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Leash reactive dog training1/7/2024 Feed them treats while the scary thing passes by or as you move by it. “Reward the dog as soon as the trigger appears,” Houpt says. Behavior modification and counter-conditioning to help make your dog’s triggers less scary are the long-term answer - giving them coping strategies to deal with stressful situations. Of course, avoidance isn’t a permanent solution. This usually will help most people understand the need to respect your space. If the person continues to approach your dog or tries to pet them, calmly but firmly tell that person that your dog is working, shy or in training. For example, protect them from a stranger looming over them to keep them from feeling like they need to defend themselves. In this regard, they treat their dogs more like people by respecting a dog’s personal space. “In Italy, dogs go everywhere, but they keep them away from other dogs, and people aren’t constantly coming up to pet them,” she says. Houpt says the assumption that all dogs should love all other people and all other dogs is mostly an American phenomenon. Remember that your dog does not have to be friends with all people or every dog. Give your dog a chance to have some walks and calm outings, so you can praise them for being a good dog and they can start to relax. If you see a person or dog who is likely to upset your dog, avoid them if possible. When you’re out with your dog, be vigilant. Immersing your dog in situations that where they are not comfortable will increase their fear and may make their behavior worse. “Walk your dog when others aren’t out, and avoid the dog park,” says Houpt. You don’t want the behavior to become an ingrained habit. Other dogs might be more likely to show reactive behavior in congested or crowded spaces, or when out walking at night.Īfter you’ve identified triggers, try to avoid them while you work on a training plan. Some dogs are fine with other dogs off-leash, but become reactive when they are on a leash (this is referred to as leash reactivity). Some dogs are reactive to these stimuli in all situations, while others might only be reactive in certain contexts. Classic scenarios involve things like someone wearing a funky hat, men with beards, other dogs and children. This might be a strange person, other dogs or both. Houpt says that trigger is anything that acts as a stimulus to make your dog react dramatically. The first thing to do is to identify the specific triggers that set your dog off. Puppies should be friendly, confident and outgoing, approaching you for attention instead of cowering or hiding. Mother dogs are protective of puppies, but they should not be aggressive. If that’s not possible, at least visit the litter before weaning. Katherine Houpt, the James Law Professor Emeritus of Behavior Medicine in the Department of Clinical Sciences, recommends asking to meet the parents of a litter if possible, since puppies do often take after their parents’ personalities and reactivity can have a genetic link. Adult dogs can be evaluated or taken on a walk for a “test run,” but predicting a puppy’s adult behavior can be more challenging.ĭr. Ideally, you don’t want a reactive dog in the first place. Any reactive dog can be pushed into aggression, which is why a reactive dog needs to be taken seriously. Causes can be genetic, but they are more likely due to a lack of socialization, prior bad experiences or a lack of training.Īggressive dogs show similar signs but are determined to cause harm and destruction. They may lunge, bark and growl, becoming so preoccupied with whatever is triggering the emotion that they can be difficult to control and move out of the situation. Reactive dogs become overly aroused by common stimuli. Reactive dogs are not necessarily aggressive dogs, but reactivity can turn into aggression, so your attention to training becomes extremely important. This is a reactive dog - one who overreacts to normal situations that other dogs would take in stride. You want to take a relaxing walk with your dog, but at just the sight of another dog or a person, they start barking hysterically, forcing you to drag them away. Reactivity is hard on dogs - without support your dog could become aggressive
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