Okay, get ready! You will need padded gloves, a bionic shoulder and your roller skates. We are about to take your leash-sensitive dog for a walk!
Following on from my previous article, “Why Is My Dog Aggressive on the Lead?”, this article explains some techniques you can use to manage your dog’s behaviour and help keep them under threshold.
The following information is general and is not specific to your dog’s circumstances. If you need further help, please visit our Dog-to-Dog Reactivity page and contact us for an individual behaviour-modification plan.
MANAGEMENT
Management is the first step in helping a dog who displays reactive or aggressive behaviour on the lead.
We don’t want your dog to keep practising these behaviours. Instead, we want to avoid situations that trigger a reaction, help your dog feel safe and carefully manage their exposure to triggers.
Here are ten management tips.
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CONSIDER PAUSING YOUR WALKS
Sometimes, I recommend temporarily not walking a dog because the experience causes them so much distress.
It may be better to introduce other activities that provide appropriate physical exercise and mental enrichment while you work through a behaviour-change program.
If you continue walking your dog, choose quiet times and places where you are unlikely to encounter their triggers. This may mean walking very early in the morning or later at night when fewer people and dogs are around.
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REWARD BEHAVIOURS THAT ARE INCOMPATIBLE WITH REACTIVITY
If you continue walking your dog, look for areas where their triggers are unlikely to appear.
Reinforce behaviours that are incompatible with the behaviour you are trying to change.
For example, reward your dog when they walk calmly without reacting. If they hear or see something and remain relaxed, reinforce that response.
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PRACTISE U-TURNS
Practise making U-turns when no one else is around.
Begin inside your home, move into the backyard and then practise in quiet outdoor environments where you are unlikely to encounter other dogs or people.
The goal is to make the U-turn familiar and easy before you need it.
When you see another dog or person, try to notice them before your dog does. We want to prevent the reaction, so turn and create distance before your dog goes over threshold.
The more your dog practises reacting, the more they may learn that the behaviour successfully makes the other dog or person go away.
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BACK IT UP
If a dog or person suddenly appears too close, you can use the backup method.
While you and your dog are walking in the same direction, turn towards your dog and quickly move backwards while encouraging them to follow you.
It is similar to a recall, but you are both moving. This allows you to maintain sight of the approaching dog or person and continue assessing the situation without turning your back.
Practise this regularly in a safe environment with good footing and make it a fun game for your dog.
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HAVE A GETAWAY PLAN
Pretend you have just robbed a bank!
This time, however, you aren’t escaping from the police—you are creating distance from the dog or person approaching you.
What is your getaway strategy?
Can you cross the road, move behind a parked car, turn down another path or enter a driveway?
Practise these strategies with your dog before you need them. You can make them into fun games during quiet walks.
Your dog might initially wonder why you are hiding when no one is around, but if you keep it positive and enjoyable, they can learn to follow you quickly when it matters.
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AVOID NARROW FOOTPATHS
Footpaths are narrow and may force dogs to approach each other head-on, which can be uncomfortable or confrontational for some dogs.
Consider driving to a quiet, open location such as a spacious park, oval or appropriate bush area.
An open environment gives you more space to move away and may make it easier to notice approaching dogs or people before they get too close.
Always choose places where dogs are permitted and remain aware of leash requirements and other local rules.
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REMAIN AS CALM AS POSSIBLE
Try to remain calm and relaxed while walking.
Dogs can notice changes in our body language, movement and lead tension. If you become anxious and tighten the lead, your dog may also become more worried.
Keep the lead as loose as safety allows.
If an off-lead dog suddenly appears, try not to panic. Assess the situation quickly and use one of your prepared strategies to create distance.
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BE CAREFUL WITH “SIT AND LOOK AT ME”
Some people are taught to ask their dog to sit and maintain eye contact while another dog passes.
I don’t generally recommend this approach.
While it may work for some dogs, it can remove the escape route of an already worried dog and leave them feeling physically trapped by the lead.
I also don’t like requiring a dog to turn their back on another dog as it passes. I would prefer to see a frightening thing approaching than be forced to turn my back on it.
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BE THE FUN, UNPREDICTABLE PERSON
Mix things up while you are walking.
Walk faster, slow down, change direction, weave safely around trees or poles and explore the environment together.
Make sure each activity is appropriate for your fitness, your dog’s physical abilities and the surrounding environment.
Your dog may begin to see you as fun and engaging, giving them another reason to pay attention to you instead of focusing completely on an approaching dog or person.
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LEARN ABOUT DOG BODY LANGUAGE
This is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your dog.
Learn to recognise canine body language so you can identify when your dog is becoming stressed or aroused.
Your dog will give you signals that they are uncomfortable. Recognising those signals early allows you to respond and create distance before the situation escalates.
Remember to practise these techniques regularly—not only when your dog sees another dog or person.
If you practise them exclusively when a trigger appears, your dog may learn that the cue predicts the arrival of something concerning.
If you have a leash-sensitive dog, please contact us for a behaviour consultation.
Stay tuned for my next article, “How to Help a Dog With Reactive Behaviours on the Lead.”
Dogaholics Dog Training and Behaviour Services
Dogaholics is a dog training and behaviour service located in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie area of NSW.
