How to Walk Past a Lunging Dog

What if your dog doesn't start the outburst but responds to other dogs who bark and lunge? What if you have a neighbour who seems to be struggling with their dog and you want to make their walks a little easier?

Here are some tips to help you get past a dog that is having a meltdown.

Give Them Space

The #1 best thing you can do to help your dog and the other dog maintain some control over their marbles is to give them more space.

• Cross the road

• Go up a driveway

• Turn around and go in the opposite direction; a "U-turn" is a great skill for all dogs to have

• Gesture in the direction you are going so that the handler can make an informed choice

• Stop away from the cross street so that the other dog and handler can make their turn without getting too close to you and your dog

Whenever possible, cross the road to give that excited or lunging dog more space.

Get Out of Sight

If you can't get away, get out of sight. So many dogs react based on visual information. If you duck out of sight, it might make it easier for their handler to help them calm down, and it'll be easier to keep your dog from responding.

• Hide behind a parked car to let them pass

• Turn down a side street

• Wait inside until they pass by your house or car

• Avoid staring at the dog

Hiding behind a parked car is often the only option we have in an urban environment!

Look Boring

Many dogs react more to fast movement or eye contact, so we want to do as little of that as possible. Direct your dog to do something super boring or to give the other dog the "cold shoulder".

• Call your dog’s name so that they look away from the reacting dog

• Ask your dog to sit facing away from them; you can teach your dog "Front" to face you and sit

• Encourage your dog to sniff the ground so the reacting dog thinks they’re uninterested; "Find It" is a great game to get your dog to hunt for snacks instead of responding to trouble

• Walk at a steady but slow pace; "1-2-3" or "On By" are useful activities for this situation

Sniffing the ground and sitting facing away from the other dog are great ways to avoid interaction.

Does your dog react to dogs and/or people? Looking for some additional support? We can help!

Want to practice in real life situations?

This year we are launching our new Rainbow Group Field Trips program! Rainbow Group Field Trips are a members-only group outing to a public location so that we can work on our dogs' feelings in a semi-controlled setting. 

Whether your dog is reactive, fearful, or excited, we welcome you to expand on your training by practicing with us in real-life situations.

We will be going to:

• A quiet business park

• Neighbourhoods ranging from quiet to busy

• On-leash parks

• On-leash trails

Every team in the Field Trip will receive:

• A walkie-talkie so that your trainer can provide direction and instruction

• A colour coded bandana indicating how close other people/dogs can get to you

• A quick pep-talk at the start

• A quick debrief at the end

• Approximately 30 min of working time

You must be a current client of Moonbeam Dog Training or a former client of your Field Trip Guide, Logan Beauregard, in order to qualify.

Not currently a client? Start with one of our training programs to learn the basics and get ready to take your training on the road.