Struggling With Leash Reactivity?

If you’re struggling with dog leash reactivity, I’d like to teach you my favourite training game that helps dogs stay calm around their triggers.

First, let's define what a dog's trigger is:

A dog's trigger is anything that sparks a strong emotional reaction or behaviour.

It's the thing that “sets them off”.

For example, I’m very afraid of spiders. If I’m sitting on the couch relaxing and I spot one nearby, I’d instantly go into panic mode. My reaction is either to run away or try to squish it. Both of those are fear based responses.

Seeing my trigger (the spider) instantly pushes me past my threshold, triggering a strong reaction.

Likewise, many dogs struggle with visual triggers such as other dogs, bikes, skateboards, and more.

How do triggers develop?

Just like people, dogs can develop fears or anxieties based on their experiences. If something negative or unexpected happens in a certain situation, the dog can start associating that situation with fear or anxiety.

For example, if a dog receives a leash correction when trying to greet another dog, they might start associating other dogs with discomfort or fear. The dog learns that bad things—like neck pain and the shock of a correction—happen when they encounter dogs, so dogs the sight of a dog develops into a trigger. Over time, depending on how those reactions are dealt with, that trigger can become something they react more and more strongly to.

Triggers can also develop due to poor socialization. If a dog wasn’t positively exposed to certain stimuli—like other dogs—when they were a puppy, they may develop fear because it's an unfamiliar experience.

So, how can we help change a dog’s emotional response to their trigger?

I recommend using a technique called 'counter-conditioning and desensitization' to help address leash reactivity.

1. Counter-Conditioning:
What It Is: Counter-conditioning involves changing a dog's emotional response to something they fear, are overly excited about, or react negatively to, by pairing that trigger with something positive (like treats, praise, or play). The goal is to help the dog associate the trigger with something enjoyable, instead of something scary or unpleasant.

2. Desensitization
What It Is: Desensitization involves gradually exposing a dog to something that causes fear or anxiety (like a loud noise or another dog) in small, controlled doses. The goal is to slowly increase the intensity of the trigger at a gradual pace that keeps the dog comfortable so that they can eventually handle more intense exposures to it without reaction.

Ideally, we want to combine counter-conditioning and desensitization (CC DS) at the same time.
By exposing the dog to a manageable level of their trigger while pairing it with something positive (like high-value treats), we can change both their emotional response and their outward reaction.

A key aspect of effective CC DS is keeping the dog below their threshold, meaning you work at a level they can comfortably handle. For example, you wouldn’t help me overcome my fear of spiders by forcing one into my hand repeatedly! The process needs to be gradual and positive to be effective. I HIGHLY recommend watching this video I made about understanding a dog’s threshold if you want to use CC DS properly:

My favourite training exercise for CC DS is called Engage-Disengage, created by Leslie McDevitt. This exercise gradually exposes the dog to their trigger while pairing it with high-value rewards. Here’s what you'll need:

Here's how to do the engage/disengage game for dog reactivity:

WATCH ON YOUTUBE: Effective Dog Training Begins with Understanding Dog Threshold