Leash Reactivity: Take the Drag Out of Your Walk

Q: My dog does great with other dogs at daycare and off leash at the dog park, but she is very leash aggressive while out for neighborhood walks. What can I do?

When I see a group of dogs at a daycare facility or in a dog park, I notice dogs that are overwhelmed, tired, want to be left alone, or need a private place to rest. Dogs that practice running up to every dog they see are likely to become aggressive when they are restricted by a leash. If your dog is allowed to play rough all day and then is restrained by a leash, the more you try to hold her back, the more aggressive she becomes.

Dogs need to spend time supervised by their humans, and the human should be the role model — not the other dogs at daycare. Your dog must be taught to walk on a slack leash using positive, reward-based tactics.

Work Below Threshold

Once your dog knows how to walk on a leash without distractions, it's time to be proactive by spotting the approaching dog before your dog has a chance to react. A good starting threshold is when your dog sees another dog, but it's far enough away that you can easily get your dog's attention back on you and deliver a reward — so she makes a positive association with an oncoming dog.

Catch the Calm

If your dog is fearful and goes nuts toward another mutt on a walk, do nothing. Don't react until she stops. Then the second she stops — even the smallest head turn or yawn, or when the ears go from pinned back to relaxed, or the tail goes from erect or tucked into a neutral middle position — the second you see one of these appeasement behaviors, mark it with a click or a "good dog," turn and go for a walk the other way, deliver a treat, and praise.

Your dog will soon learn to ignore other dogs and be more interested in you.