One of my clients is super-frustrated with her adolescent, intact male dog. He is great on his daily excursions with the dog walker who takes him off leash with a gaggle of other dogs, where he can run around, play in water, etc. When he is on leash, however, he is a "fur missile," launching at other dogs and dragging his owner down the street. On playdates in the neighborhood? Again, he's great! On a walk in the neighborhood? Not so much. So why is it that he's fine with dogs off leash but not on leash? Why can't he be equally social in both situations? Will neutering change any of this behavior?
I've had many clients notice the behavioral differences exhibited by their dogs when on leash versus off leash; even dogs who are not reacting to other dogs when on leash do seem to be more "hyper aware" when they are on leash versus off. This is actually very normal and easy to explain. Let's look at this from the dog's perspective.
When a dog is on leash, they are by definition tethered to you. This means that they can't get away if a situation goes badly. It also means that they have to protect themselves and you while hindered by that tether. This situation makes many dogs "hyper aware" when on leash walks with their owners when other dogs are out as well. A lot of dogs pull on leash to get to each other as fast as possible to get those sniffy introductions out of the way and determine if all is well. When dogs pull toward one another on leash, however, their bodies aren't in the normal shapes and postures conducive to a successful greeting. When dogs pull they are gasping for air, straining on the leash, with ears often back, lips retracted, and a direct stare in the direction they want to go A lot of dogs will scrabble around with their feet as well, appearing completely out of control. Add in some barking, whining, or yipping, and you have a recipe for disaster when those two leashed dogs explode into each other's space. And, yes, dragging their equally stressed out and anxious owners behind them. This is just one of the many reasons why I don't let my dogs greet other dogs while on leash; off leash playdates in a yard, under my control, are the way my dogs engage other dogs.
I love that many of you are using daycares and dog walkers for your dogs now that you've headed back to work. This is a wonderful solution to the age old question of "what is my dog going to do all day while I'm at work?" A well-staffed, well-trained daycare provider can ensure that your social dog has an outlet for their enthusiasm and a place to get their exercise while hanging out with other, like-minded dogs. Daycare experiences can mean everything from a traditional daycare that is run like a staffed, off leash dog park, to an in-home daycare provider who keeps just a few dogs at a time daily for exercise and socialization in their own home and yard. For older dogs or dogs who aren't particularly social, daycare can be stressful and overwhelming. These dogs will likely do better with an experienced dog walker for one-on-one excursions and fun outings. Remember that dog sociability is on a spectrum, and not all dogs are extroverts, desiring that constant contact with other dogs. And it is also true that dogs' social needs change as they get older. Your dog may have loved to play at daycare when they were a puppy and adolescent, but as a senior dog, they may find the whole experience very stressful. Daycare providers want your dogs to succeed and be happy; if a staff member tells you that your dog isn't enjoying himself, don't be upset by this. Daycare isn't for every dog and daycare providers need to make sure their areas are safe for all the dogs in their care. And while I'm happy to evaluate your pet and discuss all of this with you, you need to keep in mind that I can't *make* your dog want to go to daycare or enjoy going there if she doesn't. Rather, I will be pointing you toward other solutions as to what they should be doing while you are at work all day.
So, let's circle back around to my client with the intact male dog I was telling you about. He is clearly still enjoying his dog excursions and off leash socializing. Even though he's intact, he is not mounting the other dogs as we've successfully taught him that that behavior earns him a time out away from socializing. Neutering him will definitely help with the marking he does, on occasion, in their house, but it isn't going to make him any less "nutty" on leash when he sees other dogs. That's where the work needs to be done! He thinks that when he sees other dogs, it's play time! We need to teach him that when he's on leash, this is work time. His owners need to stop trying to figure out how to let him safely greet other dogs when on leash, and focus on how to make him a good walking companion. We went for a walk together and I put two leashes on the dog, one attached to a martingale collar and the other attached to a Gentle Leader Head Halter. I had a bag full of very high value treats in my pocket and I'd already let him know that he could have them IF he walked nicely on leash as we started our walk in their yard before heading out into the neighborhood. I was in charge of the leashes as his owner admitted that she was sure she was cuing him to dogs and thus part of the problem. I understood this; she'd been pulled over more than once as her dog tried to yank her toward another leashed dog. We walked for just 10 minutes; this was a training walk, not an exercise walk. I let him sniff and explore with his leashes loose so he felt relaxed. What I did NOT do is tell him when I saw other dogs, gasp when I saw other dogs, tighten up on his leash, ball his leash up in my hand, or step to the side to let other dogs go by. I also didn't hide behind any hedges or cars! We walked. If he started to focus on another dog I'd say his name using an upbeat tone and guide him my way with the two leashes (think about how you might use the reins on a horse!). When he broke his laser focus on that other dog, he received an enthusiastic "Yes!" from me and one of those high value treats. He continued to get high value treats for following along with me and ignoring the other dog. When the other dog was out of sight, no more treats and back to encouraging him to sniff and pee. We passed homes with off leash dogs behind wire fencing who barked and chased us along the fence line and he did great! A few whines and a bit of pulling, but following along with me was much more rewarding. His owner noted that his walks are never this pleasant for them, and that he normally pulls even when there aren't other dogs right there. This is where the two leash system can be really helpful, particularly for big dogs. You feel safer and like you have more control, and thus you are less likely to shorten up on your leash thus cuing your dog to pull in response. Keeping the walk short and adding in those treats really will help. Even a neighbor reinforced this point for my client when he came out on his driveway and said," Wow! He looks so much more relaxed! He's enjoying that walk this morning!" My client thanked him and then sheepishly told me he was the neighbor who came to her rescue with wet wipes and bandages on one of the walks where her dog had pulled her down!
These improvements are just the start. We'll need to walk together a few more times to make sure her dog has got the new routine. My client will need to do the walks with me there so she can build back her own confidence. In the meantime, he will continue to go to daycare to get his exercise and playtime with his dog friends, and even have a few playdates with his dog buddies in their yard. Her walks with him will initially be at off peak times to work on her leash handling and treat delivery. All walks will be short. Over time, we'll build up to walking at peak times when there are lots of dogs out on leash. For now, we'll keep it simple and rewarding for all parties concerned.
As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.
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