Approching an unruly playfull dog with a hand out or between my head and the dog will only make the situation worse, it’s an invitation to play. But yes the positioning is a good idea, most often i just turn my back or side to the dog and keep turning when they try to get in front of me. Most dogs naturally get the messeage and settle down, the problem is the random jumps that are impossible to react to. I can’t really have my arm out anyways, it confuses the dog because that’s the signal for sit, if it’s directly above it’s head, and i can’t have the dog sitting while i’m trying to make it do something else. It will also be harder for the dog to translate what i just showed it to what the owner will train with it, because my movement is different. Dogs are reliant on rutine. If you ever meet a dog that can do “plads” (i don’t know what that is in english, but when the dog comes and presses up against your leg) you can try to make it do a “plads” at the opposite leg of what it’s used to. It won’t understand, and will sit away from your leg or just go to the leg it normally sits at, because it’s used to the specific movement you make and that it has to make itself. Commands are more complicated than just saying the command, at least untill the dog is very well trained.

Thanks for the ideas anyway.

Unfortunately it won’t be neccesary anymore. Gatherings of more than 10 people are not allowed now while corona is happening, so i’m pretty much out of a job. My dog trainer friend only does small groups now and housecalls, so there is no need for me anymore, at least for the foreseeable future. Never thought i would lose my job because of a **flu, but hey here we are.