YOUR DOG DOESN’T HAVE TO GREET EVERY DOG. YOUR DOG NEEDS TO LEARN SELF-CONTROL.

One of the biggest challenges I see with pet owners is the lack of boundaries around other dogs.

The AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test evaluates whether your dog can remain calm and under control in everyday situations. One exercise requires your dog to remain calm while you talk with another handler whose dog is nearby.

If your dog can’t maintain the required behavior during the exercise, you won’t pass that portion of the test.

Notice what’s NOT being tested: whether your dog wants to play with every dog it sees.

There’s a reason for that. Being well-behaved around other dogs isn’t about being everybody’s best friend. It’s about having the ability to remain calm, listen to your owner, and respect boundaries.

“MY DOG IS FRIENDLY, SO I LET HIM DO WHAT HE WANTS” IS NOT AN EXCUSE.

Your dog might be friendly, but the dog approaching you might be fearful, recovering from an injury, reactive, or simply not interested in interacting.

Allowing your dog to rush up to every dog can create confusion, conflict, and potentially dangerous situations.

🐾 HERE’S WHAT YOU SHOULD BE PRACTICING:

✅ Sitting calmly while you talk to another person.

✅ Walking past other dogs without demanding a greeting.

✅ Maintaining focus when distractions are present.

✅ Waiting for permission instead of automatically approaching.

✅ Developing impulse control and respecting boundaries.

THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN BUSY CITIES.

When you’re navigating crowded sidewalks, parks, and public spaces, your dog needs to learn that seeing another dog doesn’t mean it’s time to react, rush forward, or initiate contact.

A fast, uninvited approach can be interpreted as a threat by another dog, even when your dog has friendly intentions. That misunderstanding can result in a fight or an injury.

The goal isn’t to stop your dog from being social. It’s to teach your dog that social interaction is a choice, not an expectation.

At Training With Troy, we focus on building calm behavior, clear boundaries, and impulse control so dogs can safely coexist in the real world.

DOG OWNERS: Can your dog calmly sit beside you while you have a conversation with another dog owner, without breaking position to engage with their dog?

#TrainingWithTroy #CanineGoodCitizen #DogBehavior #DogTraining #ImpulseControl #ResponsibleDogOwnership