[Alison]

Hi Kamil, If I remember right, Sato is right in the middle of the hormonal storms of adolescence? Lots of high-energy dogs suddenly go crazy at that age –hormones, excitement, fear periods, etc. It’s hard but you must persist! And relax on the walks. Only reward calm. Keep him under threshold. Everything Jenifer advised below is spot-on. Yes, better to go out for now when there are fewer people around. Yes, Ball is a lifesaver! After trying various collars on Enea I now just use a chain choke collar (for security in case he suddenly panics and pulls back, also for instant communication and instant release). Prongs are illegal here in Italy, and anyway people on this site discouraged me from using one with a dog who’s already anxious. Since Sato is doing better where you train, you could SLOWLY introduce distractions at a distance — a friend with a stable dog, or on a bike. You might check out BAT https://grishastewart.com/bat-overview/ ; though I think she makes a simple thing sound complicated, it’s basically what most trainers do to desensitize a dog.

[Alison]

Hi Kamil,

I’m sorry that walks are still torture, but it sounds as though Sato is doing much better. My very anxious/fearful lagotto, Enea, a genetic mess, was re-homed to me at 11 months because he’d become unmanageable for his elderly owners –“too energetic” and he was eating their house. They didn’t tell me about the anxiety/phobia of other dogs, which is the only real problem now, maybe they undervalued it! Anyhow, after almost 2 years of a dizzying million 180° turns, treats and praise for focusing attention on me, etc walks are MUCH better — he’s still hyperfocused on invisible monsters, but no hyperventilating, panic is very rare, and even if I have to call his attention to me a lot, he hears me and comes back to heel. We go to stores, bars, the open-air market etc. But

it takes A REALLY LONG TIME! So don’t despair. Enea didn’t actually start to calm down until adolescence was over, around a year and a half. If Sato goes nuts walking to the park, you maybe might try — doing nothing. Stand still like a rock and do not move on until he calms down. It’s a pain to stop every few paces, and people will think you are crazier than the dog, but if he wants to proceed, he’ll get the idea. And hopefully street noise and confusion will eventually just become a boring background.

[Alison]

Hi Kamil, I was wondering how things were going with you and Sato! You can count on him being a hormone-crazed adolescent for at least a few months longer so be patient. I almost threw up my hands in despair when a lagotto guy laughed and said Enea — adopted untrained/unmanageable at one year — wouldn’t START to calm down til he was 1 1/2 years old. (He did, but on walks it took ages to get him (on cue) to pay attention to me instead of invisible monsters). I can’t believe you weren’t already using a choke chain, the pressure/release is instant and can make a huge difference. (Supposedly so can a prong, but they’re illegal here.) As far as respecting you goes, yes, NILF –“nothing in life is free” — doling out food, toys and affection only when he listens or earns it is the way to go. You might want to check out Larry Krohn. (I’m not being disloyal to Robert, I follow both of them and they are complementary!) Larry’s video on basic canine communication is half price right now and just puts a lot of useful stuff in one place https://sitstaylearn.com/collections/trending-now/products/the-ultimate-canine-communication-masterclass-by-larry-krohn?variant=50430621352225 Good luck in 2025!