Over-friendly puppy

[theothersparticus]

I'm taking Bella for her first puppy training class this Friday. But, she gets seriously excited every time she sees another dog, she pulls and whines and when she gets close she really wants to play, whatever mood the other dog is in. I'm concerned that our first session will consist of me pulling her away from other dogs and learning nothing.

I never let her off the lead around other dogs as her recall is hit and miss right now and a couple of dogs have been a bit fed up of her over-friendliness. I had thought she might just not be used to other dogs so I have tried to introduce her to other dogs but every time she goes out of her mind with excitement. Has anyone experienced this or have any advice?

Well, when we went to puppy training they were all like that! Tbh, the pup learns very little at the class, but you learn loads to practice at home.

I have no advice but can sympathise.

We have an over-friendly lab who is 18 months old, and have been attending training classes since he was around 14 weeks. He was like your pup when he started...

but...

.....I'm afraid that he still gets very excited each week. He is particularly bad when there are new dogs in the class that he has not met before and any off-lead work can degenerate into him running around and "showing-off" to the other dogs! Sigh!

Some weeks dd spends half the class saying "LEAVE IT!" as he darts off in the direction of the next dog.

But he has actually learned lots and has passed his Bronze award.

I am just keeping my fingers crossed that he will grow out of this when he passes adolescence!

Nearly every normal puppy goes to class like this and this is why you go to class to learn how to be calm and well behaved including around other dogs. Top tip have really really high value treats so that you are way way more exciting than the other dogs. For mobile mop tiny bit of salami or smelly cheese are the trick.
The mobile mop is 20 months now and yesterday on a walk I remarked to DH that all the training has paid off he did not jump up at anyone, he did not try to give himself to another family, he came away from other dogs the moment he was called and he just ambled past children without paying any attention. Purplefrog it seems to be the extra 2 months that have made the difference at 18 months he was still doing all you describe.

You can never have a too friendly puppy - that is great to have a happy sociable puppy. However you may need to "vet" her friends a bit for her until she learns all the big dog body language.

I know I am over cautious but I only allow interactions with dogs I know and trust - that does not always mean dogs that will play with my puppy as they need to learn what "go away means". But I like my puppies to be told politely how to behave and not be thrust into a full headlock of neck to the floor hold by some poorly socialized badly trained dog!

Do you know if your puppy class has all the dogs off lead or supervised play?

I'm glad Bella is pretty 'normal', I have been a little over-cautious with her, her last family gave her to a rescue centre because she jumped up at their little boy and knocked him over and he was too scared to go near her after that. She has learnt to leave people alone a bit quicker than dogs but she'll still jump up occasionally.

She had a bit of a scare last night when we went walking and encountered 2 huge boxer/horse type dogs off their leads, the owner was walking about 5 mins behind them, she had enough sense not to try and jump up at them. She might learn not every dog wants to play with her.

Lizcat - you have given me hope!