Overexcitement Around Dogs

[lil wizard]

Rune is 10 months now and still gets super excited when he sees other dogs. What’s the best way to build neutrality at this age? Any exercises you swear by?

 

[Malakai The Great]

At 10 months old, Rune’s doing exactly what a young working line dog is built to do, scan, lock on, and get hyped. Neutrality isn’t natural for them. It’s trained into them through reps, structure, and a very clear picture of what you want.

Here’s what I swear by and what I use with my dog:

1. Start with Distance -> not Discipline​

Neutrality begins far away from the distraction, not next to it.

Find the distance where Rune:

• Sees the dog
• Notices it
• But isn’t spiraling

That distance is your “working bubble.” You shrink it over weeks, not minutes.

2. Reward Looking Away, Not Looking At​

The moment Rune chooses you instead of the dog, mark it.

YES -> reward = Neutrality is a behavior, not an absence of behavior.

If he looks -> ignores -> reorients toward you? That’s gold. Pay it every single time.

3. Pattern Work Builds Automatic Behaviors​

This is the biggest cheat code most people don’t do.

Run a pattern like:

• Look at dog -> look back at you -> move 5 steps -> sit -> reward.

Do it the same way every time. Patterns create predictability. Predictability creates calm.

4. Teach an Alternative Behavior​

The more engaged Rune is with you, the less bandwidth he has to obsess over other dogs.

Pick ONE:

• Heel
• Middle/Between your legs
• Touch
• Sit + watch me

When another dog appears: Rune doesn’t guess, he knows the routine.

5. Controlled Exposure > “Throw them into the deep end”​

You want him around:

• calm dogs
• predictable dogs
• neutral dogs

NOT:

• dog park chaos
• lunging dogs
• puppies blowing up his bubble

Set-ups beat surprises.

6. Use Movement, Not Restraint​

If Rune locks on and starts loading:

Turn your body 90° and move. Motion breaks fixation. Standing still makes it worse.

A tight leash turns dogs into slingshots. A loose, directional leash turns them into students.

7. Reps, Not Miracles​

Neutrality takes MONTHS. Breaker didn’t give me real neutrality until almost 18 months.

The good news? Once it clicks, it’s permanent.

My Neutrality Homework for Rune​

Do this 3–4x a week:

Start 40-100 feet from a dog
Let him see the dog
Wait for the smallest disengagement
Mark + reward
Move 8 steps in a pattern (heel or touch)
Reset
Repeat 6-10 times
End before Rune hits threshold

Do that for a month and you’ll have a different dog.