12/31/2023 0 Comments Leash reactive dog trainingShe is likely to associate the punishment with you or the trigger instead of her behavior, making her reactivity worse. Punishment adds tension to an already tense moment. Avoid pinning her, scolding her, yanking her leash, or picking her up when she is reacting. ![]() Avoid punishing your dog in any way for reactive behavior.Use treats and praise to Reward calm behavior, attention to you and/or skills such as ‘sit’ or ‘touch’. Respire together – taking deep breathes will encourage your dog (and yourself) to calm down. If she cannot focus on you, retreat further. Encourage her to Reorient to you using her name/noises or a food lure. Retreat far enough from the trigger that your dog stops reacting. Practice the 4 Rs (Retreat, Reorient, Respire, and Reward) if your dog has a reactive episode.Be proactive and ask your dog to focus on you and/or move in a distance-creating direction the instant she sees a potential trigger as opposed to waiting until she fixates on or reacts to that trigger. Use a happy voice and bouncy movements to show your dog that there is nothing to worry about. Ask your dog to focus on you as you calmly lead her away from the trigger. Distance makes it easier for a dog to tolerate a trigger. The instant you notice a potential trigger determine how to change your path so that you can maintain as much distance as possible between your dog and the trigger. You can play distraction games such as ‘find it’ (scatter treats on the ground), feed her many treats in a row, or use the treats as a lure to lead her away and prevent her from focusing on the trigger. Also, use these treats to distract your dog if you come across a possible trigger. Use these treats to reward your dog for responding to her name, sit, down, and other skills while on walks. Pea-sized pieces of deli meats, cheeses, and smelly soft treats are much more motivating for most dogs. Regular, crunchy dog treats are usually not valuable enough to hold a dog’s attention outside of the home. If your dog has bitten and injured a human or other animal consider having a professional work with you in your home before taking her out in public. For example, avoid narrow trails where you would be trapped if you came across a dog or person and avoid walking in neighborhoods where there are lots of dogs behind fences barking at your dog. Carefully select where and when you walk your dog based on traffic, whether strange dogs will be on-leash or off, and how much visibility and maneuverability you have to avoid potential triggers. Be selective about where you take your dog.to control your dog’s movements and keep everyone safe. In your home use the leash, doors, crate, baby gates, etc. If your dog has ever bitten and injured a person or animal consider teaching her to wear a basket muzzle. The Humane Society sells humane walking tools in the re-Tail store. ![]() Tension and stress increases when your dog pulls on her leash and collar resulting in a more reactive dog. Walk your dog on either a harness or a head halter instead of a collar. Use a long-line (15-20 foot leash) to give her more freedom to explore. Keep your dog on leash when walking in public places. ![]()
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