Why do dogs who wouldn't hurt anyone bark like crazy at other dogs on-leash?
We’ve all seen or had some version of this dog. They act like they’re going to shred another dog to pieces but only when they’re on-leash. If this is your dog, you might even know that if you approached the other dog everything would be fine, but there’s no way you could politely let your dog approach someone while they’re acting that way. Why does this happen only on leash for so many dogs?
Why do some dogs act nuts about other dogs on-leash but not off?
You’ve identified the variable: It’s definitely the leash. But why? Why does your dog act like they want to murder another dog when they’re on-leash but approach them in a friendly manner when off-leash at a dog park?
Dogs are motivated to be reactive for a few different reasons. Let’s dive into each one.
They actually want to hurt the other dog
This one is actually VERY uncommon. In most cases, the dogs that are actually aggressive and do want to hurt the other dog won’t bark or growl or lunge. They will save all their energy for the fight if the other dog gets close enough. The silent, stiff or tense ones are the ones you have to be the most careful with. Dogs that bark warningly are using up all their energy to ensure they don’t get close enough to have to fight. For everyone’s safety, you should definitely consult a professional if you have a truly aggressive dog.
They are fearful and warning another dog not to come near
If they are a nervous or anxious dog who would usually run away but can’t when they are on the leash. They feel trapped, so they will fight the oncoming challenge and try to keep it away by barking, lunging and growling. I equate this to a guy at a bar being held back by his friends posturing that he wants to fight. This dog is actually doing everything they can to avoid a fight and will most likely try to escape if the other dog approaches them.
They are over their heads with excitement
If they are super excited about the other dog, they are frustrated that they can’t just run over there and sniff the other dog and play. They are letting out all that frustration with voice and pulling. Once again, the dog is trapped, and he doesn’t know what else to do about it.
It can be a mash of all these reasons
It’s not uncommon for a fearful dog to have a deep desire to be social, or for a fearful dog to bite when they cannot escape the leash. Their feelings about the other dog aren’t the real problem. The real problem is that they’re physically trapped by the leash. Whether they want to say hi or run away, the leash is preventing them and they don’t know a more appropriate way to get what they want.
Dogs tend to treat a challenge in four ways:
- Fight the challenge – bark, lunge, growl to get the challenge to leave
- Flight from the challenge – run away
- Avoid the challenge – not make eye contact or walk away to avoid
- Submit to the challenge – get low and give a submissive position like laying on their back.
A leash or physical restraint is unnatural to a dog. When on leash you are blocking the ability of flighting or avoiding a challenge so your dog only has the option to fight or submit.
How to handle it
To handle this unwanted behavior, you should say your dogs name or “Leave It” which should get your dog to disengage from the challenge and look back at you. You should praise and/or reward their focus on you and go about your business.
What to do when that’s not how it goes
Hah! Of course that didn’t work and your dog just ignored you as if you didn’t exist and carried on. If it was THAT easy none of you would be reading this post. But it’s important to lock that perfect scenario in your mind because that’s where we need to get. You are the leader. You are in control of the situation. You will protect your dog from any threats and you will decide if/when to move forward to greet that other dog. Therefore, your dog should look to you for guidance in the face of a challenge. Earn your dog’s trust and they will look to you to make a decision about how a situation will be handled instead of trying to handle it themselves.
Earn your dog’s trust
It’s actually simple, but not necessarily easy. The bottom line is that you must maintain a loose leash. When the leash is loose, the leash is no longer the thing controlling the dog, you are the one controlling your dog. Instead of being trapped by a physical barrier, your dog exists within your personal space. This is especially important for insecure/anxious dogs who are really just looking for a safe place to be. The bubble around you is that safe place and you are the one who will prevent unwelcome attention from approaching them. They can breathe, they are safe.
