Luvk9s Dog Training

Leash reactivity

Does your dog pull, lunge, growl and/or bark at other dogs while on leash? You’re not alone. Leash reactivity is usually on any list of “top 10 dog behavior issues.”

Most reactive dogs are not aggressive, but simply fearful. Why does this happen?

 Causes of leash reactivity

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior states that the prime socialization period for puppies are the first three months of their lives. Puppies that have not had positive socialization opportunities can become fearful, particularly if their genetics (fearful parents) are bad.

A young dog who has had a scary experience with a dog – something as innocuous as being knocked over by a playful yellow Labrador retriever – can sometimes develop a fear of all yellow Labrador retrievers. Dogs can further generalize their fears; this dog might develop a fear of all yellow dogs or worse yet, of all dogs.

Many dogs who are fine off-leash are reactive on-leash. Theories abound, but most experts believe that dogs may feel trapped because they are attached to their owners and cannot get away from an approaching scary dog. If the owner tenses up on the leash, this makes the dog even more fearful. (If my owner is scared, this dog must really be a threat!) The best defense is a good offense, thus the intimidating barking.

 How to help your reactive dog

The first step in helping your reactive dog is to understand that your dog may be scared or be picking up on your fear when a dog comes into sight. Correcting your dog will only make the situation worse.

Another common misconception is that exposing a shy or scared dog to lots of other dogs will help him get over his fear of dogs. The opposite is actually true. If you were afraid of snakes, would putting you in a room full of snakes get you over your fear? Of course not!

Management

Set your dog up for success by avoiding situations where you might encounter other dogs until you have time to get desirable behaviors in place. This may mean walking at “off” times or in areas that usually aren’t busy. When trying to teach your dog a new behavior, don’t give him the opportunity to practice the undesirable behavior.

Practice making U-turns while walking your dog. Call your dog’s name to get his attention, and then quickly turn and walk in the opposite direction. Use treats to initially get the behavior and then subsequently to reward the behavior. Practice when there are no dogs around so when you do see a dog approaching, heading in the opposite direction isn’t a red flag that might set your dog off.

 Watch me

Teach your dog to check in and make eye contact with you using the “watch me” cue. Master each step before moving on to the next step.

* Hold a treat in front of your eyes and ask your dog to “watch me.” When he does, praise verbally and give him the treat.

* Hold the treat out to the side and ask your dog to “watch me.” Wait him out; he will eventually look at you in frustration. When he does, verbally praise your dog and reward (for making eye contact) with the treat.

* Finally, hide the treats and ask your dog to “watch me.” Using a hand signal (pointing to your eyes) is OK. When he does, verbally praise and reward with a treat.

Randomly practice throughout the day. Remember to call his name first to get his attention before giving the “watch me” cue.  Click here to watch a  YouTube for more help.

 Counterconditioning and desensitization

The next step, using the “watch me” cue when walking your dog in public, involves counterconditioning and desensitization. The counterconditioning goal is to have your dog look at you (for a treat) when he sees a dog instead of barking. The desensitization portion is starting this training from a distance at first and then working closer and closer to other dogs as your dog gets more comfortable.

Find a spot where you can see other dogs but are far enough away so you can get your dog’s attention with a high-value treat. Set up in view of the entrance to the dog park or walking trail, near your veterinarian’s office or a pet store or even on your front porch if there is activity on your street.

Determine how far away you need to be to initially get your dog’s attention – this may be 30 feet away. When a dog comes into sight, call your dog’s name, ask him to “watch me” and reward with treats until the dog is out of sight.

Once your dog “understands the game,” slowly start moving closer to other passing dogs. This might mean you move one foot closer every day.

Once you can get your dog to check in when a dog passes at 10 feet, you can start practicing this same behavior while out on walks. Try to keep as much distance between you and the approaching dog team by crossing the street or even walking up a driveway if necessary. You may need to initially “cheat” a little by holding the high-value treat right in front of your dog’s face to remind him to look at you but over time, your dog will get better and better at this.

 Redirecting your dog

This process uses CC & D and the “watch me” cue to redirect the dog’s focus to you instead of another dog. Over time, your dog will start to offer the appropriate behavior without being cued – and boy, is that exciting when it happens!

Happy training