A Training Plan For Leash Reactivity

Walks should be enjoyable but for reactive guardians, they are more like a battlefield. Leash reactivity can be a major challenge, especially for city dogs but at CCA we are experts in treating reactive dogs in the urban environment. Karishma Warr, Head of Training & Behavior, explains a 4 step training plan to recovery.

What Is Reactivity? 

Leash reactivity is a complex behavior concern that usually presents as barking, lunging behaviors on leash walks towards a variety of different stimuli. Common triggers include dogs, animals, people, vehicles, objects, skateboards, sudden environmental change and behaviors range from freezing - full on lunging and barking.

Common Behaviors:

• Freezing

• Excessive Pulling

• Hyperfixation

• Jumping

• Lunging

• Whining

• Barking

Common Triggers:

1. Dogs

2. People

3. Vehicles

4. Children

5. Fast Moving Objects

6. Other Animals

7. Objects

Check out this blog for a more in depth discussion of leash reactive behaviors

The Training Plan

The behavior therapy training plan to resolve leash reactivity will vary slightly from dog to dog but at a high level we are looking for 4 key components to see success

1. Managment

2. Enrichment

3. Medical Consult

4. Training

This process of behavior therapy often takes weeks if not months. 

1. Managment

When working with fear, reactivity and aggression management is key to enacting behavior change. Management refers to interventions that minimize the animals ability to practice unwanted behavior.

Without management, our learners will continuously practice unwanted behavior patterns, making it more likely to happen again, and more difficult to train alternative behaviors. Exposing our animals to the stimuli that trigger fear, reactivity, or aggression (e.g. flooding) will keep them in a a chronic stress cycle, affecting their ability to learn. Our goal is to get our dogs as much distance as possible from their triggers unless we are actively in a therapy session 

“Our goal is to get our dogs as much distance as possible from their triggers unless we are actively in a therapy session ”

For dog with leash reactivity we have the following managment options:: 

• “Trigger dodging’ - Avoid triggers on walks

• Only walk at off peak times when it is less busy

• Minimize walks to quick potty walks

Check out this blog post for an in depth discussion on why you should actively manage your reactive dog’s environment

2. Enrichment

Especially if we are minimizing walks it is vital we put a schedule in place that meets our dogs physical and psychological needs. This will ensure we upkeep good welfare standards while shielding them from situations they are not yet able to handle.  

We need to take into account their breed, age, and temperament when constructing an enrichment schedule for your reactive dog and we always recommend doing so under the guidance of a professional.

Example Enrichment Activities 

• Food based enrichment puzzles

• Decompression walks

• Teaching tricks

• Nose work and searching games

• Chewing, sniffing, licking and shredding activities

• Play

• Canine fitness

“Especially if we are minimizing walks it is vital we put a schedule in place that meets our dogs physical and psychological needs. ”

3. Medical Consult

All dogs struggling with behavior concerns require a thorough assessment by a veterinarian who is experienced in behavior concerns and pharmacology. This will rule out underlying pain, discomfort, or injury. Remember dogs actively mask pain and injury so just because they ‘look fine’ does not mean they are not experiencing discomfort. We recommend you speak to a Veterinary Behaviorist or a Fear Free Certified vet for a thorough investigation.

4. Training

Once we have set a solid foundation to our plan, we can begin on training - basically teaching your dog how to respond differently to triggers. Training for leash reactivity has two phases

PHASE 1: Leash Skills & Communication

Teaching dogs how to communicate with their humans (and vice-versa) has to happen BEFORE we start working them around triggering stimuli

We teach a variety of the following skills (depending on the dog) that we call their “Therapy Toolkit”

• Unprompted Attention

• Loose Leash Walking

• U-turn

• Interrupter Cue

• Leash Pressure

• Find It

• Engage-Disengage

• Behavioral Adjustment Training

• Leash Handling Skills

PHASE 2: Trigger Counterconditioning

Once the human-dog team can communicate effectively we can start working around triggers. This therapy has to start at a distance from the trigger that the dog is able to think, eat, play and easily disengage from the trigger - we call this sub threshold.

For many dogs (especially dogs in the city) this means setting up specific therapy sessions with helpers (humans/dogs/skateboarders etc) at the appropriate distance

We use the aforementioned Therapy toolkit to change how the dog feels about the trigger (classical conditioning) and teach them a new behavior to perform upon seeing the trigger (disengage and sniff the environment) 

Top Tip: Work With An Expert

This training plan sounds simple enough, but the skill and artistry involved in changing behavior in any animal is more complex than it seems. We recommend every dog experiencing reactivity consult with an experienced trainer or behavior consultant. This is all the more vital if the dog’s welfare is compromised by extreme emotional outbursts, and if their triggers are difficult to avoid (e.g. if in an urban environment)

Luckily we are experts in working with leash reactive dogs in an urban environment, and our into native digital coaching programs allow us to coach guardians to behavior change all around the world 

To join one of our effective digital coaching program and get some relief from reactivity contact us now

You can also learn more about our reactivity coaching services here