This last weekend I was asked to work with two dogs with quite opposite problems. The first one was leash aggressive, the other was leash fearful. The owners were puzzled as they loved both dogs, both were rescues and both had a wonderful life. The owners a middle aged couple were very confused, they knew for certain that the one dog was fearful on the leash because she had gotten away and was attacked by coyotes.
After a short time evaluating the dogs the problem had little if anything to do with what other trainers or the owners thought. First off, since the dog that was fearful on the leash was not on a leash when it was attacked, I disregarded that and started at the basics. I put the dogs on a leash, one by one, and took them outside to two waiting dogs, both chows ( I would not recommend using chow chows to get a small dog over leash issue). The first dog I took was the one with leash aggression. The most important thing for a walk is how the walk starts. I put the leash on the dog, waited for the dog to calm down and then took the dog for a walk. Please read that part again, “I took the dog for a walk.” Most people let the dog take them for a walk. The dog exhibited some issues, but obviously much less than previously. I worked with the dog for about 5-10 minutes and the dog was able to meet and sniff the chow chow.
The key thing to overcoming leash issues with a dog is to make the dog understand that the person at the other end of the leash is in control and will protect him. The dog may combat this at first, but once the situation is established and you are the leader, the dog will have much less aggression or fear on a leash. Leash aggression generally is attributed to a few things:
1. the dog does not respect the person walking them
2. the dog does not trust the person walking them
3. the dog was attacked previously on a leash
4. the dog was able to bite another dog previously while on a leash
These issues will make a dog have strong issues on a leash. The leash binds you and your dog together. The structure of that pack needs a strong leader. If its not you, its gonna be your dog. There is no middle ground here. Either you are the leader, or your dog is.
In the case of fear on a leash, the same 4 rules from above apply with the exception of #4. If a dog is 100% confident with the person walking them, they will enjoy the walk and not act crazy. This role is established from the minute the leash is put on. How the dog acts once the collar and leash is on, who walks in and out of the door first, the communication between man and dog and how the person controls the leash. If you want your dog to get over his fear, then show him that he has nothing to fear by introducing him to dogs that are calm. Let your dog see you push a dog away from him or pull him away from a dog. Have your dog sit before people meet him. Don’t let everyone pet your dog. I decide who pets my dog, I decide what dogs my dog meets, I decide everything for my dog… and because I always protect him, he trusts me. My dog looks to me for leadership and therefor does not make stupid decisions.
If you want your dog to live a happy life, structure is the number one gift you can give him. Structure to a dog is like love to a human. The most common mistake people make with dogs is to place love over structure in their interaction with their dog. But this is a struggle that continues and will be a stumbling block for many dog owners and in-experienced dog trainers. The thing people hear is that they need to be rough with their dog or be mean to their dogs. There can be nothing further from the truth. The structure you give your dog is the gift of love.