Mary Allen
You must train your dog to ignore other dogs by teaching them to ignore other dogs, make eye contact with you, and walk respectfully on a leash. With this training, you can regain your dog’s attention when he is distracted by other dogs.
TEACHING THE DOG TO IGNORE OTHER DOGS
YOU ONLY NEED FOUR TOOLS FOR THIS WORKOUT:
- leash for walking
- reward treats
- Time for at least 2-3 15 minute walks per day
- MUCH PATIENCE
IDENTIFY AND DEFINE TASKS
In this situation, instead of teaching your dog a new job or task, you are teaching him to respond in a certain way under certain conditions. Although you may have to use a command word-initially, the goal is to get your dog to ignore other dogs without your directing. This is an important trait for your dog to acquire because you want to be able to walk without worrying about their behavior.
If you are unable to do this, it becomes far too easy for your dog to forgo the necessary exercise. You should start teaching your dog to ignore as early as possible, ideally while he is learning to walk on a leash. However, you can also teach an older dog to behave on walks; it just takes a little longer. No matter how old your puppy is, teaching him how to behave around other dogs can save him from serious harm or worse if he gets into a fight.
HOW TO BEGIN
When it comes to teaching your dog to ignore other dogs, few resources are required. Above all, you need time for daily walks, ideally several times a day. However, you will need the following:
HERE ARE THREE WAYS TO TEACH YOUR DOG TO IGNORE OTHER DOGS ON A WALK:
#1 ATTENTION REWARD MODEL
- Call your dog by name before you go for a walk. If he looks at you, reward him.
- Repeat this exercise around the house for a few days until he responds to your name.
- Take a long walk beforehand. Start by leading your dog away from other dogs. Call his name when he notices you. If he looks at you, reward him.
- Start around other dogs with the same strategy. Give him a treat if he responds, or if he doesn’t, take a step back and start again.
- Work your way up until you can both walk past people without your dog misbehaving.
#2 METHOD OF FRIENDS
- Ask your friends to bring their dogs for a training session.
- Put your dog on a leash and walk beside him.
- Space your friends and their dogs 20 feet apart.
- Ask your friends with their dogs to walk past you and your dog one by one.
- If your dog barks at the other dogs, tell him to sit down. When he does, reward him.
- Run the leash for 30 minutes every day or at least once a week. Now you can walk your dog in public and expect him to behave the same way.
3# THE METHOD OF PUSHING
- Take your dog for a walk.
- Remain calm and composed while walking. Your dog is aware of this and will behave similarly.
- If your dog notices another dog and lunges at him, don’t try to pull him on the leash as that would only encourage him to pull harder.
- Instead, gently move your dog to the side with your leg to distract him. When he calms down, reward him with a treat.
- If he keeps struggling, you can pull him tight by the leash while calling his name. If he behaves, reward him with a treat.
- This strategy should take a few weeks to complete. So you have to be patient to successfully teach him the behavior change you want.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOUR DOG TO IGNORE OTHER DOGS?
It is important that as part of obedience training your dog learns to ignore other dogs. A key part of this training is teaching your dog to focus on you as the owner, which is necessary to further teach them commands and practice recall. This will help your dog become better trained and more confident.
Some dogs don’t get along with other dogs. If your dog encounters another dog along the way that doesn’t like yours, they should avoid them. If your dog lunges at an unfriendly dog, a fight may ensue, in which they injure each other.
After all, being able to ignore other dogs on walks is beneficial to both you and your dog. This shows that you and your dog have a close bond and that he listens to you and respects you.