When did your puppy start to lose interest in other dogs?

[User181019]

If at all? The reason for asking is that I have had my lowest day every with my 8 month old lab. I sat in the car crying after our walk today so please be gentle!

Our lab is wonderful in so many ways except that she is obsessed with finding and playing with every dog she meets. This means she will start straining on the lead to get to every dog we come across (which is a lot) even if they're at a distance and even to the point of choking herself on the collar. Sometimes other dog owners see this and, maybe thinking she's reactive or aggressive, will cross to avoid us. My lab in frustration will then start demand barking which makes it worse. She just looks barmy and out of control. Distraction doesn't work. She is literally obsessed.

We have invested so much time in training her starting from the day she came to us at 8 weeks. This is not for lack of training. We are on the Dog Training group on FB (which has brilliant advice) and we have worked super hard on making her more dog neutral. But it feels like we're getting nowhere.

To be clear, she does get to play with other dogs. We do regular doggy dates with her friends. We let her sniff and greet other dogs (after checking with the owner) but not every single dog and I'm not going to cross roads or go out of my way to let her greet a dog she's spotted. We are training so that it's on our terms. It's also not practical to let her greet every dog as sometimes we need to get from A to B and don't have time for this.

We use lots of positive reinforcement and high value treats. We also use a long line. But progress feels so slow or sometimes non existent.

Today I took her to the woods and thought as there were no dogs around, she could go off lead. Usually, I see or hear other dogs, I put her back on the lead. Today, she must have smelled them because she ran off. I did find her. She had smelled another dog and found him. He didn't want to play and made it clear. Before I could get the lead on, she then bolted again through the woods and I found her with several other dogs. Her recall is fab when other dogs aren't there. She becomes deaf if there are other dogs. It was a nightmare getting her back on lead. None of the other dogs wanted to play. A couple tried to dominate her grabbing her by the neck with their teeth then pinning her down. She doesn't get the message. She keeps going back for more and one day she may run up to the wrong dog. The other dogs all had great recall. It was only my dog running round, being annoying and ignoring me. I felt like a useless dog owner. One owner commented "You're clearly not as fun as the other dogs" (said it as a joke) but I felt terrible. I do try to be more fun! I once made myself more fun than another dog by playing chase with her and fell and hit my head. She came over and started to eat the treats that were in my pocket as I lay hurt on the floor. Another low moment. She isn't into balls, toys or games. She will even ignore her most favourite treats - chicken or cheese - to get to another dog. She is obsessed with them. I saw all these other dogs off lead, listening to their owners, able to sniff and greet other dogs then move on. Then there was my barmy lab. I felt so sad.

She is otherwise a relatively calm and placid puppy but in the last two weeks, she has been really jumpy (constantly jumping on me when we walk) as well as being a nightmare on the lead. She used to walk to heel relatively well. So walks on the lead haven't been fun either.

Today was a super low point. The obsession with dogs is one thing but combined with the recent jumping and pulling, it's not enjoyable taking her out for walks. The training is relentless (or feels like it) and I just for ONCE want to be one of those dog owners I see who go for lovely walks and their dogs behave nicely off lead. If there are no other dogs, she's amazing off lead. Always checks in and reliable recall. But she turns into this mad lab if there are other dogs around and we can't avoid this.

Sorry for the long lost. I'm venting. I've never cried before after a dog walk but I do feel so dispirited today. I know they say 8 months is the adolescence and regression stage but I am so tired. I know she's still a puppy. But today was exhausting and I feel like a useless dog owner. We aren't going to get a trainer as we're already doing exactly as they suggest but, as I said, it seems that progress is so slow.

I need to know she won't be like this forever. Please, if your dogs were ever like this, when did the obsession ease off? I want her to remain sociable but there's a thin line between this and being obsessed. On a recent camping trip, she was asleep tied to the stake. She heard another dog and the next minute, she was up and managed to drag the stake out - a metal stake ended up snapping in half - and after her as she made a beeline for the other dog in their tent. We just can't relax with her if other dogs are around.

To end on a positive, she is a fab sleeper, was quick to toilet train, is bomb proof in new situations, great with the kids, loves all people and is usually chilled and mellow at home.

Sorry again for the lengthy post and thanks for reading.

& months is the worst! They are big, they are teenage, and you feel like you should have cracked it by now but the training is going backwards!

It's fine, keep at the training, everything fell into place with my barmy lab almost exactly on his first birthday...

My labrador wasn't interested in balls until after this age but now I can get her back from dogs/ deer/ rabbits every time by offering it, so maybe keep playing with the ball and see if it becomes more attractive.
I used the Total Recall book for puppy and also older rescue and found useful things in it which I still use as games.
Dogs are the most interesting things to most other dogs so it's the hardest thing to train. Good luck

I remember feeling like this. Our dog used to run off to greet other dogs. He was on a long line for ages. I thought he would never stop doing it. We would have a few good days then he would run off. The lowest point is when he was playing chase with another dog running loops around a field. I felt like such a crap owner. I didn’t enjoy walking him for a while. Just had no trust and my confidence was really knocked. I continued with the training, and over time he stopped being so obsessed. I think it was a lot to do with his age. He calmed down around 14 months. He loves to greet his doggy friends but isn’t really bothered by dogs he doesn’t know. I think you will find the same will happen with your dog. Might take a bit longer because she is a bigger dog. Hang in there.

