My Dog is OverExuberant or Aggressive when he sees another dog.

This is a common difficulty for many affectionate, or loveable dogs. Also for aggressive dogs.  This method works for both problems.

#1. Buy a clicker (I know,,, another clicker person, but I promise this WILL work!)

#2. Charge up the clicker (i.e., teach teh dog click means food. Click the clicker, give treat. Until the dog knows that teh click means food).

#3. Teach the dog a trick, at every step of the way, when the dog gets somthing right, click, then treat.

#4. Once dog is definitely sure that click means treat, and good means click, it's time to go outside.

Have a friend with a dog. A well TRAINED dog I might add.

Get about 30 yards from them with your dog in heel position (yep, that's what I said). Increase the distance if your dog is having difficulty paying attention to you.  Dog's name, WATCH ME. Dog looks at you. Click/treat. Kewl... dog gets treat for LOOKING at MOM! Wow! What a great thing.

Dog's name, heel. click/treat, and continue walking. walk about 10 feet. If dog LOOKS at the other dog, "WATCH ME", when dog looks, click and treat. :) Kewl, eh? All fun and games.

Go home. That's it for the first day.

Day 2, start from scratch. Kewl, eh? So easy, this training thing. After you get to that 10 feet closer, and have click/treat, go forward again. 10 more feet. Dont forget the WATCH ME command. Click/treat if the dog CONTINUES to watch you and ignore the other dog. Oh, how much fun can we have???

Day 3, 10 more feet closer.

I'm sure you get the picture now. There are a few rules.

#1: Dog gets click/treat only when doing right.
#2: Minimize negativity in this scenario, so it's fun & games.
#3: NEVER go closer to the other dog than yours can handle in ONE SETTING. In other wrods, if your dog can only handle 8 steps closer, then only DO 8 steps.... the time it takes to do this depends ENTIRELY on the DOG, not the owner. You are using stricktly positive reinforcement here, and when he is watching YOU, he obviously can't be watching the other dog. If he starts to go crazy, go back to the 50 yard location and start over. Teach him that he gets no click/treat if he does more than casually look at the other dog.

The goal is to gradually work toward the other dog closer and closer. Then, one day, you'll just walk past that other dog, and all will surprisingly have been easy. Then because dogs don't "translate' one situation to the other, you'll have to start doing this downtown near other dogs in the city setting... remember not to push too hard, and in that case, you won't have the other handler there on their pretty sit/stay either. So be prepared for setbacks.

For more information on clicker training, see http://www.clickandtreat.com with Gary Wilkes.