![]() Thresholds! Keeping your dog below their limit when working through it! An important concept for you to understand when working with your leash-reactive dog is the concept of thresholds. Video of David the Dog Trainer teaching a dog to stay calm when cars pass, instead of lunging: Visit the C.A.R.E site for everything you need to understand and do, to help your leash reactive dog. ![]() Reducing Leash Reactivity. See the following link for excellent suggestions, and a plan: Is your dog's reaction to another dog really a problem? Part 1 - Why Does My Dog Act Like Cujo? Understanding Leash Reactivity Jen Summerifeld for excellent information about on-leash reactivity, and a training plan!: Gain the understanding of your dogs on-leash reactivity you need, and learn how to maximize success on walks for both of you, starting today! You can contact me, a certified dog behavior consultant and certified professional dog trainer for help in the Jackson, MS metro area or virtually for help conquering leash reactivity.This video, by Drayton Michaels (Academy for Dog Trainers graduate), is excellent. Leash reactivity doesn't have to ruin your walks! By understanding the root cause of your dog's leash reactivity and following the proper behavior modification protocol, you can enjoy walks with your furry friend again in no time! Enlist the help of a certified dog behavior consultant to help you create and execute a plan to address your dog’s leash reactivity - no matter the type. So, if your dog is older and suddenly displaying leash reactive behaviors, it might be a good idea to take them to the vet for a check-up before you begin training or behavior modification. I have also seen dogs become leash reactive due to pain or illnesses and then return to their usual selves once the medical condition is treated. In these cases, it could be due to genetics/epigenetics, limited socialization, or past learning experiences that the owner is unaware of. ![]() However, it can sometimes seem to have no identifiable cause that the owner can discern. These dogs can have some traumatic event that occurred spurring this behavior, like another dog attacking them on a leash being a common cause of this behavioral concern developing. The good news is that this type of leash reactivity can also be addressed through behavior modification, but it might take a little more time and effort than treating frustration-based reactivity. As a result, they may lash out in an attempt to defend themselves. When dogs feel afraid, their natural instinct is to flee the scene - but since they're on a leash, they can't just run away. When a dog is afraid on a walk, it's usually because they're feeling intimidated or threatened by something - whether it's another person, animal, loud noises, or unfamiliar surroundings. Fear-Based ReactivityĪnother common cause of leash reactivity is fear. Thus, the name “frustration-based” leash reactivity. ![]() When you finally grow tired of being pulled around or the puppy socialization period has ended, you now have a dog who is frustrated that you no longer allow this behavior like before. However, allowing your dog to decide when on-leash greetings should occur, ends up reinforcing pulling on the leash towards people and other animals that they want to greet. This is likely because these dog owners selected a social breed because they themselves are social and they allowed their dog to perform on-leash greetings during puppy socialization thinking that was the best thing for their dog. In my experience, I usually see this type of leash reactivity commonly in dogs thought to be sociable breeds, like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and various Doodles. The good news is that this type of leash reactivity is usually easy to address with behavior modification because these dogs are usually quite friendly - almost too friendly! chase a squirrel or greet the dog being walked across the street) and gets frustrated as a result. The first type of leash reactivity is frustration-based reactivity (sometimes called “excitement-based reactivity”.) This occurs when your dog doesn't get to do what he wants to do (i.e.
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