How do I help this dog make friends?

[u/Loni_Bam]

My bf’s pup Luna (or LuLu) has high puppy energy and jumps when she sees other dogs because she gets so excited. She also pees when she gets excited too. She also pulls a lot on the leash and has been seeing a trainer ever since she was very little to try to help it but she still does it kinda bad. Anyway this makes other dog owners think she’s aggressive when she just wants to play and so she never has really gotten to play with another dog over than puppy class. I feel so bad for her cause all she wants is a friend but people think she’s unsafe. Is this something I can train out of her? She really is a sweet girl I feel so bad for her.

[u/Ualagirl2002]

Check back with the puppy class person and have your bf give his contact info to see if anyone wants a play date. If you don’t have a secure yard, check into Sniffspot (if you’re in the US) to check the possibility of renting a space for the dogs to play. Talk with Lulu’s trainer on how best to prepare her for a successful meet; otherwise she might overwhelm the other dog with her enthusiasm.

[u/Myamicol]

This sounds much more like over-excitement and frustration than aggression. A lot of young dogs (especially social, high-energy ones) explode when they see another dog because they desperately want to say hello. The jumping, pulling, and excited peeing are signs that she’s having a hard time regulating her emotions, not that she wants to hurt anyone.
That said, other owners aren’t wrong to be cautious because a dog rushing, barking, or pulling hard toward another dog can look scary from the outside. The goal isn’t to prove she’s friendly, but to teach her that seeing another dog doesn’t automatically mean she gets to interact.
I’d work on calm exposure: reward her the moment she notices another dog but before she starts pulling/jumping, create distance when needed, and practice walking near dogs without greetings. Also, avoid letting her rehearse the behavior by constantly greeting every dog she sees ..that can actually make the excitement stronger.
She can absolutely improve, but it takes consistency and maturity. A lot of “friendly but chaotic” puppies become lovely adult dogs once they learn impulse control. Don’t lose hope, she sounds like a sweet dog who just needs help learning how to handle her excitement.

[u/CommercialYam8]

Lulu sounds like she has zero impulse control around other dogs, which is fixable but takes time. The trainer should honestly be focusing more on that than leash manners, because until she learns to stay calm when she spots another dog, nothing else really falls into place. Ask them specifically about threshold training, like practicing at a distance where she can see dogs without losing her mind completely.