Do you have a "gofor dog"? A dog that goes for this, and goes for that? This type of behaviour can make a dog walk really miserable, not to mention living with them. But what can be done to eliminate the problem, and/or prevent it happening in the first place?
Here are some of the reasons why dogs lunge:
1. a lack of suitable and adequate socialising from day one can lead a dog to be apprehensive about meeting other dogs and/or people … as a rule of thumb in order to be considered "socialised", dogs should meet 100 new dogs, 100 new people, and 100 new life situations in their first 12 weeks of life
2. a lack of formal and fun training is another reason for behaviour problems in dogs … how much time have you invested in your dog's education? A 6-week puppy course is not enough because learning is a lifetime thing, not just for puppyhood … do we send our kids to school for one term and then consider them to be educated?
3. a dog that has been attacked or jumped on really roughly by another dog is much more likely to start lunging at other dogs in order to keep the other dog out of their personal space
4. some breeds are predisposed to lunge due to the "job" they were bred for originally ... if you have a mix of breeds in your pet, you may be getting a double whammy of lunging, snapping or barking
5. if your dog lunges at another, it's too late to get on your dog's case and tell them off because they have already "rewarded" themselves with the lunge - instead, try to "read" your pet and anticipate a lunge; tell them "leave" in a very assertive tone of voice and reward them for looking at you, not at the other dog (otherwise you will be rewarding your dog for lunging!)
6. every dog is born a blank canvas …. people make them what they ultimately become
Tips
1. socialise your dog from day one and go as far as you can to them meeting 100 new dogs, 100 new people, and 100 new life situations in their first 12 weeks of life, because no matter how much socialising your pet does later in life, it will never make up for a lack of socialising during the first 12 weeks
2. why wouldn't you want to take your dog to training classes? Whatever age your dog is now, if it has behaviour problems of any kind, seek help from a professional or go along to training classes that are specifically aimed at reactive dogs
3. if your dog has been attacked or jumped on really roughly by another dog, get help from a professional before the problem gets worse and becomes ingrained
4. research your dog's breed or breeds as this can give you an amazing insight into its characteristics - if you are unsure, ask a professional
5. if your dog lunges at another, it's too late to get on your dog's case and tell them off because they have already "rewarded" themselves with the lunge - instead, try to "read" your pet and anticipate a lunge; tell them "leave" in a very assertive tone of voice and reward them for looking at you, not at the other dog (otherwise you will be rewarding your dog for lunging!)
6. what will you make of your blank canvas?
TEACH WITH KINDNESS AND PATIENCE - YOU WILL BE REWARDED MANY TIMES OVER
Heather Stevens MCFBA Dog Behaviour Specialist