Would you like your dog to meet and play with a fellow dog from your circle of friends? Targeted encounter training with the two dogs can help the two to get closer without stress and, at best, to become close friends, even if there may have been problems between the two dogs before.
Dogs love to play with other dogs, especially when they know each other well and trust each other. However, adult dogs do not play with everyone – sometimes, the cold noses can be very demanding. A real dog friendship that lasts best comes about when the dog owners of the two furry friends make a strategic effort to ensure that the two get to know each other in a stress-free and positive way. The following tips will also help if your dog generally has difficulties getting to know other woofs.
Encounter training with the dog begins with the nose.
While people shake hands and talk to each other, dogs get to know each other through sniffing, smell, and pheromone information. If you want to introduce dogs to each other carefully, you should arrange walks with the other dog’s owner. If you’re going to take it very slowly, you shouldn’t walk next to each other, but in a row at a certain distance. Both dogs are then on a leash and sniff the urine marks of the other dog. In this way, the four-legged friends learn a lot about each other without looking into each other’s eyes. Important: Alternate the order or direction of the walk so that both dogs can sniff each other’s urine tags.
The next step: arouse interest
You can now take the next step after the two future friends were already allowed to sniff each other indirectly. Arrange a meeting with the other dog or its owner in a large meadow. There, both parties walk past each other in large arcs with a loose leash, stroll a few times head-on towards each other, then turn away again and meander past each other. There is still no actual contact. The dogs can get used to each other and, at best, become a little curious about the other. Once you’ve done this encounter training and leash runs together a few times, both dogs will be more relaxed around each other.
Cast off! Finally, you can play.
In the last step, after both have been allowed to get to know each other indirectly, let go of the leashes for the dog game. Both dogs can now really sniff each other, get up close and explore the playing behavior of the other. An exuberant match does not always come about immediately, but what is not can still be. Do not force two dogs to play together – like people; not everyone gets along with everyone. However, encounter training can help dogs get to know each other in the best conditions, making a dog fight less likely.