A loose leash is important to excited dogs for the same reason. Instead of being trapped by the leash and elevating the tension of the situation with actual physical tension, they are inside your bubble looking to you for guidance. Checking to see what they need to do to be allowed to approach the other dog. And as long as all parties seem comfortable with interacting, the answer is that you expect them to keep their leash loose, and then you will decide when to move forward and how quickly.
We are super extra bad at handling the leash
We as humans get this so wrong it’s almost amazing that all dogs are not leash reactive. When we see a challenge approaching, our first reaction is to shorten the leash, draw the dog in, hold them back, often before they even react themselves. Just this morning I walked near someone who was also walking their dogs. At 100 feet away I saw them wind up the leashes like their hands were spools and the leashes were strings.
This instinct is a major disservice to your dog. It immediately tells your dog that you are feeling fearful and insecure because of the approaching challenge. Of course they feel like they must protect you! Of course this means the only way they can go say hi is to take matters into their own paws. To outmuscle you, to overcome you.
Your attitude is critical
A good dog trainer seems like magic. A dog is going wild and the trainer just takes the leash and suddenly they’re fine. But it’s not magic. Your trainer is confident they can control the situation (they know how and they have practice doing it). Your dog senses this right away and relaxes. You can do this too! Go into a situation with a confident stride, relaxed shoulders, head high, and LEASH LOOSE. You can carry this demeanor even if you know your dog is going to react. Because guess what, you’re just going to handle it and move on because you are in control and you are a leader. Act like you expect nothing bad to happen and like your dog will be perfect. When they’re not, address it swiftly and move on. Your confidence solves half of the problem, and you can get away with just pretending you’re confident. Real confidence can come later.
Timing is everything
Addressing it is hard to explain in a post like this because every situation and dog is different. It can also be hard to cultivate a learning situation. Ideally an excited dog who is being good should be rewarded with the social interaction they desire. Not so easy without a willing third party who believes you when you tell them your dog doesn’t actually want to kill them.
In broad terms, the very moment your dog puts tension on the leash, you should sharply pop them back into your bubble and immediately return the leash to loose. This is a very quick action and you don’t even have to put much muscle behind it (unless your dog is very large and very strong). The goal is NOT to punish with pain, the goal is to snap their focus off of the challenge and turn it to yourself. Again, every dog and situation is different and it takes a measure of skill and practice to do this properly. Some dogs are sensitive enough to get your message with a well-timed verbal warning in place of a leash snap. Others will continuously lunge forward and need several firm corrections before they’ll even consider looking back at you. Worst part is, if you do it wrong or if your timing is poor (not your fault!) you will only reinforce your dog’s existing tendency to ignore you.
It’s okay to get help
Do yourself and your dog a favor and call in help. You and your dog are not living your best life while this issue persists. Your dog loses opportunities to join you for outings when they behave this way and it puts major strain on your relationship. Having a dog should be fun and enriching for everyone, stop letting this solvable problem stand in your way. A good trainer can look at your situation, your environment, and your dog and do two great things. First, they can tell you exactly what’s right for your dog, rather than you having to try to discover that yourself. And secondly, they can show you how to do it with your dog. This is great as an example, but the real power behind this is that you will get to see that your dog CAN do it and start to believe in them. This can take you miles in building your own confidence, which we’ve already established as a crucial piece of the puzzle.
Join a Workshop
You can schedule a private lesson to address leash reactivity. This way you have a trainer’s undivided attention and you can choose a time that works for you. But if that’s a little outside your budget, we host Leash Reactivity Workshops. These workshops present a unique opportunity to work your dog through this issue under trainer supervision while others around you work on the same thing. Their presence challenges your dog and your presence challenges them. By the end we are all approaching each other peacefully. It’s very satisfying!
Join our Free Pack Walks
Our pack walks are excellent opportunities to expose your on-leash dog to other dogs who won’t cross the street when they see you coming. Normalizing the company of other dogs is huge when training your dog to relax around them. We do them every month and you can see the schedule here. You don’t have to be an existing customer to join and it’s always free!