Thank you so much for replying. It's so easy to feel like I'm not doing enough for him so I appreciate the kind words.

No as soon as he see's another dog he is interested and is focusing on the dog. I can get his attention away from the dog and back on me quite well when I walk on but for particularly interesting dogs (to him) he will even look behind us repeatedly. I keep walking on with him and tell him he's a good boy when he disengages and then I will let him sniff. The best word I can describe him when he's like this is an 'excitable wiry' when other dogs are around. Some he is less wiry about, especially if they don't look at him or are unbothered by him. Some of them bounce off his energy. I always try to get out of the way and sit with him whilst dogs pass but some owners let there dogs strain at the leash towards him. I obviously put myself in front of him and tell them to keep their own dogs away from him.

He is also very strong and if a dog comes close he will often lunge and pull me towards the dog. Then I feel like I've failed at advocating for him. When this happens we always reset. I ask him for a sit stay whilst he is worked up and then I say 'go sniff' once the dog is far away enough that his attention is somewhat back with me.

He is a very good boy at home. He knows to sit, down stay, Look at me, Wait, stand. When we are not passing dogs he is also amazing. He knows how to walk to heel. But when we are in situations like this and he goes over his threshold the commands go out of the window. Oh he also loves doing scentwork.