LEASH AGGRESSION (reactivity)

(For best results, read our article on Leadership before beginning any other training.)

What Is Leash Reactivity?

Does your dog jump, bark or seem aggressive at other people or dogs while on a leash?  Or are there other stimuli that cause this behavior such as cars, bicycles or squirrels?  Does your dog redirect at you by biting or nipping?  This is considered leash reactivity.  As a dog owner, it can be a frustrating and even embarrassing behavior.  But before you begin to correct it, it helps to understand it.

To your dog, being on a leash is not a natural state.  Instead, it is a state of confinement.  When they lunge or bark at a trigger such as another dog, it is an involuntary reaction to an emotion.  This could be fear, frustration, excitement, or desire for conflict. ( While the desire for conflict is rare, there are some dogs who will seek out a fight.  In this case, it is best to seek the help of a professional – email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)  In most cases, dogs are either afraid of the trigger or they are excited about it.  And the leash is confining them, making them more fearful or extremely frustrated.

What not to do

Leash reactive behavior is correctable, but before we discuss what to do, it’s important to know what NOT TO DO. 

• DO NOT yell, jerk or grab your dog. Remember, this is an involuntary behavior – your dog is not trying to annoy you.  Punishing your dog might lead to increased anxiety and more poor behavior
• DO NOT use any corrective collars without consulting a professional. Improper use of these collars can lead to fear and anxiety, resulting in new unwanted behaviors. 
• DO NOT use retractable leashes as they don’t give you proper control and can break under tension
• DO NOT introduce your dog to other dogs while on a leash. Many dog owners do this with good intentions, but in their natural world, dogs greet each other from the side.  A face-to-face meeting could mean unwanted confrontation.  And fearful dogs who feel confined by the leash might act aggressively when otherwise they might not.

Correcting Leash Reactivity

1. First, determine what triggers your dog. For some dogs, it might simply be other animal.  But dogs may have many triggers.
2. Begin your training far enough away from the trigger that your dog doesn’t react, for instance, the other side of the street. When your dog sees the trigger, use a marker word like “leave it” or “look” “Yes”  leave it or look  and hold up a treat.  When he doesn’t react at the trigger, but instead looks at you, reward him with the treat.  This will begin to get him to look at you and away from the trigger to receive the treat.  If your dog reacts to the trigger, you will need to move further away until he can see the trigger without reacting.  Soon, your dog will learn that seeing the trigger is associated with something positive – he is rewarded with something yummy.  Repeat this 10-15 times. Use his favorite treats and if necessary, increase the value of the reward – such as using bites of chicken. 
3. If you have trouble moving far enough away from the trigger, you can try an alternate way at home. Toss a toy or ball and when your dog looks at it, use your marker word and hold up a treat.  When your dog looks at you instead of the toy, reward him with a treat.  Again, he will be learning that when he hears the marker word, it means good things will happen.  Once he has mastered this indoors, it’s time to try it outside, starting far away from the trigger.
4. Now you can begin to slowly move closer and closer to the trigger as he is rewarded for looking at you each time. If he barks or lunges at the trigger, you simply need to make a U-turn away from it and start again at a further distance. 
5. Particularly, if you’re overcoming a fear, this process will take time. Remember that even small steps are a sign of progress.  Be patient, stay consistent and confident and you’ll see the benefits.  Being confident helps your dog be confident.  Your anger or nervousness will simply make your dog more anxious.  But by staying calm and confident, you let them know that you have everything under control.  If your dog takes a step back and reacts to the trigger, you simply make a U-turn and start again at a greater distance.
6. Over time, as your dog learns to pass by a trigger without reacting, you can reduce the treats.  Give the treats three out of four times, then two out of four and so on.
7. Some dogs will become so excited at a trigger that you can’t get them under control and they simply don’t even hear you when you say the marker word.  If you experience this, and can’t seem to get your dog’s attention, there is a training tool  you can try.  Put some coins in the bottom of a can or plastic bottle and when your dog gets in this “zone,” simply shake the can and say the marker word.  The noise should jolt them out of excitable behavior at which point, you can reward them with a treat when they look at you.
8. It’s best to avoid petting your dog during this process.  If your dog is fearful of a trigger, petting or coddling your dog might have the opposite effect and help legitimize the fear.

Training in this manner should change their feelings about the trigger from negative to positive. But remember too that it’s important to give your dog plenty of exercise and stimulation. Just like humans, dogs that are bored or have bottled up energy may exhibit these emotions in unwanted ways. If after all of this you are still having trouble with your pup, or your dog has bitten or injured someone. Email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..