During a recent dog assessment, a new client tried his hardest to justify his dog’s lunging and snapping at me saying:
“He is great if I am not holding the leash. He really likes people. It’s only when I am holding the leash that he tries to bite them.”
While I nodded and understood where he was coming from, that surely didn’t make my initial interaction with said dog any easier. Nevertheless it greatly informed me about the relationship between this dog and this human. A relationship lacking in both trust and respect. If you happen to have a similar experience with your dog, please understand that there is no judgment here. One of the biggest things about being a dog behaviorist and working in dog psychology, is that one quickly becomes deaf to any and all judgment. Judging, in my opinion, serves no one. Especially when dealing with beings that have no idea what it means, since dogs do not judge. They do, however, assess and evaluate any and all situations. That is part of my job as well. In addition to assessing and evaluating, it is my responsibility to create an awareness on the part of the human so we can address unwanted behaviors. Leash reactivity affects not only the dog in question, but anyone that happens to be in the vicinity of that dog. It creates worried owners and reluctant neighbors. It makes walking a chore instead of a bonding activity. However I am here to tell you that all is not lost, there is light at the end of the tunnel. It all starts with mending the trust and respect in the relationship. If you have a leash reactive dog, you are not alone. You can repair the relationship if you are willing to take the time.
A leash reactive dog is one that does not trust the human at the other end of the leash. A reactive dog is one that is “showing a ‘negative’ response to a stimulus”. That is the definition of reactivity. The sole difference here is that the reactivity presents itself when the human is holding the leash. I believe that is a distinction without a difference. Although it might make a huge difference to the owner of the dog, what it essentially means is that the dog is in a fight – flight state when the leash and/or the owner is present. However, in the majority of the cases, leash reactive dogs have other areas of mistrust that simply don’t show up as markedly as being on a leash. In my experience, leash reactivity is simply the “loudest” of the ways this miscommunication between dog and owner shows up. The reactivity is the outcome of a larger or more fundamental problem of miscommunication between the two species. Where there is no trust or respect, there is greater probability of sensitivity. Hence why, fixing the miscommunication is the first step when addressing leash reactivity.
Both trust and respect are earned, both take time and both represent the foundation of a healthy relationship. Understanding that might inform us on how to achieve a calmer walk with our dogs by starting with the fundamentals. Practice simply leashing your dog, pay attention to their reaction. Are they super excited, bouncing around and not standing still? Are they reluctant? Moving away, or even cowering when you try to put it on? Or are they calm, simply wagging their tail, giving you space and patiently waiting? This is the beginning of decoding what the leash represents to the dog. If your dog is bouncing around then wait, drop the leash and walk away as many times as it takes for them to understand that the state of mind they are in is not the state of mind that the leash is being put on. If your dog is fleeing from the leash then practice simply sitting down beside them and putting the leash on and taking it off. Take the sting out of it. Change the imprint from one of flight to one of surrender. If they are calm, then put the leash on and let them drag it for a bit.
With the understanding that in order to change a behavior we must practice a different one as many times plus one as we practiced the old one, make this way of introducing the leash to the dog the exercise. Not going out for a walk yet. Practice 10, 20, 30 times a day simply allowing for the leash to represent a calm state of mind. No talking is necessary, since that will, most likely, bring the opposite reaction to calm. Once you are satisfied that the dog has a different imprint towards the leash (not fight – flight, but surrender) then start walking them inside your house or the backyard. If using a slip leash, first make sure the leash is positioned all the way on the top of the neck (think Westminster Dog Show). Set an intention of where you want to walk to. I often place two dog beds about 10 to 15 feet from each other and focus on the one I am walking towards. Before you start walking, place your arms down, where they fall comfortably when you are walking. Then shorten the leash so you can feel (instead of having to look) if your dog is pulling. That will help to keep your focus on where you want to go and not on the dog. Start walking, once you feel the dog pull, turn 90° in the opposite direction while giving a small pop on the leash towards you. Practice this every time your dog pulls. The goal here is to have your dog feel that every time they lose their focus on you, they will get a tap on the leash (to get their attention) and then they should follow you (hence the turn). What you are teaching your dog is to focus on you and not on their surroundings.
Starting this exercise in the house where there are less distractions will start setting the foundation for the outside world. The more one practices these first few steps, the further one will be able to eventually go. If you have never done this, give yourself and your dog grace. Maybe in the first few days you won’t even make it to the second dog bed, having to constantly tap and turn so you can get in the groove with your dog. That is ok. Practice makes progress. Setting an intention and working until we get there is called commitment. This is a commitment of you regaining the trust and respect in the relationship in order to have a more enjoyable walk with your dog. It doesn’t really matter how long it takes. If you take the time, you will make headway. Once you and your dog have “mastered” the tap and turns, start putting the beds further apart. Start going further and further with the same mindset. One can add distractions like food on the ground or throwing their favorite toy around and practice the same calm, surrender state of mind with a dog. Adding distractions helps the dog to learn self control, how to self regulate and to keep in pace with the human.
Remember that on a walk, our job is to lead. Our dog’s job is to follow. So the practice of following the leader in the home, in the backyard is setting the foundation of what we expect when they are on a leash (regardless if it is outside or inside). Once we achieve that in the house, it will make it easier to replicate that outside. Both for us and for our dogs. When you feel ready, start taking your dog for short walks around the neighborhood. Setting you both up for success means, first and foremost, not focusing on how far you travel but on the state of mind you are both in. If you are feeling unsure, anxious, nervous then reset. Practice tap and turns in front of your house, or create a mental path of where you will go during the walk, visualizing the path and the state of mind you will both be in. Practice short walks, where you can feel connected with your pup. A walk where you feel in sync. However confident you felt in the backyard that is how confident you should feel before going too far on a walk. If you happen to encounter something that triggers your dog’s reactivity then give it a little space and practice tap and turns just like you did in the house. Remind yourself that you have successfully done it many times inside the house, and now you are simply facing a higher level of distraction.
Overcoming leash reactivity is really not about controlling one’s dog on a leash. It is about reframing and rebuilding lost trust and/or respect in the relationship between dog and human. It takes time, practice, commitment and repetition. If you feel overwhelmed by too much stimuli, remember that, most likely, your dog feels the same way. Remember to slow down, to appreciate the small wins and not focus on mistakes (ours or theirs). Having an enjoyable and peaceful walk with our dogs is priceless. If you are unsure how to get there, consult a professional, but trust your gut. Start with simple exercises like the ones cited above and check how much progress you can make simply by slowing down and giving clear direction. Rebuilding trust takes time, but with patience, guidance and commitment you will get there.
Happy walking!
