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Dog Training for Frustrated Greeters
Dog: Tommie
"I can not thank Steve at Rogue Dog Training enough for his help with my 3 1/2 year old Jack Russell Tommie. I love to take Tommie on runs and hikes with me, but if we ever ran across a dog on the trail he would get overly excited and started pulling, and barking (high pitch screaming) at the dog. I first would ignore it hoping he would eventually stop, but he got progressively worse no matter what I did. I thought the only solution would be a shock collar. However, I didn't want to use a shock collar on Tommie so I reached out to Steve because he uses reward-based training. Steve described Tommie as a "Frustrated Greeter". After working one on one with Steve and practicing each day with Tommie. I can now happily say Tommie is a different dog on a leash! Tommie can now go on busy trails and quietly walk/run pass other dogs! I'm so thankful for Steve's help and patience with Tommie. I'm so happy that Tommie's behavior issue has been resolved without resorting to a shock collar. It's great to finally have my running partner back! Thanks again Steve!" - Deni L.
Behavior Training Schedule Training Today
Frustrated Greeter Dog Training in Milwaukee & Waukesha
Deni's story with Tommie is a classic case of "frustrated greeting," one of the most misunderstood behaviors in dogs. It looks like aggression, but at its core, it's the exact opposite. It is an intense, overwhelming desire to go say hello.
Is Your Dog a Frustrated Greeter?
Many owners think their dog is aggressive when they are actually just frustrated. See if this sounds familiar:
- Leash Reactivity: Your dog lunges, barks, whines and pulls toward other dogs, but only when on a leash.
- Social Off-Leash: At the dog park or daycare, your dog plays appropriately and is friendly with other dogs.
- Excited Body Language: The barking is often high-pitched, and their body is frantic and wiggly, not stiff and fearful.
- Barrier Frustration: The behavior happens when a barrier (a leash, fence or window) prevents them from greeting another dog.
This behavior, as Deni saw with Tommie, often gets worse over time because the dog's frustration builds with every sighting of another dog they can't greet.
Our Proven Approach to Frustrated Greeting
Punishing the excitement with leash jerks or shock collars doesn't fix the frustration. Instead, it creates genuine fear and leads to actual aggression. We use a reward-based approach that addresses the root cause of the problem.
- Build Engagement & Focus
- Change the Emotional Response
- Practice from a Distance
Stop the lunging and start enjoying your walks again. You don't have to resort to punishment to get a calm, well-behaved running partner.
