I have a 5-month-old Old German Shepherd puppy. At home, everything is fine. And on walks, things go well too... until we run into other dogs! When that happens, he starts barking, jumping, and pulling like mad on the long lead. And at 5 months, he's already starting to get quite strong! It’s not aggressive behaviour; he’s been properly socialised. We took him to puppy classes, he’s met a few dogs in the family, gone on group walks, and it’s always gone really well. Basically, he just desperately wants to go and say hello to the dogs we pass and have a play.
Since that obviously isn't always possible, I’m looking to correct this behaviour. I’ve tried offering him treats and toys to distract him, but it doesn’t work at all. Even if I shout, he doesn't care; nothing else exists except the other dog.
I spoke about it at puppy class and had a session with a dog behaviourist. I’ve ended up with two techniques to make him understand his bad behaviour and redirect his attention to us:
- A water spray with a few drops of citronella oil
- A plastic bottle filled with stones to shake behind him
And obviously, I'm to praise him as soon as there’s any improvement and he isn’t pushing too hard to go see the other dog.
I wanted to know what you think. On one hand, these techniques don’t sit right with me because I don’t want to subject him to unpleasant things, but I’m also worried about the judgement of other dog owners we might pass. On the other hand, I’m really starting to struggle to hold him, and passing other dogs on walks is becoming a real source of stress for me.
Also, if you’ve dealt with the same issue, how did you solve it?
Thanks in advance for your replies!
Translated from French
The forum content is sometimes translated from another language, and posts may concern countries with different animal laws. Do your research before making any decisions.
Since the forum is translated by AI, the translations may contain errors.
Yes, it’s definitely worth doing the training sessions to help him manage his frustration. It'll help you too.
The reason I suggested more off-lead play with other dogs (alongside the training) is because I think it’s the simplest and most "natural" way for them to learn through play, but of course that depends on your own resources (your local area, time, energy...).
I know it’s not easy, especially when it’s your first dog. I’m in the same boat – mine is my first and she’s a real challenge. I’m still working on it lol.
Hang in there, it’s totally worth it 😊 and best of luck with the sessions!
The problem is, when we meet other dogs, I'm really struggling to know what to do about his behaviour 😳 He's my first dog, so I’ve got a lot to learn too. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve tried using positive reinforcement to get his focus back, but as it’s not working, I’m feeling a bit lost.
I just want to pick up on one specific point from your message to explain the context a bit better:
"If he only sees other dogs when he's on the lead or in 'school mode' during class, it's not really ideal."
At puppy school, there is a "lesson" part, but it always ends with playtime, meaning the dogs are off-lead and all play together. He usually sleeps for hours after that, haha! And the group walks are also off-lead for a long time. So, that gives him one or two big play sessions with other dogs every week. I’m happy to admit that might not be enough for him, but unfortunately, I can’t manage any more than that, except maybe on the odd occasion :/
In any case, I definitely need to do some training sessions like the ones Lorna described, because even if he has some frustration to get out of his system, he also needs to learn that he can’t play with every dog we meet.
Ah, I must have posted at the same time... So he gets one off-lead walk a week with other dogs. Personally, I think that’s too little (just a thought). His 'issue' isn’t just down to that, but it’s a shame if he can’t do more.
What other activities do you do on your walks? When he’s on a long lead, what do you do with him?
(The point being that the 'issue' isn’t only about other dogs, but you could also work on building your bond and improving his focus and engagement when you're out...) that’ll help with the other dogs too, even if it isn’t a total fix.
The "play sessions" you get at some puppy classes are better than nothing, but they’re no substitute for spending time with well-balanced adult dogs. That’s where a puppy or youngster learns loads of things that are crucial for the rest of their life.
As well as your group walk, if you could find even just one or two neighbours with chill dogs to go out with, that would be brilliant. Learning to walk nicely and stay calm around other dogs is really important too. If meeting others is always synonymously linked with high energy, then as soon as your pup sees another dog, they’ll just get over-excited.
Regarding off-lead time, if it only happens in places where there’s no one else around, it isn’t actually that helpful. You won’t see much progress in real-life social situations.
The fact that he gets so over-excited at training classes as soon as he sees other dogs (regardless of whether he’s had a runaround beforehand) is understandable, given he doesn’t get enough off-lead playtime with them. And then there’s his age and energy levels to consider...
It’s a tough balancing act, but you’ll get there.
If he only ever sees other dogs while he's on a lead or in "school mode" during classes, it’s not really ideal. He needs a proper chance to let off steam elsewhere; otherwise, his frustration levels will just keep building up (without him actually learning how to manage that frustration in the process). That’s why he’s starting to feel like a ticking bomb on the long lead.
You risk losing his attention, his recall, and any sense of control altogether... and perhaps that’s already happening.
