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Originally Posted by ziggy925  Good advice, and sounds like a trainer I was working with. He used leash control, a little snap, but warned me that I have to pick up on Ruger's signals early and make sure to stay ahead of him. I do this, but in this case I may be a little behind.  I wonder what would happen if I gave a treat, for Ruger, to the people he is calm with, but nothing for bad behavior. |
Excellent idea! Anytime you can get anyone to help you train in over-excited or inappropriate greetings, you're way ahead of the game. Wonderful way to show him that a calm, friendly, submissive type greeting is the type strangers truly appreciate - not a hyped up dog zoning in on them and even if the dog is just Yorkie-sized, they can still upset some people with over-zealous conduct. So having another person actually reward him for staying calm will be an excellent training tool. Mind you once he understands that strangers may have treats, he may be overeager to get to them so if you can, try to hide their scent somehow so he won't be pulling and over-eager to get to that food.
But marking his calm body signals by handing him a treat every so often as he approaches a stranger with calmness of attitude and body or the instant you see him begin to amp up and focus in on, alert to, anyone or any thing, you turn him and rush him the opposite direction, should in time, teach him which approach is more rewarding to him and he should begin to police his own greeting behavior in order to get his reward and please you. Good luck!