Now that we understand the motivation behind barking on the leash, we can develop a solution for the behavior! If a dog is barking and lunging at a stimulus (other people and dogs) on the leash, there is a high motivation for removing that person or dog from the environment. To correct this behavior, we need to reduce the motivation for removal. Utilizing classical conditioning techniques, we can pair the presence of the stimulus with a high-value item (typically food). During training, we strongly associate the presence of the stimulus with yummy treats. In turn, this will decrease the motivation for the stimulus to be removed, which will also decrease the dog’s likelihood of engaging in barking or lunging.
Read more about the use of classical conditioning to address barking on a leash further with our “How can I help my reactive dog” blog.