It might feel polite—or even social—to let people say hi to your puppy on walks. After all, your dog is cute, and people mean well. But here’s the truth: letting everyone interact with your dog, especially early on, can actually create long-term behavior issues.

At Lupa K9, we work with San Diego dog owners every day who are struggling with leash reactivity, overexcitement, or fear-based responses on walks. And often, the problem started with too much unstructured socialization in puppyhood.

Here’s why it matters:

1. You’re unintentionally teaching your dog to focus on everyone except you.

If every passerby becomes a possible playmate, your dog starts scanning the sidewalk for attention instead of walking calmly by your side.

2. It builds overexcitement, not social skills.

Being petted by strangers doesn’t teach calmness—it teaches arousal and jumping. True socialization is about exposure without overstimulation.

3. It can lead to reactivity later.

When dogs expect every person or dog to interact, and then someone doesn’t, frustration builds. That can turn into barking, whining, or pulling.

What to Do Instead:

• Teach your dog that calmly ignoring people and dogs is the default
• Let greetings be your choice, not your dog’s
• Save interactions for structured sessions with known, balanced dogs or calm people

Setting boundaries early helps your dog become neutral, confident, and focused on you—especially in busy places like San Diego parks, boardwalks, and neighborhoods.

Looking for help with leash manners or puppy foundations?

Contact Lupa K9 to build structure from day one.