Why does my dog bark and lunge on leash but do fine off leash?
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
One of the most common behavior issues that I personally see in my business is leash reactivity. Leash reactivity is the label we use for a combination of behaviors that can include barking, whining, growling, lunging, and jumping on leash when a dog sees a trigger. Dog directed leash reactivity is VERY common and something that many people experience in varying levels of severity.
One of the more common things that I hear from clients is that their dog barks and lunges at other dogs on leash, but does "fine" at daycare or off leash with known dogs. They ask why this is, and sometimes there's a clear answer while other times there isn't.
One type of leash reactivity is often labeled as a dog being a "frustrated greeter". This type of dog is thought to behave this way because they cannot tolerate the frustration of being leashed/not being able to access the other dog. This issue type can be exacerbated by multiple factors, including but not limited to:
a dog being given the opportunity to greet every dog they see out on a walk, thus establishing an "expectation" that they "should" get to greet every dog.
Excessive leash pressure/restraint. Often times dogs will get exponentially more frustrated the more that we pull/yank/tug on the leash.
Limited or non-existent access to off leash playtime with dogs who make good playmates so that they never actually get to take care of their social needs.
A frustrated greeter, when given the opportunity to say hello off leash (whether this is done at the dog park, day care, in the back yard, or the leash is accidentally dropped and dragging) usually runs up to the other dog and will immediately start engaging in prosocial behavior like sniffing the other dog's butts or inviting play with play bows and other metasignaling. This can be true even if right before the leash came off they were barking and lunging like a lunatic!
Another type of leash reactivity can be context specific; if a dog learns that being approached by other dogs while on leash doesn't end well for them (if an off leash dog runs up and gets aggressive, for example) but that same dog has a decent history of good off leash play with other dogs, they may learn that dogs are safe off leash (where they can easily flee/run away if they feel threatened) but not safe on leash (where they are "trapped" by the leash being attached to their human). Again, this type of reactivity is typically made much worse with tight leashes/the inability for the dog to move about freely. My own personal dog, Regis the beagle mix, used to be hugely leash reactive and now has a much easier time on leash, but if we are approached by an off leash dog and I tighten up on the leash/try to pull Regis away he will almost always flip into "defense" mode. Because of this, I make sure that in the event we are approached by an off leash dog and there's no chance of me getting out of the situation that I put all slack in the leash and allow Regis to move freely so that he doesn't get defensive.
And lastly, if you have a dog that barks and lunges and doesn't do well on leash when they see other dogs, AND they don't do well off leash specifically when you are present, but they go to daycare and are reported to be "fine" then one of two things is likely going on. It's very possible that your dog is resource guarding YOU when other dogs are around and you are present; some dogs have a tendency to guard their human like they might guard a prized posession. This can be a really problematic behavior or it can be subtle enough that it's not a problem, it usually depends on how intense the behavior is and how socially savvy all of the dogs involved are. But either way, it can be modified in a private training context.
The other reason that a dog may be "fine" at daycare but not when you are around is because at daycare your dog is actually being flooded. Flooding is the act of exposing a dog to something they fear at full intensity with the inability to escape. So, if a dog is fearful and defensive in the presence of other dogs, putting them into a big room with other dogs will be flooding them. But why does your presence matter? Because many dogs look at their humans as their "secure base", meaning they look to them for comfort, support, and security, and if a dog feels like they have "back up" because you are there they are more likely to try defending themselves/standing up for themselves in the face of their perceieved threat. In both situations your dog was feeling uncomfortable, but only in the scenario where you are present does your dog feel brave enough to try defending themselves!
This last situation is one that many people don't realize is happening, and maybe even don't want to acknowledge is happening because it means that daycare really isn't ideal for these guys. They may not be behaving aggressively or be acting out at daycare, but they almost certainly are not enjoying themselves and would prefer to be on the couch at home!
And the last thing I'll say is: while it can be nice to know the most likely reason behind your dog's leash reactivity (is it frustration, fear of being approached on leash, fear of dogs in general, or resource guarding?), it doesn't change the fact that a positive reinforcement based behavior modification program can help your dog learn to feel better and offer more appropriate behaviors so that you'll have more pleasant walks in the future!
Has your dog every displayed leash reactivity? What did you think the likely cause was?
