Client - My anxious dog pulls on the lead

Stats: 2 In-person Behavioural Sessions

Gemma called me because her two dogs, Dorothy and Glo, a mother and daughter, had some complex issues between them. Dorothy, the more confident of the two, was a dog who barked at everything. You can read more about her story in My Dog Barks at Everything.

In our second session, I noticed how anxious Glo was compared to Dorothy. We took both dogs for a walk, and the difference between them was striking. Dorothy confidently walked by Gemma’s side, while Glo cowered against walls, looking as though she wanted to disappear. Things only got worse near traffic, especially when loud buses and lorries passed by.

It’s common for dogs to be scared of large, noisy vehicles. With their incredible hearing, these sounds can feel overwhelming. To help Glo, we worked on two key techniques designed to build her confidence. These techniques took into account her breed instincts and understanding of her “trigger stacking” - the gradual build-up of stressors that can lead to anxiety.

Why Dogs Might Pull on the Lead

In our second session with Glo, one of the first challenges we faced was her pulling on the lead as soon as we left the house. Dogs rarely pull for no reason, and loose-lead walking issues often signal something deeper, such as:

• Hind leg pain

• Hyperarousal caused by the wrong diet

• Reactivity, fear, or anxiety

If we had only focused on loose-lead training, any progress would have been short-lived because the root cause of Glo’s behavior would still be there. As a qualified Canine Behaviorist, I am trained to look at the whole picture. By watching your dog’s body language and understanding their communication, I work to address the underlying issues, not just the symptoms.

Building Glo’s Confidence

To help Glo, we focused on understanding her anxiety thresholds and helping her feel more comfortable in busy or noisy situations. By using specific techniques before, during and after scenarios that could be scary, we we able to help ease her concerns.

By the end of the session, Glo achieved something she had never done before and stood calmly on a loose lead next to Gemma on the pavement while traffic passed by. This moment was a huge milestone for Glo and a testament to the power of building confidence at her own pace.