For our service users at Guide Dogs, we need our dogs to pass other dogs in a calm and controlled manner. Otherwise the blind or partially sighted person will be dragged to every dog they pass.
If your dog is overly friendly, this Engage / Disengage exercise is a great training protocol to help.
It is a longer video than I usually produce, but I wanted you to see the full process. Like anything worth while, it takes time.
STEP ONE – ENGAGE: At a distance where your dog is calm, Mark, then Treat, when your dog looks at another dog. At any point if they get too excited, increase distance. This step may take days, weeks or months depending on the individual dog.
STEP TWO – DISENGAGE: Begin to Mark, then Treat, when your dog looks at the other dog but then disengages to look at you. Play around with the set up. Begin with your dog stationary, then practice moving around a stationary dog. Set your dog up for success by keeping them at a distance where they are below threshold and always monitor their Body Language.
STEP THREE – GREETING: Progress to short greetings, using your ‘Okay‘ and ‘Let’s Go‘ cues. You can watch more on this in our Dog Distraction video.
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As always, using the right equipment and treats makes all the difference. Use a short lead such as the Halti Training Lead and high value treats such as Sprats, just like I’m using in the video.
