Overexcited about other dogs, what should I do?

Pepper is just 1 and a friendly, confident little dog that is verging on obsessed with other dogs.

Every time she sees one she get very excited and strains to get to it, wagging her stumpy tail in delight. It makes no difference whether she knows the dog or not, how big it is, whether it is interested in her or whether it is the first or the hundredth dog she has seen that day, same excitement every single time. If she's off lead (an increasingly rare occurrence partly because of this) she will rush over to any dog she can see. She has always been like this since she was a little puppy.

Is there a way to train her to be less obsessed by other dogs? Is there anything I should be doing? How should I be reacting? At the moment I keep her restrained on her lead and let her say hello nicely if I know the other dog or after I've asked the owner's permission.

We go to a training class every week and she's not too bad there, after her initial hellos and excitement. (We are working on her recall with the help of the articles on here and our classes using a training line but with little success.)

Can you tell I'm getting a little disheartened?

J

Well I have the very same problem with my 7 month old Leo pup Ivan. He has been to puppy training classes and also attends Ringcraft. He is in no way aggressive just has to say hello and interact. I am getting now that I make him sit (not easy and he is huge already) and I do not let him get to the dog, I am trying to teach him if he carries on like this he is denied access to the dog, also to teach him that not all dogs are to be played and he has to learn to ignore them and not lunge, at the moment it doesn't seem to be working but I will persevere hopefully he will cope on soon (I hope!)

Hmmmm. I have the same problem with Chance. Thats a good idea Berger. I have been just making my boy sit and then letting him greet. But he doesnt calm down. Didnt realize it at the time but I was actually rewarding the behavior that I didnt want. So I geuss no doggy greeting till he learns.

(funny how when you read other threads it helps with your problems too )

Thats the great thing about dogsey!

Been there!!!!!!!
The thing to do is only to allow him access to other dogs on your terms and for now, when he's onlead I wouldn't let him near them to actually make contact.
Youi also have to be the most interesting owner that ahs ever walked the face of the earth...smelly, tasty treats, stupid, high pitched voices and squeaky toys...the more of a prat you look and sound the better really.
I have also found that teaching a 'leave it' command works wonders, once the dog understands it, it cover s avariety of evils...fox poo...last nights chip wrappers...other dogs...

Ultimately, I found it best, if out on the lead, to just walk past other dogs on lead, being really interesting (see above) and praising the dog when it's got past and it's atention is on you...walk fast, don't hesitate and don't let it get access to the other dog, keep it bright and breezy and make YOU the most interesting thing in the world. Keep the most high reward treat you can think of only for when you walk past other dogs.
Good luck and hope this helps...every dog is so different and every situation is, you have to just try to do what works for you and your dog and your situation.

Great advice ramble - i work as a dog walker and with all the dogs i walk i make myself the most interesting thing on the walk with toys and tasty treats, especially when im walking puppys.