LEASH REACTIVE DOGS

Dogs Who Bark and Lunge While Walking on a Leash

Do You Dread Taking Your Dog for a Walk?

If your dog gets overstimulated or overwhelmed while walking on a leash, they may bark and lunge aggressively toward other people, dogs, or any moving object on daily walks.

This behavior is known as “leash reactivity,” a condition that can make your normally sweet dog appear aggressive and turn everyday walks into a nightmare!

Frustration and Overarousal Lead to Leash Reactivity

Leash reactivity has different root causes but is partly the result of a surge of energy produced by your dog's primal emotional responses to the environment.

Any time a dog experiences feelings of fear, worry, curiosity, or desire while walking on a leash, their arousal state will increase as their body gets ready to respond to environmental stimuli, resulting in hormonal secretions that flood a dog’s body with energy.

But, when a dog feels held back from responding naturally - either because they want to slow down to check something out before getting any closer (which indicates an underlying feeling of fear, worry, or concern), or the opposite, they want to approach something but can’t (indicating curiosity, desire, or excitement) - they can quickly get frustrated, resulting in lunging and barking at whatever stimuli have captured their attention.

Regular rehearsals of this frustration or fear response are what turn leash-reactive behavior into a bad habit, making it difficult to enjoy your walk with your dog or take them anywhere.

Over-Stimulation and a Lack of Early Socialization

Leash reactivity in dogs can be the result of a variety of factors such as:

  • A lack of early socialization,

  • A lack of comfort with being walked on a leash, 

  • A dog feeling over-stimulated or overwhelmed due to living in a dense urban area like a city with abundant triggers.

Keeping this in mind, it's important to identify which of your dog's underlying natural canine drives may be the core cause of the leash reactivity when formulating a dog training and behavioral management plan.

This is because a dog who needs help getting more comfortable around unfamiliar humans and dogs (and other sights and sounds of the city) would need to be treated differently than a dog who is more confident but overly excited by everything.

To learn more, please visit our blog post on what causes a dog to become leash-reactive.

To discuss your dog's leash reactivity with a specialist and receive personalized recommendations for a training plan, please schedule a behavior consultation using the link below.

Get Help Now for Your Leash Reactive Dog

Our virtual 90-minute introductory sessions are specifically designed to address your most pressing concerns about leash reactivity and provide you with actionable strategies to manage your dog's behavior effectively.

During this session, we’ll dive straight into training, equipping you with practical techniques you can implement right away. This way you can experience the effectiveness of virtual training firsthand before deciding whether to enroll in a full program.

Leash Reactivity Program

90-Minute Intro Session | $150

8-Week Program | $1,195*

(1) 90-Minute Intro Session

(8) Weekly 90-Minute Sessions

*If you decide to enroll in a program, the cost of the intro session will be deducted from the total price of your program.

We’re here to help you and your dog thrive!

At Dog Savvy, we specialize in identifying the root causes of your dog’s behavior and providing effective solutions to turn things around.

For dogs with leash reactivity, we recommend a tailored combination of Behavior Modification Training (BMT) and basic leash manners training. BMT addresses how your dog feels around their triggers—whether it’s other dogs, people, or distractions—by using desensitization and counter-conditioning techniques. This helps prevent your dog from becoming overwhelmed or overstimulated by those triggers.

In addition, basic leash manners training teaches your dog to focus and practice self-control, reducing the frustration they may feel during walks and lowering the chances of reactive outbursts.

Ready to start transforming your dog’s behavior? Schedule a private consultation today using the link below, and we’ll help you take the first step toward more enjoyable, stress-free walks with your dog.

Contact Us

If you have questions about our program or would like to discuss your dog’s behavior with a trainer, please fill out the form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

FAQ: Do you offer in-person training?

No. We offer virtual dog training services. We do not offer in-person training or board and train.