09/03/2025
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Always, always with great intentions.
That's how this all starts.
We should let them meet all other dogs and puppies, shouldn't we?
They're excited to see them, meet them and interact, so why should we stop them?
Leash reactivity is a very real concern that we do need to take seriously, just ask someone who has a reactive dog.
"We let her meet every dog she came across, to socialise. Now she screeches at a dog from 100 metres away"
"He was just so excited and happy when he saw another dog, so we always made a beeline for them to keep him happy, now he drags us there"
It can start that easily.
We think we are doing the right thing, letting them have fun and satisfying that need to meet that dog they have just seen across the road.
What we can create is a dog that goes to another stratosphere when they see another.
The leash or lead is now a barrier too.
Letting them pull towards their "new friend" was "fine" when they were younger but now it's impossible to even hold them still and they can drag you down the road with them.
Pulling worked when they were younger.
They were rewarded by every "dig in" , it got them closer.
They met the dog, they got there eventually.
Why do we expect they won't do the same when they are older if we haven't shown them differently?
