How To Train Your Dog To Behave In Public

Because our dogs are such an essential piece of our family units, many of us forget that they’re animals. They're not born knowing how to behave in different situations. Instead, they rely on their instincts, which isn't always what's best for them or us. Learning how to train your dog to behave in public can make them a more enjoyable running partner or make taking them places like the dog park or vet's office easier and less stressful. 

Knowing how to train your dog to be calm in public is crucial because it allows you to take them to more places and make their experience more enjoyable as well. Dogs experiencing new places, strangers, and other pets can easily become anxious. In fact, studies show 10–19% of dogs experience fear of strangers or dogs. However, giving them training and cues to rely on can help them understand what you expect from them and help to reduce some of their stress. 

If you've searched for "how to train my dog to behave" and landed here, you've come to the right place. This article will discuss everything you need to know about how to train your dog to listen while in public, at the dog park, or wherever your adventures take you. 

• Socialization
• Behavioral Modification & Training
• Medication
• Why Are Public Spaces Triggering For Dogs?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Final Notes

Socialization 

Socializing your puppy while they're young, specifically between their first 3 to 12 weeks of life is crucial because it helps them become confident in new situations and around new people and pets. Unfortunately, many dogs aren't socialized. Instead, they may come from shelters or single-dog homes where pet parents didn't think their dog needed to be socialized because they would never be around other dogs. However, socialization goes beyond introducing dogs to other dogs; it's a way to train your dog how to react in new environments and around others. 

Socialization aims to get your dog used to smells, sounds, and sights they're not normally exposed to. While your dog may not go to the dog park, they still have to leave the house to travel to the vet or go on walks, where they're exposed to all sorts of different stimuli. 

You want your dog to react to strangers positively or not at all. You don't want them barking and lunging at strangers and other dogs on walks because it could quickly become dangerous. Socializing your dog as early as possible can make training easier, but dogs of any age can still be trained to help them feel more confident in unfamiliar places. 

Not socializing your dog can lead to serious behavioral problems, such as aggression, which can be directed toward strangers and other pets. Aggression is usually due to fear or anxiety about unfamiliar situations. For example, if your dog was never socialized, they might become aggressive as their natural fear response whenever they see a stranger on a walk. On the other hand, your dog may be perfectly socialized but predisposed to anxiety.

Other dogs can become overly excited on a walk when they see a person or another dog. Instead of barking and lunging, they might try to pull you toward the other dog to greet them. However, this can also be dangerous for both of you because pulling on the leash can cause choking and force you to trip over your dog. In addition, you don’t know how the other dog will react. Socialization can help you gain better control of your pet’s reactions because it helps expose your dog to various sights, smells, and sounds. With proper socialization, instead of pulling towards a dog, your dog will ignore them as they pass by. 

Behavioral Modification & Training

Behavior modification and training are crucial if you want to learn how to train your dog to listen in public. However, your dog should know the basics before investing in comprehensive behavioral modification. 

Obedience training is crucial for all dogs, whether or not you want to take them in public. Commands like "sit" and "stay" can prevent your dog from running out the door when you come home from work, and it will teach them to "leave it" when they want to pick up dangerous trash on walks. 

Obedience training will help you learn how to train your dog to listen in public because it focuses on teaching them verbal commands, which can help cultivate safety around other humans and pets. For example, if your dog gets overly excited when it sees another dog on walks, you could teach them the "look at me" command that asks them to look at you as you pass another dog. 

Behavior modification is another type of training that aims to adjust behaviors through a variety of techniques, including, habituation, desensitization, and counterconditioning. It's different from obedience training because it doesn't just teach dogs to comply with commands. Instead, it teaches dogs how to behave or respond to certain stimuli without commands. Behavior modification is designed for dogs with behavioral problems like fear-based aggression or reactivity. Ultimately, it aims to change your dog's behavior without verbal cues. 

For example, if you have a dog that lunges and barks at other dogs on walks, behavior modification can help them change how they respond to that particular stimulus. Instead of barking and lunging, a dog might be taught to poke their nose into their owner's hand whenever they see a dog. Instead of focusing on the dog, they're focusing on another task, which can distract them and help them feel more confident. 

Behavior modification relies heavily on positive reinforcement.¹ For example, giving your dog treats as soon as they display a desirable behavior will increase their likelihood of doing it again, similar to obedience training. However, instead of rewarding a dog for listening to you in public, you'll reward them for performing a behavior with or without verbal cues.

