My dog runs to other dogs on walks. How can I control him safely?

Yes, this does sound very scary. I would look for a collar that he cannot get out of like a pinch collar or a harness that is properly fitted. This could be a liability to you if your dog is running into another person's yard and being aggressive. I would also consider talking to a behavioral specialist to help train him so he doesn't do this. You could also talk to your vet about starting him on a anti-anxiety or calming medicine like trazadone that you can give before your walks. Finally, you can be safer by either not walking him if you have a backyard or try to walk him when no one else is around. I hope this helps!

I can understand that you want him to be under voice control and walk beside you without a leash but this is usually very difficult because dogs are such curious creatures. It is also unsafe. I always recommend having a dog on a leash when not in a fenced in area because of cars and other animals passing by could seriously injure your dog. All it takes is a small break in concentration (from a passerby, another pet, or a squirrel or bird) for your dog to not listen to your commands and run off. I’m sorry, I know this was probably not the response you hoping to hear but your pet’s safety is the primary concern. Best of luck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! This is tough! He sure is cute! I recommend using the gentle leader head collar for better control and asking for sedatives like trazadone from your Vet. Do not take him to these places until you train him to look at you (with treats) in social situations. This will take some time. You may want to pay for private training lessons so you can focus on this one behavior. There is no instant fix but being proactive, like you are, is a good step! He is young still. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/petsafe-gentle-leader-dog-headcollar Good luck!

Have you tried a gentle leader or Halti? These go around there nose and mouth and clip behind the ears then connect to the leash below the chin. Whenevere the dog pulls, it puts the pressure on their nose and forces their nose between their front legs so they loos there strength and cannot pull. If that does not help then you need to consult a trainer for one on one sessions and then add group sessions with other people and dogs to hel keep him focused.

I strongly recommend enrolling in some solcialisation classes run by a certified trainer or behaviorist in order to improve his interactions with other dogs and his focus on your commands. This will take a lot of time and patience on your behalf given his is fully grown now, I would also consider neutering him as long as there is no fear/anxiety in his behaviors - ask the trainer to fully assess before you schedule this and consider a temporary castration implant initially which will reverse over 6months or so if necessary

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would recommend using corrective collars like a pinch collar or gentle leader. These can help stop the pulling behavior. You may also look into the low voltage shock collars. These collars emit a small shock that is similar to being snapped by a rubber band. You can use this to correct the behavior and these collars can all be found online or at your local pet store. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Poor pup! It sounds like you both would benefit from a basic training class for working on some leash manners, and to work with a trainer about desensitizing your dog to fearful things (such as cars on the road.) A harness such as an Easy-Walk no pull harness or a Gentle Leader is also a good idea so that she can't pull or tug you places or get herself injured. Starting walking on quieter trails that are low distraction and gradually increasing the amount of distraction and noise on walks can help as well, but it will take time. If she becomes too scared, going back to the walking bath she was less fearful on and working up from there is best.