Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have an ACD who's 1 year and 2 months old. He's an all around great dog. Like any dog, he has his minor behavioral annoyances, but we're working on those and he's doing better day by day. one bigger concern of mine is that for some reason he acts pretty aggressive when he's on a leash. Off leash, he's fine with everything and he loves other dogs an kids. When he has the leash on he nips at kids and acts like he wants to maul other dogs. As soon as the leash comes off, he's their buddy.
He still listens off leash and about 9 out of 10 times he comes when he's called. I can walk with him off leash at parks and the beach and he's good about staying by my side. however, i obviously need him to be on a leash in public places and around cars. When he acts up with the leash on, i will try to correct him by giving the leash a jerk and telling him "leave it". Then sometimes he will submit by laying down with his ears back and look up at me almost like hes sorry. other times he'll just keep going at it.

any suggestions??

On leash dog aggression is fairly common. On leash dogs feel trapped and can't do the ritualized manners greeting they are programed to do. Once a dog starts to react negatively on the leash, then the human starts to get tense in the situations that trigger the problem and that nerviousness transfers down th leash to th dog who was already uncomfortable with the situation in the first place. It becomes a viscious cycle.

So, I recommend getting a longer leash for this dog and practicing making sure you do not tense up on the leash. Also, condition the dog to immediately look at you when he sees another dog, kid, etc. My dogs look to me for direction in distracted situations. My leash reactive dog looks to me and sits when unknown dogs approach and I will determine if I allow the unknown dog into her space. Very often, when she's on leash, she'd prefer to be left alone and not interact with any dog, but loves to greet people this way. Still, if a child were bounding up to her uncontrolled, she would also not be comfortable and I'd not let the uncontrolled child touch her. I've gotten very good at looking far ahead and around us and controlling our space in a situation. I can be quite subtle about it and it's not that I am nervous about what would happen, but overall, when I'm out with my dogs we pick and choose what we do and who we meet.
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Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles www.freewebs.com/performanceshibas