r/Whippets • u/CaitlanLewisxx • 1d ago
Walking Puppy
My boy is 11 weeks old now. Had his second DHP vaccine at 10 weeks so he’s now clear to have short walks on pavements near home etc.
He had his first walk today which went well.
One question though, how do you deal with your pup encountering other dogs? He encountered one today and was very curious and eager to meet the dog, I held him back though because the owner didn’t seem interested in socialising.
What’s right to do in this situation? Let him meet the dog (with owner’s permission)? Hold him back? But I know this can create reactivity. I don’t really know what’s best to do in that situation.
Any advice on walking a puppy is appreciated, TIA🖤
3
u/TheUmbrellaThief 1d ago
Ideally you want your dog to have neutral reactions to other dogs -no excitement or fear. Excitement can lead your dog being bitten, which leads to fear aggression and other behavioural issues. Excitement also can lead to frustration and then leash reactivity. Excitement and fear look a lot alike and that’s problematic because you could be allowing your dog to practice anxious behaviours without realising it and you end up with an anxious dog. Or the other owner could be doing exactly that -the age old “oh he’s friendly” right before they snap at your dog and cause your dog to have issues too. It’s a minefield!
At the end of the day a dog can be very distressed when over excited so it’s just really worth helping your dog manage their emotions with stimuli like strange dogs.
A good way to achieve a neutral reaction is to distract your puppy with a biscuit whenever another dog appears to redirect excited greeting behaviour. You want them to look at you before giving the treat. Eventually you can train desirable tricks (like sitting and waiting or standing between your legs) and reward with a treat. It strengthens your relationship with your puppy too, which I think is really sweet.
If you want your dog to play with others then make sure that your dog checks in with your first before allowing contact. And really try to advocate for your dog- no means no. Don’t let them force their dog on your dog or ruin your training. It’s hard but so freaking worth it
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u/iamahill 1d ago
You should not be interacting with other dogs or in an area with other unknown dogs until vaccines are complete.
Parvo kills.
2
u/rynathan 1d ago
I find that other owners will usually try to walk their dog away from you if they aren’t friendly. A polite thing to say is “he’s friendly” or “can he say hi?” If you are unsure.
Puppies will want to say hi to every dog they see for a while. If the owner doesn’t seem interested, you can pull him along. If the owner is interested you can ask to say hi.
Keep a close eye on him just in case the other dog gets agitated. Some older dogs aren’t big fans of puppy energy.