Dog introductions should be done to set both dogs up for success, in a passive manner without a whole lot of fanfare.

No matter how friendly your dog is, running up to a stranger (human or canine) and getting in their face is rude. As with everything else we are teaching our dogs, being passive about new dogs and people is no different.

I like to start introductions with movement, like a pack walk or in the case of this video a large circle around where each dog gets the chance the be the sniffer. This passive introduction teaches our dogs that we expect them to focus on their human and still maintain composure even in the presence of a new friend.

Once both dogs have relaxed and there is no tension on leash is when it is safe to drop leash and allow the dogs to move towards each other.

Start far apart and gradually reduce the distance between dogs,if your dog gets to a point that they will no longer respond to your verbal cues or won't take treats, we've gone too far, too fast. Back up and slow down. Remember the dogs set the pace of learning, not the humans.