Thanks everyone. Your responses give me some hope.

I've got the Pippa Mattinson book and more besides and do train, so not seeing the results definitely knocks my confidence and patience.

I will continue training as the alternative is to give up and it never gets better. I am literally counting down the days until she gets older in the hope maturity will kick in and she mellows a bit in this sense.

Thanks again for responding. Tomorrow is a fresh day with another opportunity to train.

Mine was exactly the same. She was one a few weeks ago and it has got so much better in the last month. It wasn’t even really gradual, it just sort of happened. She’s still super interested in them, but won’t run off now, and if she does begin to run towards one she’ll stop and come back when I call. Unless the dog is really close and then she can’t help herself. For this reason I put her back on the lead when I see a dog on lead. We walk in more open spaces so they’re generally easy to spot.
Training wise I just used a long lead, started off with a “yes” and a treat when she looked at a dog in the distance then progressed to doing that when she looked away. I still do this now just to keep reinforcing.
I never thought we’d get there, so if we can do it I’m sure you can. Just keep going.

I think we’ve all had those days where if someone in that moment offered to take your dog and give them a good home, you’d enthusiastically hand them over!

If I’m honest, the recall is not reliable as you’re stating. Solid recall means that they return to you in the face of distractions, not just ignore you! I think longline until she can be trusted.

Not having solid recall is dangerous for her as today it was just luck that another dog didn’t hurt her seriously.

Do you have any socialisation classes near you? They do a lot of walking past other dogs to curb the fascination.

My lab cross is the same loves other dogs and doesn't get when they don't want to play. We just have to take her when it's quiet and she responds better. I've got her to sit and reward when she sees another dog it's little small victories and trying to keep her focused.

I totally agree with the above posts. I have a golden and she was absolutely obsessed with other dogs until after her first season... She was about 10 or 11 months before I could reliably call her off from playing with others. Around this time and after some (actually quite helpful) encounters with pissed off older dogs she became quite submissive, flattening if she saw another dog.

She is still very annoying if the other dog is also off lead and receptive. Then she will chase and hare around like a whirlwind.

That age is horrendous. Even our police dog trainers were a bit like "eh, she's lively isn't she?" It eases, it really does

I think it also depends on the breed as well as age. You’ll have some people with reserved breeds like collies or breeds with a tendency to become self employed like cockers who don’t seem to have such a problem. But if you have something like a golden retriever you san end up having to work on this until 2 or 3 to get it reliable.

Keep at it, you'll get there. I'm 16 months in with a goldie so feel your pain. Some days are better than others even now.
He goes on the lead as soon as we see another dog. I understand that every time he runs of to greet a dog is self rewarding so I have been trying to prevent that happening. If your girl is hunting other dogs out by smell I think you have no option but to stick with the longline.
One day it will just click. You've got this.

I’d knock the doggy play dates on the head as it’s mixed messages. Can she play with other dogs or not? If she’s often allowed but sometimes not it’s too confusing.

Also please don’t let her off lead if her recall is not 100% - if she runs upto the wrong dog she will get hurt.

This is a training thing

might be with finding a trainer who does group sessions so you can practise around like minded people

but agree with others it’s also an age thing & does get better

I thought my boy. Lab cross had it until recently when he massively let me down

He is two in a few weeks.

Very frustrating.

Thanks all. Many of the great suggestions here we are already doing. She's on a long line or lead except if we're somewhere where it's quiet then she's off lead - back on as soon as I see another dog - so we can have the opportunity to practice recall off lead. Yesterday was the first time she's found dogs by smell and gone off. I didn't see or hear any dogs in sight which is why I let her off lead as I wanted to practice off lead recall. Lesson learnt. She's definitely back on the long line!

@EbbyEbs a doggy play date maybe once a fortnight. We find this helpful because the other dog is a bit older and calm and is a lovely role model. I also agree that I don't want her going up to the wrong dog for her own safety. Equally, I don't want her bothering a dog that might be reactive or stressed by her. I want a well mannered dog!

@Bananarama21 we do this too! Costs me a small fortune in chicken!!

@SarahSissions totally agree. My friends have cockers and they got round this because their dogs are more info sniffing. Other labs I know are super ball focussed. Ours has never been into the ball. A bit more into it now but will still abandon it mid chase and divert if she sees another dog. We have a lab which is a breed known for loving other dogs. I expected friendly and sociable rather than obsessed though!

