K-9 Korner

Leash aggression is a prevalent problem in dogs, especially ones that are rescued.  Leash aggression is usually associated with fear, rather than dominance.  Most dogs that have been abused by people and/or have gotten into a fight off or on leash with another dog will most likely begin to exhibit fear aggression when they are on the leash.  When a dog is on a leash and encounters a perceived danger – in this case another dog or human- the “fight or flight” instinct kicks in.  In most cases, dogs will prefer to fight than be attacked and so they choose to growl, bark and even charge what they perceive a threat.

 If you have a dog with leash aggression, you probably noticed that it might not have had this problem before, and now suddenly your dog is leash aggressive and the issue is getting worse and worse.  You are not always going to know why your dog is afraid, but you can do something about it.

Blocking the Bad Behavior

It is important to stop the aggressive behavior, but not only that, it is vital to anticipate the aggressive response way before it gets to the growling/barking/lunging stage.  Typically the stages are as follows:  targeting-growling-barking-lunging.  The correction for the bad behavior should start when you notice your dog is beginning to target.  When the ears are forward and targeted, when the body is stiff, when the dog is not paying attention to you – that’s when you have to take charge and try to refocus your dog.  Make a loud, sharp noise and couple it with a leash correction.  Try to get your dog’s attention to focus on you.  Correct every time he targets so that he doesn’t escalate to a full blown lunging attack.  At this point all that you are trying to accomplish is for your dog to remain calm at a reasonable distance from the threat.  You can either get the dog to sit and get his attention or you can continue moving while correcting.

Desensitization

Level 1

Ask your neighbor or friends to help you with some desensitization techniques.  I often ask passers-by during my sessions to help and most obligeJ.  If your dog has a negative response to a dog on a walk, try to ask the owner of that dog if he would just stop and stand there with their dog while you take several passes.  Your objective is to pass the dog as many times as it takes for your dog not to have a response.  Once he is ok at a certain distance then get a little bit closer with your passes.  Remember, you should only end the exercise once your dog prances by the other dog without a moment’s hesitation, without any fear (stiffness in the body, growling, etc.)  Look for a relaxed body and maybe even a wagging tail.  If you are having trouble controlling your dog, than take it a step back…you might need to start at a greater distance and work in gradually.

Level 2

After your dog is getting better at walking by dogs without a reaction it’s time to meet some.  Dogs that have fear, should never meet other dogs face to face on a leash.  After you have taken several passes, start to walk the dogs together.  After some time and when you believe they are both at ease, allow them to sniff their behinds, one at a time…after a while longer, you can stop and let the dogs meet as they wish.

It is really important to note that these Level 2 techniques are very difficult and if you don’t feel confident about reading aggressive signals or are feeling unsure or nervous, you should not attempt them without a professional trainer.  If you don’t plan on working with a trainer, working on the Level 1 exercise would be sufficient to have a nice calm walk.  If you want to attempt Level 2 exercises I would recommend working with a trainer in your area.

 

 

 

 

It is very frustrating for owners when their pets won’t listen to basic commands, like “sit”, especially when you know they know what you are saying!  I hate to be blunt, but the reason this happens is because your dog doesn’t respect you and/or is afraid.  Dogs that don’t perceive their owners as leaders (alpha) or that have anxiety, will not consistently listen to commands.  Sure, your dog loves you and adores you, but in order to consistently get your dog to obey, you must win their respect and in particular in the case of an anxious dog, win their trust!

Winning Respect

The first step to winning respect from your dog is basic – leadership.  Doing everything first:  leading on a walk, leaving the house first, eating first, and making decisions by asking your dog to obey commands rather than allowing your dog to make decisions for you….like deciding where to go on a walk or barking when he is hungry.  In addition to doing all these things, your delivery of commands is important. Your dog needs the non-bullying, calm, non-frustrated, self-assured leadership that he can look up to rather than shrink away from.  The tone of your voice, your body language, the way you are standing and what you actually say all send him a message about listening or choosing to have amnesia.

