Leash reactivity

On a leash, a dog cannot do the two things they would do loose: move away, or approach and gather information. Trapped, aroused and frustrated, barking and lunging is what is left. It usually works — the other dog passes — so it gets stronger.

Threshold. It is the distance at which your dog can still notice something and remain able to think. Inside it they cannot learn, cannot take treats, and cannot hear you. All of the work below happens OUTSIDE that distance, and almost everyone starts too close.

· Find the distance where they can see the trigger and still eat. That is your starting line, whether it is 20 feet or 200.
· Trigger appears → food appears. Trigger leaves → food stops. You are changing how they FEEL, not teaching a trick, and the order matters: the trigger predicts the food, never the reverse.
· Close the distance in inches over weeks, not in one session.
· Teach a U-turn on cue so you always have an exit that is not a fight.
· Scatter feeding on the ground — sniffing lowers arousal physiologically.
· Decompression walks somewhere quiet, on a long line, where nothing is going to happen. A reactive dog needs less exposure, not more.

· Corrections, prong collars and shock — they add pain to the sight of another dog, which is precisely the association you are trying to undo. We recommend rewards-based training only.
· Flooding: marching them past dogs until they 'get over it'. They do not; they shut down or escalate.
· Dog parks. Almost never the answer for a reactive dog.
· Tightening the leash when you see a trigger — your tension travels straight down it.
· Apologizing your way through it and pushing on. Turn around. You owe nobody an explanation.

If there is a bite history, if it is escalating, or if you are frightened of your own walks. Look for an IAABC consultant, a CCPDT-certified trainer with reactivity experience, or a veterinary behaviorist. Medication is sometimes the thing that makes training possible, and that is not a failure.

· American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (avsab.org) — Humane Dog Training Position Statement (2021)
· International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (iaabc.org) — consultant directory and case studies
· American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (dacvb.org)
· Fear Free, LLC (fearfree.com) — a commercial certification program — on threshold and low-stress handling

Distance is free and it is the whole method. The only purchase worth making is a treat pouch.