Leash reactivity is one of the most common behavior problems urban dog trainers are asked to address. I have given a lot of thought to helping clients gracefully resolve this problem. I am a Resolve-the-Cause dog trainer. If we resolve the cause of a behavior, the effect or problem will not occur. 

Exploring Your Dog’s Feelings

To resolve the cause, we must understand how the dog feels and why. Dogs are smart; they have reasons for their behavior. I propose that dogs’ poor reactions on the leash are caused by their feelings, their understanding of the situation, and their trust in us as their owners and handlers. The reverse is also true; dogs behave well on the leash because of their feelings, understanding, and trust.

There are many causes of leash reactivity and many reasons dogs are reactive. A dog who reacts to anything is reactive. Yes, all dogs are reactive; some reactions are dangerous and cause problems. The energy expressed during the reaction generally poses the risk of harm. 

The precursor to reactivity is noticing. When dogs see or notice a large stone, they may react by jumping on or walking around it. Noticing is not emotional; a dog can not react to something it does not notice.

Three Types of Dog Reactions

I acknowledge three types of reactions from most dogs: neutral, joyful, and defensive.  The stone does not cause strong feelings, so the reaction to it is neutral. Neutrality is safe; neutral dogs do not bite. They might show some curiosity, causing them to investigate. Their investigations can cause excitement or defensiveness, but as long as they are neutral or curious, they will not bite.

The dogs will react differently if we exchange the stone for a ball. Maybe the dogs will get excited. The ball might stimulate a joyful attitude based on past experience, and the dogs might want to bat it with their paw and chase it. 

If the ball morphs into nail clippers, the nail clippers might stimulate a defensive attitude. The dogs might freeze up, run away, or bite the tool or anyone holding it. 

What Do Dogs React To?

Dogs react to things they see, hear, taste, touch, or smell. If the dogs had positive or enjoyable experiences with the objects or beings, their interaction with them will reflect the association they formed, and their behavior will be joyful. If the dogs had a negative, unpredictable, or harmful experience with the object or being, their interaction will tend to cause defensive behavior. If the associations and feelings of joy or defense are strong, the reactions will also be strong. 

If a dog enters a situation that causes them to perceive fear that they could be harmed, it is natural for the dog to take defensive actions to prevent harm to themselves:

-They could hide or freeze, run away, or fight. If they hide or freeze, they will not fight or bite unless found. 

-If they flee, they will not fight or bite unless caught. 

-When a fearful or defensive dog is on a leash, they can not hide or flee. So they tend to threaten and fight. 

The best way for a resolve-the-cause dog trainer to affect the fear or panic is to teach the dog to calm down, encourage curiosity, and let them see there is no reason for those emotions. 

Even excitement or playfulness can cause harm if the dog is large and strong. An excited, joyful dog does not bite to cause harm. They may “play-bite” or mouth people or objects, but will not cause intentional harm.  But if the dog is on the leash and prevented from engaging the exciting person or thing, they can become frustrated, leading to anger or aggression. 

The best way a resolve-the-cause dog trainer can reduce the dog’s excitement is by teaching the dog to calm down. Then they can see that when calm, they have a better chance of accessing and engaging an exciting person or object. Calming down will also eliminate frustration and the expression of anger. 

Reach Out To Argos Dog Training Today!

Do you want to learn more? Would you like to understand the cause of your dog’s reactivity and how to solve those problems by removing the cause? Would you like to learn how to calm your dog safely and effectively when experiencing strong emotions? Click Here, and we will get started. 

Thank you for reading, and Enjoy Your Dog!!!