How to train your dog to greet other dogs politely on walks?

Question

Isabella loves to meet new dogs on walks but she doesn’t know how to greet another dog politely. She tries to play fight with the new dog, much like she and my second dog do at home. How can I train her to meet other dogs without it breaking into a fight? Pet's info: Dog | American English Coonhound | Female | spayed

Rodrigo Roca, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, sorry to hear about Isabella. There are a couple factors that may influence this, but here are some steps you may take to begin to condition Isabella to meet new dogs. Hope this helps and best of luck. 1. Slow introduction on neutral territory • Allow them to view one another from afar, such as on a walk or at a park or friend’s house, and make this a positive situation. • Don’t let them run up to one another right away. Introducing pets too quickly can often lead to miscommunication. • They often determine their hierarchy relatively quickly, and a new puppy introduced on an older dog’s territory can make for a negative interaction. • Your older dog might be territorial and not respond well to the new introduction on his home turf. 2. Make it a positive experience. • Give them lots of treats, play games that they enjoy, and give them praise. • Allow them to interact with your full attention, and praise each of them for interacting with one another positively. • Introduce food and treats when they show calm and relaxed behavior, and they will begin to associate one another with a positive environment. 3. Keep it Controlled • Monitor the body language of both dogs and watch for impending fear or aggression. By watching the interactions between your pets, you can be aware of impending problems and prevent potentially dangerous interactions. • Do one introduction at a time if multiple dogs are involved. At first, your pets should not be allowed to interact without your supervision. • A useful technique is to have both dogs on a leash with one adult per dog. If you know that your dog might be possessive of its own toys, do not use them during these interactions. 4. A Little Bit at a Time • Short play times and breaks will help keep the experience more positive and prevent overwhelming them. • Allow them to play as long as they seem to be interacting well, without fear or aggression, and take the time to separate them for short breaks. • If you are seeing signs of aggression such as growling, bared teeth or raised back fur, give the dogs a break from each other

How to train your dog to greet other dogs politely on walks?

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