 Do you ever sound like this?   “Buddy sit”…”Buddy I really wish you would sit down”…”I really don’t see why you are not listening”… “sit”… “sit”… “siiiiiiiiiit”… “SIT”…. “Buddy! SIT!!!!!!!!…Oh forget it!”

 It sounds very confusing doesn’t it?  Here is what Buddy might be thinking:

 “Hmmm…she said ‘sit’ but I am not sure that she really meant it…now she is saying a lot of stuff…but I don’t understand…probably not talking to me….ugh, but she sounds angry…I wonder what I did?….Oh, she left…she must have not wanted me to sit after all!  I hope her day improves…she seems very unhappy!”

I know I am humanizing dogs here, but it illustrates how your dog perceives your words and actions.  Having a conversation with a dog is useless; they just don’t understand.  Repeating a command numerous times while getting more and more aggravated and whiny makes the dog think that you really don’t mean it and certainly that you don’t expect him to do it after the first time.   The worst thing you can do is to get frustrated/angry/laugh and/or not finish the exercise – your dog will understand that your expectations of him are not very high…you give up eventually, so why not make the decision to comply or not?

 Here is what you should do:

Get the dog’s attention and when you have made eye contact give him the command in an assertive and loud voice:  “Buddy, SIT”

• If Buddy is looking at you but not sitting, try to entice him in a different way –treats, cooing, moving your body, patting the floor until the dog to completes the task
• Never repeat the command
• Don’t get frustrated/angry
• Remain cool – try to maintain eye contact and stand your ground – your dog will eventually sit
• Use a leash when initially practicing, that way he doesn’t just get up and go when he is bored!

Winning Trust

In addition to respect, you also have to cultivate trust between you and your dog.  Sometimes dogs are intimidated by different environmental factors and even though they respect you, when you ask them to “sit” on a busy street they are just not completely sure that you are looking out for their best interest.  Some practical instances of letting your dog know that you are looking out for them include the following: 1). Making sure that you only allow your dog to meet friendly dogs on a leash, 2.) Protect your dog in the dog park if he is getting picked on excessively, 3.) If you have two dogs and one doesn’t want to play, then give him a break.  I don’t want your dog to be a sissy or not be able to work things out for himself.  However, when the dog is getting increasingly defensive…for example:  leash aggression, getting under benches in the dog park for protection and rabidly barking/growling and lunging and the dogs that are taunting him, then it’s time to step in.  You want you dog to know that as his leader you will protect him.

In addition, when you are asking for the dog to obey a command, then say it firmly, but not in a scary tone.  Look at your dog’s body language, when you give him a command, does he freeze, or have his ears back and stares at you blankly?  That might mean that he is scared…it means you need to be firm, but also make the exercise fun for him and care free….a minor “happy” inflection in your voice might make a big difference.

Lastly, Practice, Practice, Practice.  You can’t expect your dog to always obey when you don’t practice.  Dogs need mental stimulation as much as they need physical stimulation!   Practice in a structured way every couple of days or so, but in addition integrate general obedience into every day life. 

 Tips for Integrating Obedience Training To Your Daily Routine

•  Ask your dog to sit before you feed him, before you go out the door and before he gets petted (‘sit’ becomes a default behavior)
• When you are at the dog park or in the yard, ask your dog to “come” throughout the time you are there, so that he does not associate “come” with leaving
• When you are in the house and in another room from your dog, ask him to “come and sit”
• When you are eating dinner ask your dog to “lay down and stay”

Remember that it will be tough the first couple of times, and your dinner might be completely interrupted the whole way through as you keep getting up and trying to put Buddy in a down stay, but if you don’t give up, the pay off will be huge.  Your dog will start to respect you because you don’t give up after a couple of tries, and it will become a routine that is practiced…and practice makes perfectJ!

 

If you have questions regarding this issue or topic ideas, please contact Kinga at Kinga@kk9s.com or 703-868-7857.