By Barbara Cannon
Here at BAXTER and Bella, we put a lot of emphasis on the importance of socializing your puppy. We believe that it’s essential that you provide multiple opportunities for interactions with many environments, people, and other dogs from a very young age, especially from the ages of 8-16 weeks, a critical stage in your puppy’s development. We suggest that, even though your puppy may not be able to have feet on the ground until they are fully vaccinated, it’s still important to get that exposure by carrying your puppy in new environments and having one-on-one interactions with other puppies and dogs in a safe environment such as a back yard. When puppies are fully vaccinated and can walk safely on leash, we find that many pet parents now use on-leash greetings with other dogs as a way to continue dog socialization with their puppies. But are on-leash greetings a good way to socialize your puppy?
It's important to understand that most on-leash greetings between dogs, and sometimes people, are not consensual. There are actually several participants involved in an on-leash greeting. Each dog has a human and each of the participants has their own feelings about that interaction. Not all dogs enjoy being approached by other dogs, even if they are sociable in an off-leash situation. There may be other reasons, such as health or behavioral issues, that need to be considered as well. Also, some pet parents often don’t understand their puppy’s body language and may miss the signals their dog or puppy is giving that they are anxious about this meeting and would rather not. (For more about body language, see Unit 3.4 in our STEP-BY-STEP PROGRAMS.)
Speaking of body language, have you ever noticed that there’s a lot of movement when dogs meet? There’s circling and smelling, getting closer, then moving away, as they try to assess each other. Sometimes, people get in the way of this interaction by standing still, even trying to keep the dog still. A puppy may learn an important lesson here: It is NOT okay to do what dogs want to do naturally as their person tries to restrict movement with pressure on the leash.
Perhaps most importantly, on-leash greetings can set a precedent of expectation that every dog and person is a potential target for the puppy’s excitement or even fear. Leash reactivity develops when a puppy gets frustrated because he cannot greet every person or dog or when a puppy feels out of control because he is being forced into greetings that he does not like or want. Allowing these greetings even occasionally can make it more difficult to teach your dog to walk past other dogs or people.
What are some things we recommend to avoid leash reactivity? We suggest that you try to avoid on-leash greetings and instead teach your puppy to focus on you when they see other dogs and people. Cross the street or turn around and ask your puppy to WATCH ME, LOOK AT ME, or use any other focus cue. Try to distance yourself for the best success. Work on this cue in your house and yard before you start walking your puppy on a leash, and reinforce it with a high-value treat. Using this cue and teaching skills in loose leash walking can help avoid leash reactivity in the future. Become familiar with your puppy’s body language so you can correctly interpret your puppy’s comfort level around other dogs, especially on leash. If/when you do find yourself in an unexpected meeting with another dog, keep moving with your puppy and let them participate in the greeting ritual, then quickly move on. Try to limit the interaction to seconds, not minutes, and avoid putting pressure on the leash. Teach your puppy a strong LET’S GO cue (Unit 2.5 in the STEP-BY-STEP PROGRAMS) so your puppy understands it is time to move on without having to put a lot of pressure on the leash.
Socialization is essential to your puppy’s behavioral health, but try to do it in a way that engenders positive feelings toward other dogs. Set up situations where your puppy can meet and play with other dogs off-leash in a safe environment, such as puppy socialization classes, well-run daycares, or play sessions in your backyard. Note: We have feelings about dog parks. Here’s Trainer Bailey’s blog for more information: https://www.baxterandbella.com/post/dog-parks-yes-or-no
Listen to Amy’s Puppy Training Podcast Episode #99 for more information about leash reactivity.
Happy training!
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