How can I stop my young dog reacting to other dogs?

[Lll898]

Hi

I need some advice regarding my chug.

I rehomed in November, friend of a friend he lived with 8 dogs but they could no longer cope so were rehoming majority.

His a lovely little guy, indoors his perfect when out and we are walking is great recall on extendable lead is great.

His 13 months old for reference.

As soon as we see other dogs he sqeals barks lunges up on his back legs and he will not listen to any command, have tried treats his not interested as soon as he notices another dog that's it he goes bezerk. A halti was recommended as can turn his head along with his harness, one more than a few occasions he manages to get out as his just all over the place. The point being his actually met a couple of neighbors dogs and he doesn't react like this, we were even stood on around corner bumped into neighbor walking her dog and all fine tails wagging etc, another dog he did not know walked past and he went bezerk.

I am running out of options of what to do with him outside

Treats do not work
Halti do not work
Commands do not work
Turning away does not work
I have ever tried picking him up before now bad idea as he caught my hand with his teeth.

I don't even think his trying to go and cause harm although he looks mental basing on when he knows a dog Quote as I've been told repeatedly when out, that dog shouldn't be out like that' I do understand completely

I can't afford training right now I'm moving in a matter of weeks.

Any tips please ?

Is there any pattern, ie is he reacting to non-neutered dogs? Is he neutered himself?

This might not be relevant but i neutered mine at a slightly older age (a year) at which stage he had already been attacked by other unneutered dogs and now will react to unneutered dogs. I do manage to train it out of him but after a while we have a reset and have to train again.

I’ve worked with two trainers who said this is quite common trigger for some dogs. I know Mumsnet is against neutering male dogs but if I had my time again, I’d neuter earlier.

Does he get time playing with other dogs? If he was living in a pack of 8 then he'd have been used to lots of rough and tumble play so he might be now what they call a frustrated greeter.
I'd spend as much time as possible with the dogs he knows and is calm with, and find a secure area to meet up with people with similar sized/aged dogs so that he gets to play there so he gets to know the difference.
Also, using a harness with a front clip like the Perfect Fit can help with the rearing as you have control downwards

Hi
No he doesn't get time playing this is one of my thoughts that he actually misses being with other dogs so he goes bezerk trying to get close.

And I cannot blame dog owners we come across taking a concerning look and tone, he really does sqeal so high pitched.

He has three harnesses one front clip and it hasn't helped much the hatli where have control of his head his not stupid in any sense he learnt that if he turns and janks backwards he could remove it, which when walking I can control that his fine walking wasn't keen on the halti but when his going bezerk I have very little control.
20 years had a GSD X Lab he would pull and a halti worked wonders
This little guy chaos.

A water gun was suggested by a friend a week ago when he goes bezerk water in his face, I am debating it.

Another friend even suggested rehoming him but making sure he gets one with resident dogs, however I am not at all for this, every thing else his a lovely little chug

He may benefit from being walked on a shorter lead if the reactivity is happening when you're walking around residential areas, especially whilst he's being trained. I do think some excitable dogs tend to go a bit nuts when they reach the end of the lead and get that jolt and realise can't get any further. A water gun is likely to give a similar shock, so it's likely to add to his anxieties in the long term. You need to model calm behaviour, by speaking to him calmly and reassuringly, resist the temptation to tell him off (I know this can be hard sometimes). Lots of positive reinforcement and praise when he's being calm, so he realises that's what he's supposed to be doing.

I would work on keeping your distance from other dogs and teaching him to be calm. Distract him with treats or a toy to try to stop him approaching other dogs. He's young and likely wants to play with the other dogs he sees, but he needs to learn to only approach them when you give him permission (and of course the other owner is ok with it). At the moment he's effectively running up to them and yelling hello in their face, which isn't going to go down well with a lot of dogs.

If he's good with your neighbour's dog and that dog is calmer and well socialised, I would ask whether you could go for a walk together sometime. Your dog can watch how the neighbour's dog is interacting with others and hopefully he'll be keen to replicate it if he sees a nice calm interaction.