walking issue

[sjat24]

Hi

My dog Raven is such a good dog, except for one thing!! Everytime we take her for a walk and she see another dog I have no control of her!!!
She stands on her back two feet and jumps all round, pulls me or hubby.
We would bring her to the other dog but she'll just jump all over them!
This is my only problem with her and I dont know what to do.
Any suggestions?

[Lissa]

Does your dog only pull when he sees another dog?

I've done a lot of training by positive reinforcemnet but without a clicker, the most successful NO PULLING method IMO is to instantly freeze postion when your dog pulls. In other words, the only time you move is when there is slack in the leash. If you are consistent, it should only take one session (or walk) for your dog to get it... Also, I find that closing my eyes really helps because I do not get distracted and am ONLY reacting to the tension on the leash. You'll be amazed at how much tension we do not notice with our eyes open!
Probably an equally important thing to remember is to be upbeat. Try to engage your dog. If that means bringing his favourite tug toy as a distraction then do it.

The most important key to no pulling is consistency...we can't allow pulling when its convenient for us, like when we are rushing home to get out of the cold. They need to understand that any tension on the leash will not be tolerated - otherwise, you're sending mixed messages and encouraging them to pull. It is imperative that you remain calm and relaxed as they easily pick up on your frustration!

If Raven is only pulling when she sees another dog, clearly she is overwhelmed with excitement. Has she been socialized with dogs? Obviously, you are right not to bring her over to another dog when she is that out of control - not only will she be rewarded for her behaviour but it could also cause some growliness if the other dog isn't comfortable with her excitement.
If you zig zag (change directions) does she focus on you and stop pulling/jumping?? Have you taught her the "watch me" command?