My puppy cannot calmly pass/greet other dogs

[brawhen]

I have a 6.5 month retreiver/collie cross (with a bit of other stuff in there too).

She's happy, good natured and generally coming on OK with training - but we're absolutely unable to calmly pass or greet another dog. Can any of you suggest what I can do to help train her through this?

I'm sure it's not fear, but is excitement/playfulness/inquisitiveness.

Maybe if the other dog is very disinterested the my puppy will just stare, rooted to the spot. If there is any interest at all from the other dog (or the other dog is young), puppy can not ignore it. She will stare, be rooted to spot, often going down in to a play stance, then typically leap & lunge as the other dog passes. I've been searching online for tips, but none seem to talk about the 'rooted to the spot staring' behaviour and whether to go with this or discourage it? And all seem to say approach/pass the other dog with yours on a short leash with no tension - I cannot see how I'll get to that stage...

She's getting big enough that I'm concerned I would not be able to hold her back if she really took off toward another dog. She is retriever sized - if she boisterously bowls in to another dog or owner she could cause an accident.

We live quite rurally so it's common that we might not see any other dog on a walk, or that she might go a couple of days without seeing another dog, so there is a certain novelty value I suppose.

We went to a block of puppy training classes at around 4 months but tbh she found the experience of being in a field with 6 other puppies so over-exciting (and frustrating) that I'm not sure it really helped her. Possibly made it worse, as the bits of free play they got yomping round the field was by far her favourite time.

When she does play with other dogs, she tends to be very boisterous/excited at first, but after a while calms down. She and the other dogs seem to enjoy themselves (a lot!). But obviously can't just let her off to do that in all circumstances.

When I say she's coming on OK with training in other respects, I should say that I'm a first time dog owner so I don't have lots of experience to compare to. But for example she is much better at calmly meeting people, her recall is coming on (great if it's just me, less perfect if there are more distractions), she knows sit/down/stand/paw/middle/side/leave, she will leave food/treats until I tell he she can get them, etc.

The staring and lunging sound very much like collie herding behaviours to me. They are well known for the "collie stare" and the lunging is also very common, especially on the lead as they get very frustrated.

Personally I would get the advice of a trainer as collies (and collie mixes) can be quite specialist in terms of training and making sure you're doing things properly. They are so intelligent that it's easy to train the wrong thing and very easy for them to outsmart you!

Brawhen (I really really hope you are Scottish - if so, cracking user name!)

I have a 6.5 month retriever. In every single other aspect she is the worlds best dog. But she just loves people and dogs and assumes the feeling is mutual. As she has got older she’s less inquisitive about people, unless they make eye contact in which case she assumes they are besties. We are now able to pass by people without the sitting down staring.

Dogs are another story and it can make walks stressful. For small grumpier breeds I have to admit we usually cross the road to avoid them. She’s getting better at backing off if she’s growled at but not instantly. If crossing over isn’t an option then I get her to pull in to the side and sit and time the treat dispensing to when the other dog is walking past. It’s not training her as such but more a coping tool for me.

I’ve talked to many many dog owners about it and all say she will grow out of it.

Not very helpful sorry, but wanted to say you aren’t the only one and I’m hoping someone else will come along with more useful comments.

Thank you.

@thelobsterquadrille I hadn't really considered that it could be collie herding (doh!) but once you had said it, I noticed on our walk just now there was one incident where she did a stare/down that just looked classic sheepdog. I shall try googling some more specific to that for tips.

@BigBundleOfFluff thanks for the solidarity! Here's hoping that growing up helps for both of us ☺ (Also yes it's a Scottish username!)

Definitely sounds like a collie thing, at six months she'll be getting an eye abd learning she can control the movement of other animals just by staring at them. Trouble is you don't want her to herd dogs. If she's generally even tempered and you are getting good recall (note it's likely to go backwards in a few months) then being off lead round other dogs should be ok. Mine learnt quickly staring doesn't work if she wants to play. Collie pups in my experience love playing tag . As they get older most prefer doing their own thing with their owner She will need other dogs to teach her good manners though. Even if you live rurally if there is a local field people use or a friend with an energetic dog you could walk with I would recommend inc her off lead playtime with other dogs. A bit of being ignored until she lightens up will teach her more than you can train her. Eventually she will be much calmer roubd dogs generally. Mine ignores them on lead usually as she knows it means they can't play.

Do you have any national trust gardens or similar that allow dogs near you? I use them for practicing heel work and passing other dogs, because all the other dogs are on a lead and low energy so a little less interesting.
might be with some intentional trips to practice? You can take some high value treats and leave on a high note.

I would get a session with a 121 trainer

You need to react before the stare kicks in with collies (owner of collies for many many years!)

Think of a behaviour you would like your dog to do when approaching dogs. I would start with on leads dogs and I like my dogs to walk to heel when passing them (and if ok with me I can release them to meet and greet but otherwise they stay by my side)

So loads and loads of practice and reward for the correct behaviour away from dogs. It may be you want your dog to sit at your side if this is the case reward your dog for this a lot. Or you may want your dog to look at you. What ever you decide train and reward away from other dogs.

Then when the behaviour is learnt and muscle memory is kicking in you can start to do it when you see a calm dog a long way away. No time for the stare to kick in instead new behaviour and then reward and move away.

Over time you can decrease the distance and eventually your dog will see a dog and offer the behaviour you have trained.

However it takes time and it takes experience to know when to increase the difficult so best done with the help of a trainer.

@ShouldIknowthisalready thank you, that is very helpful advice.

@ShouldIknowthisalready

Very useful advice. Thank you.

I have a 16 week lab puppy who loves to greet people and dogs. The puppy trainer said something similar to us this morning. Ie. Get your dog to sit by yourself, and don’t let them move until you give permission, using your cue word. I’ve started trying to do this, and am saying to the other person that I’m training them to sit first. Then they hopefully won’t go to pat the dog until you give permission for your dog to move.