Inappropriate greetings
 

Sometimes Ruger will approach someone he doesn't know very aggressively. Now, he's on a leash and easy to hold back, but to the person he's greeting he looks like a pitbull in full drive. His tail is wagging, and if I let him go he will jump, bump and lick. He just wan't to play, but obviously the person on the receiving end doesn't know that. I try to make a joke of it, "He just likes pretty girls," but it really is bad behavior. If he knows you he'll just sit and wait to be petted -- sometimes even if he doesn't know you. Also, if you have the "balls" to just reach down and pet him he's fine.

Thanks for the help. I've got a chick magnet that scares away the chicks. :rolleyes:

I don't know if this article best describes your dog's problem but this is a link to the types of preparation training, redirection, corrective halfter/leash apparatus and desensitization I would first try with a dog like you describe. Many sessions for a good two months should begin the fix:

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtu...reactive-leash

and:

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtu...erconditioning

Good articles, but not sure they hit the mark. I have no idea who he will bark and lunge at, a snap at the leash and moving away ends the problem. A reward might work, but when do I give him the treat? I don't want to reward the bad behavior so the timing has to be perfect. Funny, if I put a bark collar on him he is calm and gentle. Should I walk him with a bark collar always?

The article did tell me something: As he has never bitten anyone, he may feel restricted and upset that he can't interact with the humans he comes across. When turned loose in a park he only barks and lunges at humans walking "by" the park, not humans or dogs in the park. As with most dogs he'll just walk away if you ignore him, however most people will not do this. Petting him, which doesn't "appear" to be a good option, settles him right down. Pulling back or flinching just aggravates the situation. Very frustrating.

He could likely still use desensitization training and socialization techniques so that he behaves appropriately around all he approaches, preventing him from ever going pitbull, Rottie or Yorkie-devil on any dog or human. If he were mine, I would reward only after he gives the behavior I like to mark that behavior vs. turning and quickly walking away with him, moving very fast in the opposite direction so that he has to focus only on keeping on his feet and up with you, before he goes ballistic but any time he begins to focus in on, alert to or tense up when approaching another human or dog. Eventually he should begin to see which behavior gets him a reward and which gets him quickly removed from the scene for even thinking about going ballistic and begin to police himself as he finds out the former is ultimately more self-gratifying. To be a good dog handler of a highly excitable dog, unfortunately, you have to watch them like hawks when out on walks and stay ahead of them to prevent behavior you don't like and reward behavior you do, which eventually teaches them which is more rewarding. They eventually get it, just don't give up on the training for it can take two months to get them on board and longer still to imprint their brain with your good behavior training techniques.

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!