OkcPets Magazine September 2020

30 OKC Pets • September/October 2020 Leash Aggression Most dogs are described as aggressive on a leash while many are just reacting to something in the environment. Aggression is driven by the dog’s need to send a negative message to another dog or person. It is typically driven by a dog’s fear of a person, place or object. The intentions of an aggressive dog are different from the intentions of a reactive dog. The confusion happens when a dog is on a leash and begins pulling, barking, lunging and being restrained by the leash. The tight leash is causing the interaction to sound very loud, mean and, at times, scary. The majority of owners would describe this behavior as aggressive; in reality, the dog could simply be trying to say hello to the other dog or person, but, due to the restraint, the sound is misleading. I will explain more about leash reactivity in the next section. What is it?  A dog with true aggressive behavior will use its body to convey a message. In this case, snarling of teeth, growling in a deep rumble, hair standing up on its back and head lowering are all warning signs the dog does not want the person or other dog to come any closer. How do I fix it? Never use punishment to redirect this unwanted behavior. It will only confuse the dog and could make the problem worse. One key factor that can make the problem worse is your energy level. Are you staying calm, or are you tense and nervous? Your energy is important. Stay as calm as possible. First, create space between you and the stimulus. Your goal is to give your dog a positive experience in the presence of what used to be a source of fear. From a distance, as you walk parallel to the object causing the aggressive behavior, try to gain your dog’s focus and praise him for making that choice. The moment you can’t get his attention, you’ve gone too far. Repeat this exercise until your dog learns: when I get aggressive, mom and dad walk me away; when I stay calm and relaxed, good things happen. Leash Reactivity Some trainers would say that any type of reaction on a leash is “leash reactive,” and I don’t disagree. But for the purpose of this article, I think it’s important for readers to understand that not all reactive behaviors are negative. What am I saying? I’m saying that many dogs are so excited when the leash is on, Understanding why dogs do what they do is the first step to changing unwanted behaviors. Leash walking is one of the most commonly requested issues when it comes to behavioral problems and dog training. I want to break down three issues with leash walking, how to tell the difference between them and how to reverse it.  UNDERSTANDING LEASH AGGRESSION , REACTIVITY AND PULLING WRITTEN BY: Travis Brorsen Pet Expert, Trainer and TV Host