# V being too social!



## koda13 (Dec 17, 2013)

Hey hey guys!!!

My V Koda is going along really well atm! He is 18months old and his basic obedience training is going well. Although we are going through a stage where his recall is being a bit of a pain in the backside! But i know the check cord is definitely is needed to be pulled back out! 

A problem i am having though atm which has been going on for a few months is that Koda is almost becoming too social! He wants to play with every dog he sees! 
If he is off leash he is running off to play with dogs instead of coming back to me. 
Or another habit which has developed and is embarrassing is Koda pulling prefusely towards other dogs to greet them whilst on the lead. If i stop in my tracks he will rear up on his back legs and whinge and moan because he wants to go and play so much. 

When this happens i get him to sit and wait whilst the other dog passes but by then the damage is done with his loud whinging and rearing up. 

Any tricks or tips with out to curb this? 
Once he has had a sniff or said hello he is happy to keep on walking and be on his merry way but he feels as if he needs to say hello to EVERY dog he sees! 

Thanks in advance!!


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## gem2304 (Mar 7, 2013)

Hi,

i'm not much help at all but i just thought i would reply to say i feel your pain!

my boy is almost 18 months and for the past few months we have had the same behaviour. He is great at recall when we are on our own but when you throw another dog into the mix he just goes deaf to me.

i am quite happy for him to play with dogs that are off lead but it becomes a problem with dogs that are on the lead.


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## organicthoughts (Oct 9, 2012)

Use the half hitch leash technique for more control as you walk. Practice walking by other dogs without stopping. If the dog pulls, he will get a self-induced correction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_RRisZmp0M Bring treats with you to hold his attention as you pass others and give him the treat once he does so successfully.

Need to train in the desired behaviour.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Him loving all other dogs is a good problem to have. You don't want to take that from him, just add some control to it. Just need to work on the walk, and recall. If you have friends with dogs they can help you. Its better if you send him to go greet, and then (on check cord) recall him. Praise him, and then send him again, and let him play for a few minutes. Repeat the recall and release.

I like the half hitch, and still use it once in a awhile as a reminder, if one of the dogs gets a little to excited. You can also practice this with high distraction of another dog. Have him walk past the other dog without him getting to greet. Then after a few passes and he is getting it down, let him greet the dog.


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## koda13 (Dec 17, 2013)

Thanks so much for the responses!

I will definitely try the half hitch leash technique and see how that goes!

I definitely love the fact he loves to play with other dogs and is eager to say hello, i just want to be in control of it because i'm not worried about Koda saying hello, its more if the other dog isn't too happy with a bounding happy pooch approaching at speed! hahah!

Ill work on it and keep you all posted with how i go! 

Koda is exactly the same as your V gem2304! really good when it's just me and him but as soon as there is others there, its more fun to go and play!


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## chilithevizsla (Apr 2, 2014)

That method of using a lead is awful!
You should never use pain or discomfort to correct a behavior because if that sensation only happens when you're near another dog or he's fixated on a dog he'll associate dogs with the sensation as well. Dog doesn't like pain, pain is caused by dog, dog doesn't like dogs anymore.

I just wrote this on a very similar thread.

Bounding up to other dogs is potentially dangerous and actually rude. Your dog should be under control when meeting people you unfamiliar with and even then your dog should greet calmly.
It does sounds like your dog is over threshold when he meets other dogs, you need to do some counter conditioning with him around other dogs so he can stay under threshold while assessing the situation.
This can be done by using a long lead, stand in a field with another dog, he'll have a preferred distance where he can look at a dog and not react negatively, work from that point.
If he looks at a dog, treat him, if he looks at the dog and then you treat and really praise him! If he looks at the dog and goes stiff, wait and see how he reacts, he's assessing the situation. If he then does any of step 1 then treat, if he tries to move directly towards the dog then you need to redirect him to another direction and then treat. Just repeat this process with less distance in between each time until you can get right up to another dog. Find a friend then walk in circles making sure you're meeting at some point in that path, sometimes you will keep walking on, others he gets to greet and play. Anything inappropriate and you walk away from the interaction and get to a calm state then try again.

Try not to meet strange dogs for a while, if anything negative happens then you'll be put back a few steps and makes your training harder!


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

chilithevizsla said:


> That method of using a lead is awful!
> You should never use pain or discomfort to correct a behavior because if that sensation only happens when you're near another dog or he's fixated on a dog he'll associate dogs with the sensation as well. Dog doesn't like pain, pain is caused by dog, dog doesn't like dogs anymore.


To each their own, of course, but with a strong puller, I'd much rather use a half-hitch than have a dog choke itself by pulling on a leash only connected to the collar. Doing that relieves some pressure around the neck and distributes it across the body, and because it is a sensitive area, most dogs aren't going to pull until they injure themselves. I think if you saw it in practice you would realize it's far from a harsh training practice. 
Great contributions today though! Glad to have you on the forum.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

a Higgins lead works - E collars work - a whoa board works ETC - I correct on commands the pup knows - does not matter if ving social or 10ft from me - here is here - whoa is whoa - heel is heel !!!! it's the command you work on


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## chilithevizsla (Apr 2, 2014)

Use a harness instead of a collar if that's the case. Why use pain or the fear of receiving it when there's kinder methods you can employ through positive reinforcement. Those are all tools that help fix a problem, as soon as you take them off that again they're going to pull, they mask problems never fix them!
If never put pressure on my dogs sensitive organs.


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## trevor1000 (Sep 20, 2013)

You would never see a hunting dog owner put a harness on a dog in the woods.
That would be prone to injure the dog.
My first choice is a collar, lead works well too.
As far a whoa goes the whoa board was awsome, i didnt need a collar or lead or anything.


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