By Heidi Clayton
One of the most common behavioral issues I am contacted regarding is leash aggression or reactivity. Which word is applicable depends on the dog standing in front of me. Aggression can be defined as being “hostile or injurious to humans or other animals.” There are so many moving parts to diagnosing a dog as aggressive or reactive. In my experience, reactivity and aggression usually go hand in hand. Unchecked reactivity can lead to aggression so the actual word used to define the behavior can be somewhat interchangeable. Here I will address leash reactivity and what to look out for if you think you have a leash-aggressive dog.
Most leash-aggressive or reactive dogs I work with are not aggressive most of the time under the definition. Instead, they are poorly trained. These dogs have little to no impulse control when off leash and zero when on leash.
Triggers for reactive dogs can include seeing another dog, person, or sometimes cars. When dogs see these triggers, they can lose their minds in fear. Alternatively, maybe they legitimately do not like other dogs. Dogs that have triggers on a leash are telling the trigger to either go away because they are afraid or come closer to fight them. In either case, reactivity can absolutely look like aggression. If not handled correctly, it can lead to a dog biting the person at the other end of the leash.
So many people think that walking the dog more will “socialize” them or habituate them and the reactivity will get better on its own. That is rarely the case. Most dogs escalate without proper training protocols going into place. In my opinion, the over-the-top reactivity becomes their routine.
If your dog gets nuts on a walk to the point of turning around to snap at you or grab the leash in frustration, you need to first identify what is the cause of the reactivity. For example, it could be genetics or poor socialization training. Then slowly build new behaviors. That period may include not walking your dog for some time. If your dog has fear-based reactivity, that may result in your dog panicking and trying to get away on a leash. If your dog feels trapped and unable to escape the cause of their fear, it is actually rather cruel to continue walking them without training them to be more comfortable in their own skin first. Dogs with this fear can be pushed into biting you, a person or a dog that is trying to approach them. You should never put your dog in a position to do that.
Signs of stress or anxiety in a dog include excessive yawning when the dog should not be tired, sudden scratching or licking at fur or private parts, tails tucked or rigid, ears forward with a “thousand-yard stare” in the eyes, hackles up, and of course growling or barking while lunging to the end of the leash. Dog bites that occur when on a leash are often a result of the dog being pushed into situations they had no business being put in.
If you think your dog is reactive or aggressive on a leash, I always suggest making mental notes or a list of what behaviors worry you and what triggers result in those behaviors. Then get a trainer or speak with your vet armed with that list. Putting another set of eyes on the problem is always helpful. A great resource on leash reactivity is a book written by Patricia McConnell called “The Feisty Fido”, available in print or as an e-book.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
