Kamis, 01 Juli 2010

Dog Leash Aggression and How to Deal With It







Dogs cords aggression caused the removal of a dog escape route. If you think about it, a normal reaction for people and dogs when they see potential danger either to stand up and fight or run. When a dog is put on a leash its option to run, removal, and so if it sees another dog or human being as potentially dangerous it may turn aggressive behavior such as growling, barking and lung. Some relatively easy to walk dogs is completely different once on a leash.

Dealing with Aggression Line

First find out what makes leash aggression, it could be all or specific dogs, all people or certain people for example. Men, children, people in hats etc etc. Once you know what causes the reaction you can try and Desensitizer your dog to do so. For example, if your dog becomes aggressive when you walk on a leash near other dogs, next time you approach a trip around it in a large semi-circle, so you are always a few feet away. You will know if you're still too close, if your dog responds by barking, growling or lung.

Once you have located a distance where your dog is comfortable with doing it every time you pass the dog and praise and give it a treat if it is not responding. If there is room to create a semi-circle around another dog, you can either turn around and go in the opposite direction or try to run quickly over. Once you've practiced and your dog no longer reacts to that distance begin to make the half circle smaller so you not so far away. If your dog responds you have gone too close and need to go one step back. If you can draw on help from someone with an easy going dog who is ready to help this can accelerate your progress.

Other techniques to help with leash aggression

Distraction is another way you can help stop leash aggression can be done by rapidly feeding treats as you walk past other dogs, distracting with a snack or toy or ask your dog to perform a task / trick. You can also teach your dog to make eye contact with you so that it looks at you rather than the things it responds to. You can do this by moving up a treat for your face near your eyes and add a command like "look at me" when the dog looks give it a treat. Practice, but eventually stops with address still pointing at your eyes and say look at me again give it a treat. When the dog is even safe to do so, each time without practice, and then try it out when other distractions on when you dog on a leash.

A clicker can also be a useful means to overcome leash aggression. Once you have taught your dog that the clicker means good and a snack is in the way that you can use this as an aid when the leash again. As you walk past another dog or person and your dog does not respond click and treat.

A head collar may also be worth considering. Although it may take your dog some time to get used to wearing a head collar it gives you the advantage that you can turn your head away from the things you would normally act aggressive direction. A head collar also makes it very difficult for a dog pulling on leash. If you have a strong dog that is leash aggressive, you may very well be an anticipation of aggression, knowing that you need to brace yourself to stick to it. The head collar means you do not have to worry about this so much and so relaxing it will help your dog to relax too.