What to do when your dog is ‘aggressive’ on leash

Ideally, daily dog walks should offer great opportunities for your dog to tap into all his keen senses and for you to work in some enjoyable exercise.

We’ve got enough tugs on our time than to have to cope with dogs who insist on tugging on their leashes – and worse, turning into lunging, barking canine bullies whenever another dog or person approaches. What can cause your sweet, docile dog inside your home to turn into a sidewalk meanie?

In a word, fear. Yep, so-called aggressive displays of dogs on leashes are triggered by fear, reports Dr. Gary Landsberg, a noted veterinary behaviorist from Toronto who is delivering a handful of behavior sessions at the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas this week.

“Dog owners want dogs who will walk calmly on a leash, but unfortunately, that is not always the case,” says Dr. Landsberg. “Fear is a physiological, emotional and behavioral response to a stimuli – be that another dog, people or even inanimate objects like cars. Fear can arise from genetics, early handling and traumatic experiences as well as how the owner responds to their dog’s actions.”

I take my two dogs, Chipper and Cleo, on daily walks. I make sure to vary the location, the duration and the pace. It keeps the walks more exciting and less ho-hum. But occasionally, one or both will bark or air snap at another dog heading our way. I’m able to put both in sit positions within a few seconds, but their snarking display takes away some of the joy of our walk.

What we do on the other end of the leash is vital in making daily walks with our dogs more pleasing. Yanking back, yelling or fitting your dog with a choke collar will only worsen the behavior.

“Being fearful or angry will increase a dog’s fear and punishing your dog may appear to suppress the fear, but it will lead to more aggression in the long run,” he cautions. “Your dog may stop displaying any warning signs and bite without warning.”

Dr. Landsberg offers some insights and practical solutions aimed at addressing your dog’s fear. Among them:

Rule out any possible underlying medical cause with your veterinarian for your dog’s street-walking aggression.Recognize that leashed dogs feel their options are limited and may bark and lunge in hopes the other dog will back off.Set your dog up for success by remaining calm and in control. That means no yelling or no baby talk.Fit your dog with effective products like the Easy Walk Harness by Premier (full disclosure: a Pet Connection sponsor) and the Gentle Leader.

The Easy Walk Harness is a front-chest leash attachment (click here for a short instructional video) and the Gentle Leader allows you to control your dog’s head to look at you – not approaching dogs. (Click here for a short video)

More tips:

Re-train your dog using these walking devices in a controlled environment like a park at a quiet time or bringing a friend with a dog  your dog likes.Reward your dog for sitting or making eye contact with you on walks – and for ignoring other dogs. You can reinforce desired behaviors using clicker training.Know when you need help. Consult your veterinarian for medications to treat severe fear arousal.

You can learn more about dog behavior by checking out short videos, audiotapes and online documents posted on the Animal Behavior Resources Institute of the American Humane Association.

Photo credits: Top, IStock. Bottom, Premier.

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