07/16/2026
Practice practice practice
When working with reactivity I practice my leash work away from things that trigger the dog. Think calm areas where the dog can connect and learn. Your yard, inside the home. Creating the muscle memory for the handler and dog.
When the dog shows me they understand leash pressure means connect with me, come back to me I move on to things I CAN control. Think food, toys, your other dog, a bike etc. I want to practice around as many things as I can until the dog is getting it.
Slowly increasing the exposure in environments I can’t control. Keeping in mind how busy the environment is and how well the dog is doing. I focus on what I can’t control, my distance, my leash work, my energy.
This video is a great example of a dog understanding leash pressure and connecting through our leash work practices we’ve done a million times outside of this moment in front of a dog.
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