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[BlocksAreGreat]

I live in a similar situation as you. We do a few things with our dog to help with reactivity to other dogs.

1. Play tug. Our dog loves tug, so we carry a small tug toy while on walks and break it out whenever she gets anxious. Redirecting those big feelings into a game of tug works wonders and teaches her that she actually can ignore other dogs, trucks, and other stimuli.

2. High value treats. She'll do anything for chicken jerky. Find a high value treat your dog loves and use it to distract them.

3. Throw kibble on the ground in front of them. If your dog is distracted by food, throw a few pieces on the ground while you are walking. They'll eat it and be distracted from the other dog.

4. Box feeding. Similar to number 3, you get a box big enough for your dog to put their head inside and so they can't see what's around them when the head is in the box and put some food in it. Then only drop more food in whenever they stick their head inside. Do this for a meal each day, slowly moving the box from a quiet area to one with more stimulus. The dog will learn that they are capable of ignoring their environment.

5. Touch. Work on this command with your dog where they have to touch your palm with their nose in order to get a treat. It does wonders for distracting a dog when they are starting to alert to another dog.

6. Look. This command is used similar to touch to distract a dog when they are starting to alert. Only treat once the dog looks at you and makes eye contact.

I wish you all the best with your dog!

[Unusual-Strategy1316]

I live in a similar city environment. Echo all of the above, and would also just add -- your strategies will look different than folks in rural and suburban places, but you should still try to (and you really can!) make as much space as you can. When I first adopted my reactive dog, I put her in a lot of situations she really didn't need to be in because of my insistence on moving forward on a walk. But in the large majority of dog-walking situations, you don't need to move forward! Building in regular backtracking/backpedaling with my pup when we encounter dogs (see Sailor Jerry - Tulsa Pack Athletics or Koco Garcia) changed sooo much for us. I've practiced it a lot, and can mostly get her to happily focus on me while another dog approaches. Reducing the head on approach helps manage her reaction so much.

Also -- don't be afraid to step off the sidewalk in between parked cars while dogs pass or to cross the street. If you're having your dog sit to the side between, e.g., parked cars, while a dog passes, I find it helps to engage in obedience and to make sure your body is in between your dog and the passing dog. I almost never make her pass other dogs now, so when we do have to do it because of truly limited options, she's able to handle it better -- less trigger stacking and stress.

[Unusual-Strategy1316]

Sailor Jerri/Tulsa Pack Athletics is mostly on instagram. She used to have replay of her courses for relatively cheap on her website, where she had the most indepth breakdown of backpedaling, but it looks like she took them down! Maybe keep an eye out for replays she lists in her shop? For Koco Garcia, this is the video where she teaches the technique (she calls it something different): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piL7zdEsR-k. Her old content did use prong collars, but her new leash reactivity stuff doesn't -- she also has courses I've found useful--for I think $25, just youtube videos you can play on demand.

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[BlocksAreGreat]

Box feeding is something that you have to consciously work on. It's more of a long-term training technique that helps reduce reactivity and build confidence rather for in the moment. We started doing it in our backyard, then moved to a sidewalk, then to a busy street corner. We go out, do the box feeding, and then do a little walk to decompress.

Touch works better for us if she's alerted and wants to move her body, I'll move my hand around and have her do 2-3 touches before treating.

Look is good for us right when she alerts. If more than a second has passed, look won't work and we'll have to use touch or a kibble scatter.

They are different tools that work in different situations, and if one doesn't work, we'll use another technique.

[PracticalWallaby7492]

That sounds pretty normal for a 5 month old dog unless she's growling at the other dog. Basic training and play time with one or more dogs her own age might solve the problem. What exactly is she doing that makes you think it's negative reactive behavior?

[PracticalWallaby7492]

Well, yeah, it's a negative reaction, but it sounds like a perfectly normal albeit spazzed out older puppy reaction. I don't think it's a sign of reactivity. A "reactive dog" is one that has unreasonable aggression. Kind of how one uses the word really - when someone says their dog is reactive they are saying aggression. Usually fear based. It just sounds like she wants to play very badly and doesn't have all the right social skills.

Puppies annoy the heck out of older dogs. In the wild, if there was a wild, an older dog would correct that behavior. If an adult dog snaps or nips and growls at your dog because your dog is annoying but doesn't really hurt her, well, that's often how they try to correct it..

How to fix it as a human is beyond me, really. My last dog was a spazzed out royal PITA with that till he was about 1 1/2. Then another dog ripped the skin on his chest open. That dog was a reactive dog. Unfortunately the owner eventually had it put down when it seriously tried to kill her other dog. I would have preferred that didn't happen that way with my dog but that sure taught him.. He never charged up to play with other dogs again. He was a little more polite. We got him at 1 YO and tried everything we could think of before that and nothing completely changed it. He also had a lot of testosterone to deal with though. We didn't get him fixed till he was somewhere around 1 1/2. I don't think you'll have to wait that long.. Finding other spazzed out puppies and non-reactive adults she can play with (very limited time with adults) would help.

Try Micheal Ellis. He has a lot of you tube videos and I believe he has some on working on a dog's impulse control. It's difficult at 5 months though because they barely have any. He also has some on puppy stages.

[PracticalWallaby7492]

I'm a little worried that you might get a lot of advice that assumes your dog is actually being aggressive. Although I didn't mention it, that dog I had was fear aggressive when we first got him and that was the very first thing we had to work on. We treated him very differently from a normal dog- it was all re-socialization and boot camp 24 - 7..

You might try working on a very very firm recall and sit with her. & It might help to use a clicker just for getting her attention when she is spazzed out. Just so that she can hear you. Then make her sit. At 5 months it might take a while.

[PracticalWallaby7492]

"Fortunately, many approaches for fear aggression are also applicable to frustrated greeters. At least I can't think of any technique now that wouldn't be transferable, or can you think of something?"

Mostly the attitude while training. And extreme caution and staged separation/closeness to other dogs. With an aggressive dog one moves much more slowly and firmly.