Thanks everyone for the reassurance. I really hope the combination of age and training means it does improve. I feel like I spend a lot of time apologising to other owners and telling them the clichéd "she's friendly, please don't worry" when my lab goes barmy.

@Goawayangryman your post gives me hope!

My lab was a total dickhead between 5m and 1 years. You have to find their thing for mine it was the ball he's obsessed with it. Will totally obey for the ball. Now 18m and minimal interest in other dogs happily do off lead.

Please don’t worry. Your labrador is very very young still. Ours was an angel in the house but so naughty when he saw other dogs, balls etc, recall terrible despite long leads, training etc until he was about 18 months! Then he just got it. He is now a very loving and obedient 2,5 year old. Keep going OP, and don’t be afraid to ask for help from a trainer.

We are still training this behaviour out of our Lab at 18 months, but improvement is steady (if seeming slow at times!).
What works for us isn’t a Watch command but a distraction with treats dropped on the floor at our feet and a Find It command. This gives her the choice to take her focus off the dog/dogs and 9 times out of 10 she will choose to do the right the thing. This was behaviourist advice and it works for her. By the time she looks up from the treat the excitement has evaporated a bit and she can greet calmly if we want her to.
Trigger points are still offlead dogs not under their owners control and her ‘favourite’ breeds of Collies, Labs and Springers having what she sees as more fun than her with balls or sticks.
It has been disheartening at times to see the behaviour return, but it is happening less. There are walking routes where we pass a lot of dogs but that have ‘escape’ paths off to the side so we can gauge her excitement levels and divert her before she tips over to Unreasonable.
One day we are confident she will realise that she’s not entitled to play with every dog she meets. 🙄 It’s taking a lot of repetition to get that message across, but I never expected a working Lab to be easy all of the time. (Not saying you expected this either, OP!).

Recall also patchy but again, repetition, long lines and we are sure she will get there. She is a lot calmer with another dog to walk and play with but that has to be on our terms, not hers.

Chicken, hotdogs and my secret weapon squeezy cheese.

Mine was pretty much after the season too. I hadn’t put the two together. She’s also very much still like you described when she does get the chance, just whizzes around dogs whether they want her too or not and doesn’t take a hint.

Mine is just two. His recall is great until he sees a dog he wants to play with!

We choose carefully when we let him off lead. He has learnt a bit of caution though. I don’t think he’d now approach an unfriendly, reactive dog. But we can’t trust him 100% so unfortunately his off lead times are restricted.

Your puppy is still young but I would say the following

1. Don't let her off the lead when her recall is so unreliable. The more you call and she doesn't come back, the worse it will get!
2. Do see a trainer. I know you say you're doing everything right but sometimes there can be something you're doing right but at the split second wrong time which a trainer might spot. Even if you just do one session.
3. Some dogs are just more excitable than others. I have one :). He is only allowed off lead in v specific circumstances for his own good. He is still hard work at age 2. I love him dearly but he will never be the type of dog that trots along nicely next to me!

Our border collie lost interest at about a year. She's 3.5 now, and only occasionally approaches other dogs now. If other dogs approach her, her reaction varies from showing her teeth (in which case I remove her) to tolerating the attention, and rarely, actively playing.

We had another training session this morning on the lead. My arm is sore from her lunging and straining to get to other dogs (even if they're at a distance) or she plants herself down and waits for them and refuses to move.

It's hard as there are lots of off lead dogs that also come up to mine when we are training. Today, I had one lady ask whether mine is safe (understandable when my lab turns barmy) and another lady actually rolled her eyes at me when I said "I'm sorry, we're in training" when she refused to call her dog away as "he only wants to say hello to yours".

Sigh!

@Saucery that's a good tip about the find it. We tried that today and it worked better than just having her sit and look at me. So thank you. The only time it didn't work was when an off lead dog we were distracting her from came and joined in and gobbled up her treats!!

How infuriating! Other people with their off lead dogs are the bane of my life. My dog is very reactive, like yours she would lunge at dogs even from a distance. We started positive reinforcement training but it only works if you can keep your dog under threshold (at a distance where they don’t react) and over time that distance gets smaller and smaller. My dog is now fine with dogs walking at the other side of the road (or a similar distance) but if an offlead dog comes running over it puts our training back months. Some people are just so bloody stupid.

I once had a bloke shout to me “it’s ok, he’s friendly” I shouted back “mine isn’t so can you please get hold of your dog!” … he then lectured me on the importance of letting dogs socialise - I swear I could have swung for him!

I find National trust gardens (not estates or countryside ) the best place for training to stop the lunging. All other dogs have to be on the lead, and because they are usually plodding round less interesting than something wizzing all over the place. I try to go to one twice a week to practice heal work.
I find parks etc a nightmare because you think you have it cracked and then some little shit comes tearing over or you have some dog haring about after it’s ball and thus making every other dog want to join the fun.
I see a National trust membership as the price of three training sessions and I have it for the year so we’ll worth it