[4theluvoflabs]

I adopted a Lab mix from the Humane Society about 6 weeks ago. He is 7-8 months old now and he has learned, "sit, come, lay down, stay, let it, drop it and gentle" however its not 100% of the time he obeys, but we are working on it. He also is learning to heel very nicely.
The problem is he gets so excited when he sees other dogs or people come towards him. its not aggressive. he wants to play an attention but how can i help him be more calm? he jumps ( which has almost stopped now, due to my training) and sometimes barks. when we walk by another dog when taking a walk he doesn't listen or heel he has tunnel vision almost. I want to take him to a dog park to get him used to other people and dogs but i am worried what other dog owners will think, will they understand?

Any tips or advice would be wonderful

[PowerNubby]

well, the great thing about dog parks is that the rules ALLOW your dog to jump and run and be crazy with other dogs - so long as he is not aggressive.

if you are nervous about what other owners might think, go to the park on an off day and introduce yourself to the owners. Tell them that he is a new dog in your family, but you know he is not aggressive - just a little rowdy.

Your first time there make sure you stay close just in case. People at dog parks always respect a dilligent owner and MOST people will forgive bad dog behavior if the owner is present and tries to correct it.

I have learned that going to the dog park with my dog (who used to do the same thing at the sight of another dog) kind of desensitized him to other dogs. If he knows he gets to visit other dogs on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, he is less obsessed with meeting other dogs on the street.

We do generally, if we are walking on the street, as the dog owner if he is friendly and allow Cappy to occasionally approach other dogs and sniff them.. We give him a minute to do that and then we walk on our way.

The best and only way to socialize a dog is with other dogs.

The idea situation would be you find someone you know who has a dog that is a little more low key. if you COULD do private play sessions with just those two dogs first, the lower key dog will actually train your rambunctious pup how to behave.

Whatever you do..

DO NOT be on edge when you walk in the part. Any nervous energy is instantly picked up by the dogs.

DO NOT worry about somewhat rough play. If both dogs are just wrestling, allow it but keep a close eye. Be away of standing hair on the back, dominent behaviors, and other signs of aggression

DO NOT follow your dog around yelling his name constantly. I was at a park where a woman had a brand new black lab from the shelter (about 1 y/o) and the dog was hyper as can be. He dog was VERY playful and not dangerous in the least.. every time her dog approached another dog, she yelled him name a million times. She was stressed and she made every other dog stressed in there.

I hope this helps.. It sounds like you have a good handle on basic training.. its just time to jump in now.. just do it one step at a time.

[german sheep]

hello 4theluvoflabs,

your dog is stressed, overstrained and excited when meeting other people and dogs. It has nothing to do with happiness. Your lab does not know what to do and shows with his behavioural signs that he needs help from the humans side.

I like to link something here and give you an imagenation in addition to the idea "dogs are playing"

Think of two totally different wolf packs: wolf pack A and wolf pack B
one wolf from pride A is on his way to "play" with a wolf from pride B...
what do you think pack B is going to do with wolf A entering their territory??? Playing? Guess what: they will kill the concurrent.
And even in the district they are not playing but avoiding each other.

Our imagination of dogs are playing is absolutely antropomorphized and means to compare a brain orientated individual (human) with an instinct orientated individual (dog/wolf). It doesn't fit together.

The link is written for puppies but you can use it exactly for adult dogs, too.
Dogs are addicted to the human beings not to other dogs and as long as you decide when your dog gets its food and where and at what time to go, then normally you should take the responsibility to protect him from forced contact to other dogs. And think of what you really see when dogs are "playing"?
Always remember: the play groups are not similar to a familar pack situation, what you have in the park is a lot of foreign dogs which have no relationship to another.

dog-language.com Blog Archive Organised puppy groups verses Puppy play groups

Take care of your dog you love
Conny