How to Train Your Dog to Ignore Other Dogs?

Last Updated on September 18, 2022 by Editorial Team

Dogs pulling on the leash and going to different dogs is a typical concern among dog owners. However, what motivates them to carry out such an act?

Possible explanations for this type of behavior include a need for social engagement or a wish to chase the other dog away. Regardless of the cause, it would help if you found a way to teach your dog to ignore other animals.

When Your Dog Meets Other Dogs, Why Does He Bark And Lunge?

When your dog begins barking and lunging at other dogs, it may be a terrifying experience for both you and your dog. It would help if you understood what causes your dog’s aggressive behavior so that you can help your pet overcome it.

Here are the most common causes:

Any unfavorable event, including limited exposure to other dogs as a puppy, might make your dog scared of them. They attempt to intimidate other dogs by barking and lunging at them.
When your dogs on leash, they can’t meet their doggy friends, which is a major frustration source. Your pet’s nervousness may be heightened if you keep them on a tight leash. To avoid the stimulus, dogs tend to behave in this manner. They can’t wait to get closer, so they bark and tug at their leashes. They are very enthusiastic.
There are instances when a terrified and frustrated dog may coexist. Barking and lunging may frequently lead to confrontation because of the mingling of emotions.

How To Possibly Make Your Dog Ignore Other Dogs

Dogs that bark at and tug on other dogs while out on a walk may be humiliating, and you may wonder why your dog does this in the first place. Despite this, it is a frequent condition that affects most canines.

Dog training becomes critical in such a situation. You’ll need to teach your dog to keep a distance from other dogs for it to succeed. However, how can this be accomplished? Take a look at these possibilities:

Determine The Root Of Behavior Issues

You can’t solve an aggression issue if you don’t know the cause of it. That’s why it’s important to figure out what triggers your dog’s barking and lunging and how close you have to go before it begins.

Your dog may be hypersensitive to certain canine characteristics (breed stereotypes), such as the breed or gender of the dogs around it.

It may also be about a certain location or historical period. When you return home after a stroll, your dog may start barking, or he may bark at night. Using this information, you’ll be able to better care for your dog.

Teach Self-Control

You should teach impulse control while teaching your dog to ignore other dogs on walks. As soon as your dog begins barking or running aggression in dogs nearby, tell them to be “silent” and reward them with a bunch of treats or praise after they do it.

Once they learn this these basic commands, the barking will no longer be appropriate.

If Necessary, Keep Your Dog In An Isolated Area

Taking your dog for a stroll in an area where other dogs are less likely to see him is a good idea if he’s acting up. To keep your dog relaxed, you must provide as much room as possible for him to run about.

It might be difficult for your dog to relax and make wise decisions if they engage in high-intensity activities like playing with other dogs or fetching. You should avoid any aversive training methods.

See if anything changes after trying this for a few weeks. When your dog is stressed, all of these things should be working together to reduce their adrenaline and cortisol levels to handle better the next time they encounter another dog.

Speak With A Gentle Voice

While training your dog, the tone of your voice is critical. Your words will be ignored if you employ a forceful or aggressive tone. As a result, you must tell them calmly.

Read also: How To Train Your Dog To Come

Treat Method

The use of foods when teaching your dog is mostly a good idea. To get your dog to pay attention to you and not be distracted by anything distractions in training, make sure you have something delicious on hand.

Effective and Balance Training Methods

Here are three strategies that you may use to teach your dogs to keep their distance from other animals:

Attention and Reward Method

When you take your dog on a stroll, bring along some of their favorite goodies to thank them if they spot another dog. Say “yes!” and reward them as soon as they see a dog, so they don’t even have time to consider barking. As long as the dog is visible, keep doing this.

If your dog begins to bark, the other dog is either too near or too much for them. Regardless of how near you go to your dog’s trigger next time, continue to praise him for being in its vicinity.

This will not cause them to become aggressive towards other dogs. As an alternative, it teaches them that other dogs are great things to see and that barking or lunging at you is the best way to get a reward.

Over time, your dog will progressively become less concerned about the other dog and more concerned with you as you practice. Your progress in teaching them will be evident when they can look another dog in the eye and gaze back at you without barking.

This is better than telling your dog “no” when they do something you don’t like since it’s working based on the problem: your dog’s emotions. This is only the beginning of the process of helping your dog. There are a lot of variables that come into play when it comes to the following steps.

If you frequently practice these techniques, your dog will eventually stop paying attention to other dogs while out for a walk.

The Counterpart Method

Please invite your friends to come over to your private yards with their dogs so you can train them together. Put your dog on a loose leash and stand next to him in a broad space.

Set a distance of 20 feet between your pals and their pets. Alternatively, you may ask your friends to walk their dogs with you and your pet.

You should never allow your furry friends to bark at other dogs without first telling him “NO” and ordering him to sit. Reward him if he does.

Every day, or at least many times a week, spend 30 minutes doing this. Your dog may now be taken for a stroll in a public place and anticipate the same animal behavior they did at home.

Persuasion Method (Positive Reinforcement)

As you take your dogs on walks, try to maintain calm behavior and relaxation. You may expect your dog to respond in the same way.

Please do not attempt to yank your dog’s leash; instead, gently shove your dog to the side with your knee to distract him. If he calms down, reward him with 3-4 treats.

Tighten the leash while shouting his name if the dog refuses to back down. If he shows attentive behaviors, reward him with a treat.

Stress-Detox

Simply increasing the number of dogs your dog is exposed to will have little effect on socializing them. Avoid going on walks during busy times or in locations where other dogs are likely to be present to prevent encounters with other dogs.

To help your dog remain calm with people and another dog while you’re out, you should either move out of sight or create as much distance as possible.

Avoiding high-intensity activities like playing with other dogs, dog daycare, or fetching. Intense and typically accompanied by a rush of adrenaline, these activities might make it difficult for our dog to develop stiff body posture and make emotional response .

Give it a go for the next two weeks and see if anything happens. If you do this, your dog’s adrenaline and cortisol levels will be reduced, making it easier for them to deal with a new dog in the future.

Enrichment

The brain of your dog will benefit much from enrichment. Mental stimulation is just as important for dogs as physical stimulation since it helps them control their emotions and settle down after a stressful day.

Things that entice your dog to lick and chew are especially helpful in calming him down. The use of lick mats, kongs, and chews are approaches to behavior problems.

However, you do not need to spend money to provide mental stimulation for your dog. You may play fun games like putting food in a scrunched-up blanket, game of tug-of-war, or strewn over the lawn for your dog to find or placing it inside toilet paper tubes for them to shred.

Final Thoughts

To keep your dog safe and well-mannered when out on a walk, you should teach them to disregard other dogs. If you follow the instructions mentioned above, you will no longer be embarrassed by your pet.

Best programs to train your puppy or dog

Brain Games for Dogs: Fun Ways to Build a Strong Bond with Your Dog and Provide It with Vital Mental Stimulation

Buy on Amazon

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.