Your Dog & Leash Reactivity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The reason for your dogs leash reactivity can help determine the way to deal with it.  The degree of reactivity can help determine whether you can treat it or simply manage.  A few causes are…

Poor socialization – not feeling comfortable around new or other dogs, people and places.

Frustration – wanting to get loose off the leash, they want to go and greet but cannot and the tension on the leash exasperates the frustration.  This could also include a barrier or fence where he can’t get through to conduct the business he’d like to. Sometimes genes – Genetics can play a part too for example if the dog comes from parents who tended to be miffed around other dogs.

Getting stuck in a bad experience – e.g. Perhaps they got into an altercation at the dog park after which was not followed up with a positive experience.

Intriguing stimulus – Something the dog finds incredibly stimulating and because he has not experienced this object or situation before. E.g. Your child’s friend brings over their pet guinea pig and your dog who has a strong prey drive can see the pet and hear its squeaky sounds.

Building patterns – Imagine a dog who has access to a front fence and barks at everything that passes.  For some time it has set up a pattern or repetitions of reactivity which are likely to be repeated on leash.  Inside the house the same thing might happen where the dog has a view to the front where people pass by.

To the dog the story looks like this…  Someone coming near the property.  Dog reacts.  Person goes away. Dog feels rewarded for its behaviour.  The person is simply passing but the dog doesn’t know that.  He just thinks his behaviour resulted in the person going away.

 

Leah & Angela OMeara

Hound Dog Day Care (Specialists in Dog Minding & Dog Boarding, Pet Sitting Brisbane & Doggy Day Care Brisbane)