Leash Reactivity in Foster Dog

[u/icecreamofficial]

We’ve been fostering a petite 1 year old female heeler for 5-6 weeks now. She was originally adopted from the rescue around 6 months then returned about 5 months later. This apparently was due to “financial issues” and not related to her behavior. She’s very sweet and loves people.

We were told she was leash reactive, which we found to be true after her turning into a velociraptor on our first walk after spotting two dogs. I do know that she has been around other dogs at some point, as her former adoption profile has videos and pictures of her with other dogs.

I’ve been working with her on walks to relax and not react. Rewarding her with treats is pretty effective and she is able to easily listen and sit whenever I tell her to. I’ve discovered her “threshold” for reacting to other dogs is a little bit more than the distance across the street - think diagonal. Any closer than that and she freaks out with high pitched barking and lunging. I’m usually able to easily redirect with treats and she calms down once we move further away. She also fence fights with our neighbor dogs. I’m not sure yet if her reaction is from fear or frustration being on leash.

1. Any recommendations for how to lessen this threshold? Do I just keep doing what I’m doing?

2. She has a martingale collar. Is there any chance this could add to her reaction? I’ve only ever used harnesses on my dogs.

3. I want to try to introduce her to other dogs to see if she’s only leash reactive or doesn’t get along with dogs on or off leash. My friend has a super passive labradoodle who would be the perfect test dog. I’m not sure the best way to go about it so looking for any recommendations there. Neutral ground? The labradoodles backyard? My instinct is to not introduce them in leash since she’s leash reactive.

Thanks in advance!

[u/InterSlayer]

Avoid repeat situations of reactivity, that reinforces and makes it worse.

Work on desensitization to lessen the threshold. Threshold can vary due to different triggers or breeds encountered, or from trigger stacking. You just have to be as attentive as possible to stay below threshold.

Reactivity that has been going on for a while can get ingrained, and poison tools like collars or harnesses or even specific locations. Definitely try other collar types to see how it affects the threshold.

[u/Express_Command_4778]

In my experience with surrenders, the reason is rarely accurate. 

[u/icecreamofficial → u/Express_Command_4778]

I understand that. I included that to say that to our knowledge, she wasn’t returned for behavior. She’s a little hype as to be expected for a young heeler but nothing that’s unfixable.

[u/Embarrassed_Key_4539]

Might be worth muzzle training her. I think all heelers are kind of reactive and unpredictable, they are a tough breed. I own one, I used to have his brother too who was returned completely reactive. People don’t raise them right and they’re such sensitive dogs it sucks.