# Still very exciteable on leash



## Stanleysmum21 (Nov 16, 2021)

Hello everyone, hope you're enjoying this milder weather and having a great jubilee weekend.
So Stanley is now 9 months old, he's doing great, he's been castrated, he's learned so much like come, fetch, walk, sit, stay etc etc.
Loose leash walks around 80% of the time too which is AMAZING!!
he's honestly the best dog I've ever known.

Regarding training, I'm still struggling to kerb Stanley's excitable nature when it comes to other dogs. If he sees another dog he lunges, not aggressive at all it's just because he wants to play. He sometimes does it with humans too, not all the time just some of the time.
I try walking by with a treat to his nose and let him walk by which doesn't work all the time.
I never let him meet other dogs on his leash.
I cross the road. I sometimes even turn around and go the way but he still wants to play. Pulling on the leash to get to them.

This means he is NEVER off his leash.
His recall is great when there are no distractions but if I was to ever let him off and there was another dog around I'd never get him back.

Is this something I can train out of him or is I his puppy years?? Will the excitement reduce as he gets older??

It's just one thing I can't quite get right which makes some walks with him really enjoyable.

Picture for attention


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Sounds like he is doing really well. Does he ever get to say hello and play with other dogs?

When Chance was a pup we worked really hard on her coming back to me when she saw other dogs, but when we got closer if the other dog was friendly I then let her go and say hello and play if appropriate. 

I would use a long line if necessary to prevent him making his own choices and rewarding him massively but then allowing him to say hello. I do similar on lead, pulling towards another dog turn and go the other way, but turn back as soon as pup can walk nicely. Again if the other dog is friendly they can say a very quick hello - although on lead always make them very quick. 

Hope that all makes sense.


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## Stanleysmum21 (Nov 16, 2021)

2ndhandgal said:


> Sounds like he is doing really well. Does he ever get to say hello and play with other dogs?
> 
> When Chance was a pup we worked really hard on her coming back to me when she saw other dogs, but when we got closer if the other dog was friendly I then let her go and say hello and play if appropriate.
> 
> ...


Thank you, it makes total sense to me. I cant afford a trainer so I've been doing it all myself and I often wonder if I'm doing it right 

I actually never allow him to meet dogs on his lead, mainly because I read that was a bad thing to do, he greets other dogs when off lead, in a field or at a friend's house or in the garden etc but never when I'm out.

Should I start introducing him to other dogs, do you think that will help??
He's doing great, it's just one aspect of our walks that I just cannot grasp, it feels more like he's going backwards than forwards sometimes. 🙈🙈🙈


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Meeting dogs on lead is often when they are more tense so a potential problem - if my dogs do say hello to another on lead I generally call them away quite quickly before things go wrong. Chance is not at all comfortable meeting another dog when she is on lead and I avoid it as much as possible, Molly is much more laid back about it.

When we are out and about offlead I generally react to how the other dogs and owners are, for dogs on lead I will always call them back and put mine onlead (or just move away if appropriate) if other dogs are off lead and both dogs and owners look relaxed mine can say hello when we get close, it is usually a quick hello and then move on now they are both getting old. As youngsters they would sometimes have a quick play and then move on. It sounds like you are missing the step to get to that point? 

It sounds like what you are doing is largely trying to ignore other dogs when out and about which is always going to be tricky for a social breed like a cockapoo. What you need to teach him is that listening to you when other dogs are around is superb, the ideal scenario is you see another dog, he listens to you and comes back to you, you hugely reward him for doing that and then release him to go and say hello to the other dog and have a play if appropriate - that is the premack principle at play and its incredibly powerful as you are letting him do what he wants to do as a reward for doing what you want him to do. Maybe you could start off with one of his friends working on it and build up to doing some with him out and about using a long training line so he can not get it wrong.


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## Lena11 (Aug 1, 2021)

I think I saw 2ndhandgal say this on another thread and I use this method:
1/3 of dogs Monty is allowed to fully play with (once we get to the field)
1/3 quick hello
1/3 ignore

I make it a point to say: go, say hi!’
They are still young and it is completely normal for him to still be a little over excited when seeing another dog. What I noticed with Monty is that he is much better when he already said hi to some dogs. Then when we see another, he can ignore more easily. Don’t underestimate your pup either, when you let him off lead (in a safe spot) once he gets used to the fact he can sometimes say hi, he will get better and better at trusting you to determine who he is allowed to play with


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## MaryLondon (2 mo ago)

Thank you, Lena, that is really helpful. We try to practice puppy manners on the pavement - quick nose to nose - and full run around in the park. We have this really daft vocabulary/commands. ..."Big girl walking, please" for leash walking on pavements. "Ah ah - leave the doggy, when she is off the leash but approaching other dogs on leads. The Ah ah, usually makes her stop and think. and "this way" if she is off lead and I am concerned about the size or number of dogs joining in the play group. I haven't mastered a command distraction for squirrels yet ...;p


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