Does your dog sometimes lunge or bark at bicycles, people or other dogs? The reaction can be intimidating, but proper training can help. and Your dog will have a more relaxing walk.
Reactivity is the disproportionate emotional response of a dog to a stimulus. More simply, your dog will freak out when he sees something normal, not alarming, during the day.
All sorts of triggers are possible, but common ones include other dogs, bicycles, cars, and strangers. Some dogs may have more specific triggers, such as people wearing hats or large dogs. Some dogs have only one reactive trigger, while others have multiple triggers.
Reactions typically look like yelling, barking, or lunging at the trigger, but they can sometimes manifest in a variety of ways, such as pinching the owner or leash, or trembling and cowering. These reactions can happen anywhere (imagine a dog barking at a window when a UPS truck arrives), but this article focuses on lead reactivity. This is where most people have problems with reactivity as dogs pull on the leash and lunge at friendly faces during their daily walks.
As an owner, it is important to understand that reactivity is: no Same thing with aggression. People rightly and erroneously assume that dogs that bark and lunge are mean and aggressive, but in fact they are most often frightened. They are terrified and out of control and just want to keep what is scary away from them. If you teach with empathy and understanding for your dog, you can share a positive and loving training experience with your best friend.
Note: The following training tips are designed with lead reactivity and aggression in mind. If you are facing a problem with an aggressive dog that is harming you or others, we recommend that you consult a professional dog trainer or dog behaviorist.
Training is a gradual process, so it’s important to do whatever you can to minimize bad experiences in between. This means less stress and greater safety for those around you and most importantly your dog. Experiment with these techniques to find what works best for your dog.
- Avoid walking your dog during busy hours or in busy areas. Take long walks in parks at night when there are few people and dogs, or take walks in nature during the day instead of dog runs.
- Keep your dog away from stressful situations. If you see your dog walking on the sidewalk toward you, physically move him out of the way to reduce his fear and reduce the chances of contact. Pick up small dogs (consider covering their eyes) and move larger dogs off the sidewalk. Cross the road or hang out between parked cars until the shore is clear.
- Use a harness with good control. The best collars for dogs that respond to leads are not collars, but dog harnesses. A body harness will hold your dog tighter and prevent neck injuries during lunges. The front clip body harness is even better for changing the direction of your lunges. A head halter gives you the most control and keeps your dog’s gaze away from the trigger and back to you.
Even after completing basic dog leash reactivity training, it’s important to remember the basic techniques you can rely on next. Even the best workouts aren’t always 100% effective. Dogs can fail sometimes. Be prepared to help the dog and manage the situation because you are their safety net.
You don’t have to be good at dog whispering to do lead reactivity training. Dog trainers of all levels can make changes in a dog’s reactive behavior.
The best training method to improve your dog’s reactivity is counterconditioning. This is a training method that teaches dogs to associate negative factors with good things (such as praise or tasty treats) in order to reduce their fear. Whether you’re noticing warning signs of your dog’s reactive behavior or your dog’s leash responsiveness that was previously manageable is deteriorating, you and your dog will benefit from these training techniques. can do.
- Train your dog with cues to look at you. This can be a clicker or a simple verbal cue such as “here” or “yes”. Make a noise and reward their attention with a treat as soon as they stare at you. This training should be simple and very rewarding.
- Please find a helper. This is best practiced in a controlled environment with a helper. If your dog reacts to bearded people, ask a bearded friend he doesn’t know to help. If another dog is the trigger, get a friend who has a docile dog to help (etc.).
- Use that cue to distract your opponent from the trigger. Start training from a distance. As soon as your dog finds them, let the trigger go out for a moment. no When it starts to respond, give it a cue and quickly give it a favorite to reward it high value snack When they start paying attention to you. Ask the trigger person to disappear from sight and stop rewarding them. Boom — 1 iteration completed.
- Repeat, repeat, repeat. Keep repeating this technique until your dog understands that he will look at you the moment the trigger appears, and that when the trigger rings, the tasty treat will be gone. They should learn that their triggers bring good. Once you are comfortable with this process, move on.
- Make it more advanced. In your next training session, have your helper walk you a closer distance (such as 30 feet instead of 40 feet). Repeat this process until your dog is comfortable, then proceed again when he is calm.
- Please start walking. Once your dog can comfortably walk the trigger a few feet away, let the trigger stand up. Walk your dog as you would on a pavement, and have your helper walk in the opposite direction. Always carry a pocket or bag of treats and follow the exact same steps. That means getting attention and rewarding until the trigger has passed. It may take a few tries, but you will definitely get there.
This same reverse conditioning philosophy can be applied to other domains (such as a dog barking out a window) and more complex interactions (such as introducing a lead-responsive dog to another dog). With time, patience and consistency, you can reduce reactive behavior in many areas of your life with your dog.
Reactive training can be scary, but remember. You are not doing this alone. There are many people working on the same problem as you. They empathize and help by sharing their experiences. Find a community discussing lead-responsive dogs on Reddit for virtual support, or talk to an expert dog trainer or behaviorist in lead-responsive dog training near you. Dog people everywhere love responsive dogs. Let’s overcome this situation together.