When I walk my dog in the neighborhood and there are dogs in yards, he gets out of control and makes this low growling noise that sounds extremely vicious (but he's not). I know he needs more exposure to this situation to get over the problem, but was wondering if anyone has any tips on how to correct this problem. I'd like to try some positive reinforcement before I go to a pinch collar, but not sure how to go about this since I cannot get him to respond to any commands once he spots a dog in a yard. I have been walking by as fast as possible and having him sit after I can get him to heel again. He is a very friendly dog and lives with one other dog whom he loves. He has been to doggie daycare and does great, so he is socialized with other dogs, he just has problems with not being able to be in direct contact with dogs. It is also very hard to convince others that he only wants to meet their dog and that he is not going to kill it. Thanks for any suggestions!
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Walk the other way. After your dog calms down, give it a treat and praise. Then try to atempt to walk pass again. Repeat if he still makes that sound. When you turn the other way, make a distracting noise.
Hope I helped!
I am impressed because you take your dog to "day care". Your dog has not a problem and he does not need direct exposure to other dogs. You are pushing him and expecting too much from him. He is frightened when he is retrained by the leash. Please forget the pinch collar, this will make him even more frightened.
If dogs are loose or in the wild they avoid confrontation, they curve until they can decide for themselves if other dog is friendly. You know that your dog is friendly because of his interactions with other dogs when he is OFF THE LEASH at "doggie day care". He does not need more exposure to other dogs when he is on the lead. Avoid passing yards that have dogs and curve instead of trying to walk past other dogs. This is not the sort of exposure that he needs.
When you take him out either curve or cross the road when you see another dog and find a fenced off area where your dog can run free. He will approach other dogs in the way that dogs do and he will play. Stop feeling that you have to convince other people that he is not a killer, what now looks like aggression is because you are trying to force him and he is frightened. All dogs are a bit worried when they are on a lead and they should not pushed into what is unnatural behaviour. I was there several year ago and I thought that my dog was a problem.
Take care, you have a lovely dog.