend waiting to take puppies outside until their six month rabies vaccine, as long as pup will be with you and on leash. I am not a vet though, so ask your vet. If you can't take pup potty outside safely yet, then I recommend setting up an exercise pen and attaching a crate to the pen, getting rid of all pee pads (they are more likely to cause confusing with carpeting and rugs if used for too long), and placing a disposable real grass pad outside the crate, covering the exercise pen floor area, to get pup used to going potty on that, and to stop pup from going potty in the crate. Going potty in the confined space of a crate for an extended period of time can lead to a dog loosing their natural desire to keep a confined space clean - it is that desire that helps a dog learn to keep your home clean as well, making potty training easier later. Pup is likely chewing up the pee pads because they are bored in the crate but also because they are trying to remove the soiled area from their confined space. If you continue with indoor potty training, the space set up needs to be larger and not confined, like an exercise pen for the potty area, and crate just for resting and keeping clean. Outside potty training - tethering method. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
March 1, 2023