If your dog gets overexcited around other dogs, you are not alone.

I hear this constantly:

“He absolutely loves other dogs.”

“She’s not aggressive, she’s just excited.”

“He goes crazy when he sees one.”

“He won’t listen once he spots another dog.”

And then comes the embarrassed laugh.

Because what “just excited” often looks like is:

Pulling.

Squealing.

Spinning.

Whining.

Lunging.

Fixating.

Ignoring food completely.

It can feel chaotic.

Let’s be clear about something important.

This is not the same as fear-based reactivity.

This is usually frustration and social over-arousal.

Many owners worry their dog is reactive, when in reality their dog is simply getting overexcited around other dogs and doesn’t yet know how to stay calm.

What’s Actually Happening

When your dog spots another dog and their body goes stiff, their breathing changes, they start pulling and vocalising, their arousal levels are rising quickly.

Cortisol increases. Adrenaline rises.

They are no longer in a thinking state.

They are in an emotional state.

For some dogs, it’s FOMO.

For others, it’s pure social excitement.

For some breeds, especially spaniels and doodles, other dogs are simply incredibly rewarding.

And if pulling towards dogs has worked before, that behaviour has been reinforced.

Anything we practise, we get better at.

The Dogs Trust also explains how excitement can quickly turn into over-arousal if dogs don’t learn calm behaviour around other dogs – https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/training

The Socialisation Trap

This is where things often start.

People are told to “socialise your puppy”.

So they think that means saying hello to every single dog they see.

And as puppies, many dogs are allowed to greet everyone.

The problem?

They learn that every dog is potentially accessible.

They learn that seeing a dog means interaction.

So when that access is suddenly restricted, frustration builds.

With Envy, I knew straight away she was incredibly social. She loves other dogs. So from her very first walks, I was intentional.

She did not get to greet every dog.

I used my one in three rule. She only got to say hello when I gave permission.

And I practised recalling her away from dogs from the beginning.

Because greeting is my decision, not hers.

That early structure prevented the overexcitement becoming a habit.

Teaching calm behaviour when your dog is getting overexcited around other dogs takes practice and the right setup.

The Biggest Mistakes I See

When owners are dealing with a dog that gets overexcited around other dogs, I commonly see:

• Letting them greet every dog
• Getting too close too quickly
• Tight lead tension
• Repeating cues while the dog is already over threshold
• Hoping they will “grow out of it”

Distance is almost always reduced too fast.

If your dog is whining, pulling and ignoring food, they are too close.

Distance Is Your Most Powerful Tool

If your dog gets overexcited around other dogs, distance is not avoidance. It is training.

The further away you are, the lower the arousal.

Lower arousal means your dog can think.

If they cannot take food, you are too close.

Create space.

Work where your dog can notice another dog but still disengage and check in with you.

Then gradually reduce distance over time.

Layer it.

What I Teach Instead

Before we even work near other dogs, I teach engagement without dogs present.

Your dog needs to learn that:

• Good things come from you
• Check-ins are rewarding
• Being near you is valuable

Then we introduce controlled exposure.

I teach:

• The none of your business game
• Reinforced check-ins
• Pattern games
• Calm observation
• Structured greetings, if appropriate

Not every dog needs to greet every other dog.

In fact, most do better when they don’t.

This Is Not Reactivity

It’s important to say this clearly.

A dog that gets overexcited around other dogs is not automatically reactive.

Fear-based reactivity looks very different.

This is often social over-arousal and frustration.

But if it is not addressed, it can escalate.

A bigger dog practising intense pulling and frustration becomes harder to manage. Owners lose confidence. Walks become stressful. Selective listening creeps in.

And that’s when people start avoiding walks altogether.

A Quick Case Example

Murphy wasn’t reactive.

He was a frustrator.

He loved other dogs and would pull hard towards them. His owner felt embarrassed and started avoiding certain routes.

Once we worked on distance, engagement and layering exposure properly, everything changed.

Not overnight.

Gradually.

He learned that he didn’t get to decide when to say hello.

And more importantly, he learned that staying connected to his owner was more rewarding than charging across the park.

What It Looks Like When It’s Working

A dog who:

• Notices another dog
• Looks back at you
• Maintains a loose lead
• Walks past calmly

Not because they’re shut down.

But because they’ve learned self-control.

And you feel relaxed instead of apologetic.

That’s what we build inside my Dream Dog Programme.

Real-world calmness.

Layered exposure.

Clear structure.

If your dog gets overexcited around other dogs, this is absolutely fixable. It just requires intention and consistency.

You can read more about my Dream Dog Programme here

Because walks should feel calm.

Not chaotic.