My 185 lb dog is perfect on the leash except for when he sees another dog, and then he rips it out of my hand causing considerable pain and injury. How can I stop this?

A dog that rips the leash out of your hand when he sees another dog isn’t really “perfect” on the leash. I would teach him to heel under distraction. The distractions have to start low and move up to more difficult, eventually around other dogs.

I would use the prong collar and eventually pair it with the electric collar. I’d make sure he has a rock solid obedience foundation in all the basics on leash. Basic Obedience.

I think it’s always best to give the dog an alternative behavior to do when we are training them. By this I mean if we don’t want them to fixate on another dog, and then teach him to give you eye contact instead and find something that motivates him. I’m all about positive methods but there comes a point where safety is at hand and a 185 pound dog (friendly or not) needs to be under absolute control in public.

Without seeing your dog, it’s hard to say what his intentions toward other dogs is but I wouldn’t rule out aggression. Many people mistakenly think their dog loves other dogs, when in reality it’s excitement that quickly turns into aggression. I think with a dog this size; I would be proactive and teach him that under no circumstances is he EVER to pull on the leash. The amount of damage that could be done to him or by him is considerable. In this day and age of lawsuits, you could find yourself in serious legal trouble.

I’d recommend this DVD as well, Dealing with Dominant & Aggressive Dogs.

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Cindy