Animal Tips: Curbing Leash Reactivity in Your Dog!

Green Bay and Door County, Wis. (May 13, 2025) – The Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) describes a dog as being “leash reactive” when they bark, lunge or growl at specific triggers that they see while on leash. Most commonly, the trigger is another dog, bicycles, wild animals, or sometimes people.

Walking with a leash reactive dog can be extremely stressful for both you and your animal. So, now that the temperatures are warming up, WHS is sharing some steps you can take to make your dog walks as enjoyable as they can be!

Step one is to plan ahead. You know your dog’s specific triggers, so try to avoid them preventatively. Try walking your dog in open areas so you can quickly turn around if their specific triggers are approaching. This may mean that walks in busy neighborhoods will not be possible in the beginning, and that is OK! 

Step two is counterconditioning. “Counterconditioning” is the process of turning a negative stimulus into a positive one. You will want to start this step when your dog sees their trigger but is still too far away to react. At that moment, give your dog a treat and continue rewarding them as long as the trigger is present. Timing is important with this step so make sure as soon as they notice the trigger, they get the food or treats. If your dog is extremely reactive, try starting in your car or in another place with a physical barrier between your dog and their trigger.

Once your dog shows more relaxed body language, you can move on to step three, playing “Look at That.” The game helps your dog feel more comfortable by calmly noticing their trigger. It works like this: as soon as your dog looks at the trigger, say “yes” in a bright happy voice. Then offer your dog a treat in a way that makes them look away from the trigger. Then as soon as they look at the trigger again, repeat the process.

At the end of the day remember that this is hard work and requires lots of consistency and dedication. It is OK (and necessary!) to give yourself breaks, as well. If you do not feel that you have the energy to support your dog in the presence of their triggers, skip the walk and support your dog with other forms of exercise and enrichment. 

For more animal wellness tips, head to wihumane.org/behavior.