[Hatchman]

Hi everyone

On walks, when someone approaches us to talk or say hello (and even in the house sometimes when someone comes home), my dog Max is very difficult to control. He basically starts wagging all over, from his tail to his head. Or he starts howling at the person with his tail wagging. When I try to get him to sit and stay, he almost always ignores me and just keeps lunging. He only quiets down when the person bends down and pets him. He's much better in the house, easier to calm down, listens better. But outside he just gets in a zone, a state of hyper-focus. I find in general that he is much less responsive to me when we're outside.

Any suggestions? Should we practice obedience in our backyard as a kind of intermediate step between in the house and out on walks? Toys and treats, especially chicken, usually keep his focus over and above any distractions. Maybe this can help?

Thanks