Medication

Many dogs aren't socialized or trained when they are young, which can lead to a lack of confidence around other people and pets in public. When your dog is afraid or experiences anxiety, like 72.5% of dogs do, they're more likely to exhibit undesirable behaviors. For example, if your dog has separation anxiety, they might engage in destructive behavior. Meanwhile, if your dog is afraid of other dogs and they see one on a walk, they might bark and lunge in an effort to scare the other dog away. 

Unfortunately, if the other dog walks away either because they were scared of your dog or simply because they were headed that direction anyway, it reinforces your dog's behavior; they believe they actually scared the other dog away and will continue to repeat that behavior to scare other dogs away when they see them.

If your dog suffers from behavioral problems, including fear, anxiety, and aggression, they might benefit from anxiety medication. Anxiety medication can help treat anxiety in dogs to help them stay calm in certain situations. There are short and long-term anxiety med solutions. Some dogs will be on anxiety medication for their entire lives, while others may only use it for specific occasions like going to the vet. 

Anxiety medication can also facilitate behavior modification. For example, if your dog is afraid of other dogs, seeing them across long distances can trigger their fear-based aggression. It isn't easy to train a dog that has already reached and surpassed their threshold. Once your dog reaches their threshold, they can't listen to you, take treats, or learn. They're too anxious. Anxiety medication can help your dog avoid their threshold, making it easier to train them. In many cases, medication works best when used in conjunction with behavioral modification. 

Why Are Public Spaces Triggering For Dogs? 

If you want to learn how to train your dog to be calm in public, you need to know why they aren't. There are a lot of stimuli in the outside world that can trigger your dog, causing them to bark, lunge, and snap. However, your dog isn't trying to be aggressive. In most cases, dogs that display this type of behavior are trying to act scary to scare something else away from them. Dogs that react aggressively are fearful.²

You should identify your dog's triggers to help you understand when they will most likely become reactive. For example, over time, you might learn that your dog only barks at women in large winter coats, people with a certain hair color, larger or smaller dogs, and so forth. Once you've identified the triggers, you should start by avoiding them. Remember, you don't want to reinforce your dog's aggressive behavior. Avoidance is typically the first step for managing a reactive or fearful dog. However, you can't always predict when you'll run into your dog's trigger when you're out in public, so the best thing you can do is invest in behavioral training that can help them feel more confident and reduce their anxiety. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my dog freak out in public?

There are a variety of reasons a dog may become anxious or stressed in public, causing them to exhibit unwanted behaviors, including: 

• Lack of socialization during puppyhood
• Traumatic experiences
• Genetic predisposition to anxiety

Ultimately, pet parents should see a veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist in order to diagnose the cause.

How do you calm a hyper dog in public? 

Many dogs are excited but not aggressive in public. All the sights, sounds, and smells make them feel like running, jumping, and playing. However, keeping your dog calm in public is crucial for their own safety and the safety of others. You can calm a hyper dog by ensuring they get enough exercise and mental stimulation before they go out in public and investing in training to teach them how to behave in certain situations. 

In addition, it's always a good idea to carry treats wherever you go to reward your dog's good behavior. 

How do I get my dog to relax around people and other pets?

Training is the best way to get your dog to relax around people and other pets. Unfortunately, many pet parents don't know how to do this because they didn't invest in socialization and obedience training when their dogs were puppies. Working with an experienced trainer can help you get your dog back on track to help them stay calm in certain situations. 

Additionally, you can try anxiety medication, which can help them stay calm in the short or long term, depending on their diagnosis. For example, if your dog barks and lunges at guests coming into your home, your vet may recommend a fast-acting, short-term anxiety medication to facilitate training. 

Final Notes

Having a dog that demonstrates disruptive behavior in public can be stressful. You want to take your dog on adventures, but their behavior makes you think twice before leaving the house. Luckily, you can train your dog to behave in public through training. First, however, it's essential to understand your dog's triggers and why they behave the way they do. 

Additionally, you should use your best judgment when taking your dog outside the home. If you have a dog that exhibits aggressive behavior, it's typically best to only let them leave the yard for trips to the vet or places they're already comfortable with. Unfortunately, even the vet can be a trigger for your dog. Avoid the stress of going to the vet clinic with Dutch telemedicine for pets. We can diagnose and treat a range of health conditions in dogs from the comfort of your home. Try Dutch today.