Understanding Doggie Language

In doggie language, walking straight at another dog is rude, potentially a threat, and may possibly set off a dog who is already reactive to other dogs. Walking in a curve around another dog is much more polite. So when training with your dog-reactive dog, it's important to take which directions you walk into consideration.

When passing another dog walking towards you, it's least likely to cause an outburst if the dogs walk in a curve around each other, giving each other plenty of space. It's slightly harder to pass a dog walking towards you head on, so make sure your dog is ready for this level of training!

Also fairly difficult is side-by-side walking mostly because of the sustained proximity, though you can control the distance throughout the walk. Side-by-side walks is commonly used as a way to introduce dogs because it will be clear to see any outbursts, but the dogs are far enough away that they can't fight. Hardest still is walking your dog with another dog following you. This can be very nerve-wracking for a dog! If you're walking a reactive dog and find somebody else walking their dog and following you, it's best to cross the street or otherwise let the other couple pass.