Now, let’s look at the dog you thought was so “rude” to your puppy by snapping. Now your pup no longer trusts that she will not be “attacked” while on a walk but worse, she may not trust that you, as her leader, will defender her and help her avoid these situations. All unknown to you, you created this behavior by consistently allowing your pup to greet other dogs improperly causing her to get snapped at and then reassuring her when it is finished. This happens time and time again and by the time your pup is a year of age you notice that she is no longer excited to see other dogs on her walks but rather she is cautious and she growls if they get too close. You think “How rude, I can’t believe that other dog snapped at my puppy!!” You pet and reassure your pup that everything is ok and go on about your walk.
#Dog reactivity full
She is wiggling, pouncing on the other dog, full of excitement… Then it happens, the other dog snaps at your puppy, your pup yelps and moves away. You take her for regular walks with constant pressure on the leash…now, she sees another dog, how exciting!! She starts pulling on the leash more, maybe jumping towards the other dog and you, being the obliging owner, lets her rush up to the other dog, face first. For example, let’s say you have a goofy, happy, rambunctious 6 month old golden retriever. Couple the tension, the constant straining to get to another dog with over excitement and improper introduction to the other dog and communication is likely going to go south. It is not the tension on its own that is the only problem. This is why a “Proper Walk” as defined in The Power of the Walk that I wrote about before is so important.
It is my belief, after years of observation, that many leash reactive dogs were created due to constant tension on their leashes. It just takes time, training and understanding why your dog is reacting the way he is. I am not saying that dog aggression cannot be improved but it is my opinion that aggression is managed, not cured. Many dogs that are leash reactive do wonderful in off leash environments with other dogs. Leash reactive dogs, when done properly, can interact well with other dogs. To be clear, there is a difference between leash reactivity and dog aggression. Others will bark and lunge towards the other dog. Some dogs simply growl and their hackles raise. The severity of the reaction depends on each dog and the level to which it feels insecure. Leash reactivity, as I define it, is a dog that when put on the leash feels threatened or defensive when it sees other dogs and acts out. Trainers all over the country are seeing an increase in leash reactivity with dogs of all sizes, breeds and ages. By Melanie Benware, Holiday Barn Training Coordinator/Consultant An increasing problem