Dealing with a pooch who’s just too outgoing? If you’ve thought, “my dog is too friendly with strangers,” or wondered, “why are dogs so friendly,” you’re not alone. This behavior, while endearing, can sometimes be a bit too much.

Today, we’ll cover why some puppies and dogs are overly friendly towards strangers. We’ll, of course, also give you the strategies you need to train your dog to be calm around new people and teach you how to train your dog to ignore strangers when necessary.

Whether it’s charming or concerning, understanding and managing your dog’s overly friendly nature is a must for both their safety and your peace of mind. Keep reading to find out more about managing your overfriendly dog’s behavior!

My Dog Is Too Friendly With Strangers

If your dog is too friendly with strangers, it can be both charming and concerning. This over-friendliness may stem from their sociable nature, lack of boundaries, or over-excitement. While being friendly is generally a positive trait, dogs need to learn appropriate social behaviors, especially in situations where their safety or the comfort of others may be at stake.

Why Do Dogs Get Excited to See Strangers?

Dogs get excited to see strangers often due to their inherent social nature and desire for attention and interaction. This excitement can also be attributed to a lack of proper training regarding how to greet people.

In some cases, dogs may be seeking rewards or positive reinforcement they’ve previously received from strangers, which encourages their overzealous behavior.

Train Dog to Be Calm Around Strangers

To train your dog to be calm around strangers, you can start by teaching them the ‘sit’ command in a controlled environment. Here are the steps:

1. Begin in a quiet area with minimal distractions.
2. Hold a treat above your dog’s nose and give the command ‘sit.’
3. When your dog sits, immediately reward them with the treat and praise.
4. Practice this regularly, gradually introducing distractions to mimic the presence of strangers.

This training helps your dog understand that remaining calm and seated, even in stimulating environments, is a behavior that is rewarded.

How to Train My Dog to Ignore Strangers

Training your dog to ignore strangers requires patience and consistency. Begin by teaching the ‘focus’ or ‘watch me’ command in a distraction-free environment:

1. Hold a treat near your face and use the command ‘focus’ or ‘watch me.’
2. Once your dog makes eye contact, reward them with the treat.
3. Gradually increase the level of distraction by practicing in different environments.
4. Use this command when encountering situations that would usually excite your dog, such as seeing strangers from a distance, to keep their attention on you.

This command helps in redirecting your dog’s attention away from strangers and maintaining their focus on you, thereby minimizing their over-friendly behavior.

While a dog’s friendliness towards strangers is often seen as a positive trait, it’s important to teach them appropriate social behaviors for their safety and the comfort of others.

These commands will help manage your dog’s behavior, but it’s important to remember that the underlying behavioral issues (overexcitement, lack of socialization, etc.) that were causing all of this to begin with will still be present. And until you address those, any positive changes you see will only be temporary.

“Well, how do I make these changes last?”

By getting your dog to truly choose to follow your direction, that’s how. I tried many times to write out how you can do that before deciding it made more sense to just link you to the free video series that explains it better than I’d ever be able to.

The series is by a man named Dan who is one of the world’s leading dog obedience trainers. In it, he teaches you how to put an end to things like your dog being too friendly with strangers and all other misbehavior using his fast and easy-to-follow methods.

In the first video, Dan will reveal to you why the two most common methods of dog training only doom you to failure. You can watch the video now by clicking here. Follow the proven system he’ll show you in his series and you’ll never have to spend another second worrying about your overly friendly dog ever again!

Why Are Dogs So Friendly?

Dogs are so friendly due to a combination of their evolutionary history, domestication, and individual personality traits. This inherent friendliness is a result of centuries of breeding for certain traits, such as sociability and a strong bond with humans. Additionally, the way dogs are raised and socialized plays a significant role in shaping their friendly behavior.

Why Is My Dog So Friendly?

Your dog is so friendly because of a mix of genetic predispositions and their experiences. Breeds that have been more frequently chosen by humans over the years often display more engaging and outgoing behavior. Today, these would result in things like happily greeting you when you come home.

Additionally, positive interactions with humans and other animals during their critical socialization period can significantly influence their friendliness. To learn two commands that will help manage your dog’s interactions with strangers, go back to the first section now.

Overly Friendly Dog: Can They Be Dangerous?

While an overly friendly dog may not seem dangerous, their enthusiasm can sometimes lead to unintentional harm, especially if they are large or strong. Overly excited greetings with guests can be too much for some people or other animals, and can inadvertently lead to accidents or injuries.

Teaching your dog appropriate ways to express their friendliness is important for everyone’s safety.

Why Are Puppies So Friendly?

Puppies are so friendly largely because of their developmental stage. During their early months, puppies are in a crucial period of socialization where they are open to new experiences and forming connections with both humans and other animals. This natural friendliness helps them learn and adapt to their environment, building the foundations for their future social interactions.

The friendliness of dogs and puppies can be attributed to both genetic factors and their experiences during the early stages of life. While this friendly nature is one of the reasons dogs are cherished as companions, it’s important to guide and manage their interactions, especially in the case of overly friendly dogs, to ensure safe and positive experiences for everyone involved.

You’re probably ready to get started now that you have all of your questions about your dog being overly friendly with strangers answered, so I’ll let you get going on things. Good luck, and thanks for checking out our article “My Dog Is Too Friendly With Strangers! How to Train My Dog to Ignore Strangers”.