Why does your dog react when on a leash? Learn the whys and how to help manage and train your leash reactive dog.
Many dogs lunge and bark at other dogs when on-leash, a behavior that trainers call “leash reactivity.”
There are a number of reasons why dogs develop this problem. Some fear or dislike other dogs because
of a bad experience with another dog in the past or because they weren’t well socialized to other dogs
during puppyhood. For these dogs, barking and lunging on-leash serves a purpose—it keeps
approaching dogs away. Other leash-reactive dogs like members of their own species a great deal. In
fact, they enjoy playing and greeting so much that they become intensely frustrated when they’re
restrained.
