Does your dog have a pulling problem, or a panic problem?
Leash pulling.
Was there ever a more ubiquitous dog behavior problem?
When I work with owners on this, one of the first things we do is determine whether we have a pulling problem or a panic problem.
Some dogs pull because of a lack of education — they are excited to be out of the house, they naturally move faster than we do, and they haven’t been taught to slow down. Their pulling is just pulling.
Some dogs pull because of emotions — they are actually anxious about the environment or something in the environment. Their pulling is what happens when panic wears a leash.
The panicked dog needs to learn skills and feel safe in the environment. The pulling dog needs to learn skills.
How can you tell the difference?
Body language is the best way to tell.
Panicked dogs look distressed. They may have pinned ears, facial tension, jerky movements, wide “clown” mouth panting, clamped mouth, dropped tail, etc.
A decreased appetite and inability to perform known behaviors also give us clues.
“But my dog is so excited to walk. I don’t think he’s anxious.”
Anxiety can be hard to spot if you don’t know what you’re looking for.
I worked with a family who needed help with their large dog’s leash pulling was so bad, they didn’t really walk her at all.
We took her out for an evaluation and quickly determined that she was actually really nervous.
Even though she ran to the front door when the harness came out, once she got outside, her mouth was clenched tight, her ears were pinned against her head, and she couldn’t concentrate on us — despite doing very well indoors!
Treating Panic: Step #1
You think your dog has a panic problem… Now what?
The best first step is to stop walking him.
Let go of the misconception that “he’ll get used to it” with repeated exposures.
Dogs do need exposure to learn to feel differently, but it has to be the right kind of exposure.
Exposure that causes panic doesn’t teach the dog that his triggers are safe.
The first step to feeling safe is to stop experiencing panic.
The second step is to work with a qualified, positive-reinforcement professional to help you craft a personalized training plan for YOUR dog.
If you’re in the NW Austin, TX area, I can help!
If not, I can help you find someone.