Try introducing him to an older, calmer dog, or perhaps another puppy (one that isn't too sensitive) in a quiet spot, for example. Depending on what you want to work on—whether it’s him getting a bit of a "telling off" and correction from older dogs, learning to relax, or practising focus while others are around... or, with other puppies, just letting them have a good romp with only a bit of intervention from you.
That doesn’t mean you can’t still work on his recall or a "sit" before he’s allowed to join the others, but it’ll allow you to make some actual progress in real-world scenarios.
Mind you, this is all assuming we’re talking about a typical bouncy, excitable puppy here! If there’s any actual aggression involved, you’d need to take a different approach.
To help him burn off some energy with other dogs, he goes to puppy classes every Saturday. I also try to take him on a group walk once a week. They’re usually in spots where we can let the dogs off-lead, so he has a proper blast :)
I can’t really do much more than that, though. The dogs on my street are all tiny (loads of Bichons!), so I can't really let him play with them as he might accidentally hurt them. Plus, any family members with dogs live quite far away, so we only see them every now and then.
Yeah, the idea of a training session in a busy spot is great! :-)
Don't wait too long though, as this kind of behaviour tends to become self-reinforcing if you don't nip it in the bud.
Regarding his interactions with other dogs, I'm not quite sure I follow your routine – does he get the chance to regularly burn off some steam off-lead with other dogs, or not?
Thanks for your replies! It’s always good to share these tricky moments 😁
@Rose Des Sables: he gets three walks a day, one of which is off-lead. For that one, I always go somewhere where there’s absolutely no one else around. Do you think he needs more exercise so he’s less hyper when we pass other dogs? I’m not so sure, unfortunately. Let me explain: since arriving at puppy classes is a bit of a nightmare (massive over-excitement because of all the other pups there), I’ve already tried giving him a proper walk plus a meal using a puzzle feeder (Kong Wobbler, etc.) before heading to class. Even though he’d have been ready for a long nap if we’d stayed at home, we went straight to puppy classes instead. And once there, he was just as hyper as ever – you’d never have guessed he’d just been burning off energy! 😔
Regarding your last paragraph about the squeaky toy, that might work further down the line, but at the moment I have zero control over him in those situations, so it’s impossible to get a ‘sit’ when we pass another dog 🙄.
@Lorna: the training session with other dogs sounds like a great idea, but I’ll have to find something like that in my area. The trainer I’m working with suggested doing the next session out and about in a busy spot (walkers, cyclists... and dogs!) rather than a home visit. We’ll have to see – between his schedule, mine and my partner’s, it won’t be happening in the next few days, unfortunately.
PS: That photo in the water is lovely!
Not necessarily Jcne, it simply depends on how intense the behaviour is, where it’s coming from, and the dog’s temperament.
Ultimately, that’s what dog training professionals are for: to assess a specific profile and offer tailored, case-by-case solutions.
I had to firmly correct a young German Shepherd I adopted recently, who was severely reactive whenever he saw another dog (we're talking pseudo-aggressive outbursts). It helped me break that vicious cycle, and today he’s much more relaxed. He never once associated the correction with other dogs or developed a phobia... quite the opposite, in fact.
However @Azry, sending you out into the world with just a rattle bottle full of pebbles to distract the dog isn't exactly ideal.
I’d recommend finding someone who can help you train in real-world scenarios (like group training walks to practice passing other dogs while on the lead, etc.).
I recently did a one-hour session with five other dogs. The programme included: walking to heel, holding a position while other dogs pass by (one dog and their owner weaving between the others in position, taking turns), a group "stay" in a line, the owner walking away, and so on.
With that kind of approach, your dog will make progress very quickly.
This is a dog that was absolutely losing it every time he spotted another dog just two months ago.
Aside from that, he has a brilliant time off-lead with his mates; it’s a far cry from a phobia, he's actually having the time of his life! ;-)
I’m not sure if this makes sense or if it’ll suit your situation, but staying calm and consistent really helps. Try not to let your emotions or your commands fluctuate too much.
He’s still young, so he needs plenty of exercise while also learning how to settle through a few exercises and games...
The hardest part for owners during the puppy phase is realising that everything is connected in training (eye contact, focus, being calm, mealtimes, walks...), so you have to work on all fronts at once in a progressive way 😅 (setting goals and sub-goals, and gradually increasing the duration from a few seconds to a few minutes...).
Personally, it took me loads of time and energy, but even though she’s still young and playful, she’s now able to ignore other dogs whether they're off-lead or on-lead. It definitely wasn't a walk in the park! I had to find a balance between letting her play with her mates and keeping her focus on me (without getting on her nerves ^^).
Hang in there! You'll get there.
A sturdy squeaky toy might be a good outlet for him. For instance, if another dog passes by, you can tell him to "sit" and reward him with his "outdoor toy". This redirects his focus and helps manage his frustration while he’s still learning self-control. Just be careful about any toy or resource guarding when other dogs are around.
And of course, plenty of off-lead play with other dogs.
