You can learn more about using flexi leads to teach leash manners in Jay Jack’s ebook here.Ĥ) Understand the type and cause of your dog’s reactivityĪll of that background we’ve just looked at helps us really start to address the problem at hand: Our dogs are “reactive” to something in the environment (or maybe many things). I think (properly used!) retractable leads, long lines, and fundamentally learning how to communicate with our dogs through the leash instead of restrain them with it can go a long way in reducing frustration for everyone involved. Now, I’m a big supporter of leash laws - I think they’re necessary to keep our dogs and the general public safe! But I’m also a huge proponent of biological fulfillment. In Animals Make Us Human, Temple Grandin talks a bit about how leash laws have changed the lives of pet dogs and inhibited their ability to satisfy natural instincts. I think it brings absolutely imperative perspective to what it’s like for our dogs to be on leash. This is one of my all-time favorite podcast episodes in the history of… well, ever. Take a listen to Jay Jack’s GRC Dog Talk podcast on leash reactivity here. As you can imagine, that creates some tension! Dogs move faster (about twice our speed) and are comfortable being farther away. Us bipeds walk slower and want to stay close together. Humans and dogs have different bubbles of social connection and different natural walking speeds. When we’re in disagreement with our dogs on a walk, they feel restrained by the leash - and that creates frustration (also known as mild Rage per the blue ribbon emotion framework). One piece of leash reactivity for many dogs is that the leash itself is a source of angst. I’m thankful to have grown on this journey with Scout, and I hope these foundational pieces can help you feel empowered to understand your dog, find a trainer / methodology you trust, and enjoy a fuller life together!ģ) Consider how fundamentally unnatural it is for dogs to walk on a leash Please note that I am not a professional trainer - I’m a pet owner who loves learning how to be better for her dog. Every dog, owner, and situation is unique. * I wish I could give you a magic formula to fix your dog’s reactivity… but I truly don’t believe one exists. Whether our dogs are reactive to other animals, people, cars, or anything else, we often feel paralyzed in the midst of so much conflicting information.īelow I’ve compiled my favorite resources that helped me start understanding - and improving - my dog’s reactivity. Now that Scout and I have made enough progress that her “reactivity” is barely a consideration in day-to-day life, fellow owners sometimes ask me where to start. I remember being absolutely lost in the early stages of my blue heeler’s reactive behavior. It is isolating, embarrassing, and perhaps most of all… completely overwhelming. Having a reactive dog can be an intensely emotional experience.
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