"Leash aggression"

because the owner is at the other end of the leash, the dog is a "mirror" of the owner, the feeling that the owner has at that moment go thru the leash and affects the dog

 
 
So why do dogs behave differently with the same owner?  Same owner with multiple dogs and yet each dog is behaving differently on that leash...What accounts for that?
 
 

I think there's more to it as well, although you are right that dogs can sense their owner's emotions and comfort level.
 
For one thing, when you pull back on a dog that is leashed, it artificially makes that dog appear more challenging. It forces the dog into what looks like a lunging position, and the dog has no choice but to greet other dogs head-on when leashed (it doesn't have the freedom to approach other dogs from the side). Thus, your leashed dog looks like it is challenging other dogs. In turn, the other dog may respond in a challenging way, and your dog suddenly finds himself in an aggression situation.
 
The other aspect is more simple - a dog that is on a leash cannot escape. For most dogs, if they are unsure of a situation it is either fight or flight. If you've removed the option of flight, all that's left is to stand up to whatever they're unsure of - scary big man; dog; etc. 

ORIGINAL: Scout in Canada

I think there's more to it as well, although you are right that dogs can sense their owner's emotions and comfort level.

For one thing, when you pull back on a dog that is leashed, it artificially makes that dog appear more challenging. It forces the dog into what looks like a lunging position, and the dog has no choice but to greet other dogs head-on when leashed (it doesn't have the freedom to approach other dogs from the side). Thus, your leashed dog looks like it is challenging other dogs. In turn, the other dog may respond in a challenging way, and your dog suddenly finds himself in an aggression situation.

The other aspect is more simple - a dog that is on a leash cannot escape. For most dogs, if they are unsure of a situation it is either fight or flight. If you've removed the option of flight, all that's left is to stand up to whatever they're unsure of - scary big man; dog; etc. 

 
You are right about that, thats one of the reasons why people should not let the dogs pull the leash

I have two Sibes, brother and sister.  The brother is calmer.  The sister is hyper.  They are both different on the leash as well.  The sister is prone to panic attacks if I try to bring her for a ride in the car.  The brother is different, easier.  And on the leash it is the same story.  Anxiety is not allowing the female to relax and walk, she wants to pull. 

ORIGINAL: dogslife

So why do dogs behave differently with the same owner?  Same owner with multiple dogs and yet each dog is behaving differently on that leash...What accounts for that?

 
Let's take your example about your male and female, male calm, female anxious
 
Do you walk them together? maybe the female starts having anxiety because you are already tense waiting for something bad to happen because her personality, she tends to be anxious and if we add you being tense then we are adding gasoline to the fire 
 
What do you do to make her not to be anxious?

ORIGINAL: espencer

ORIGINAL: dogslife

So why do dogs behave differently with the same owner?  Same owner with multiple dogs and yet each dog is behaving differently on that leash...What accounts for that?

Let's take your example about your male and female, male calm, female anxious

Do you walk them together? maybe the female starts having anxiety because you are already tense waiting for something bad to happen because her personality, she tends to be anxious and if we add you being tense then we are adding gasoline to the fire 

What do you do to make her not to be anxious?

 
I walk them separately.  I am not anxious in walking my dogs.  I do not do anything different with these dogs.  Her personality is "hyper".  She is a great little gal and her energy level is high.  The male has a lot of energy as well, just more self control.  He isn't as fast of a runner as her. 
 
To calm her on a walk, I try to redirect her attentions to surroundings, me, have treats in my pocket ...anything to get her out of that tunnel vision.  She is better when I can get her attention.  Siberians were bred to pull sleds.  It is her instinct, and I am trying to work her through this.  Very difficult!
 
Something interesting that I noted today.  Previously, I thought the male was a better listener.  But when I made a command "get downstairs".  She obediantly did just that, looking at me.  The male, went into another room!  And I had to get him and bring him in the direction to get him to go.   Also, "get in your crate", she goes right in and he will only go in if he gets a treat.

What do you think it really is? that term is used most of the time when the dog has an unwanted behavior only when it has a leash on, but the rest of the time he is a happy dog  It seems that at the moment the leash is in the dog's neck then the leash has some "weird" effect on the dog that makes him beheave bad And i agree 100%, it has an effect but thats because the owner is at the other end of the leash, the dog is a "mirror" of the owner, the feeling that the owner has at that moment go thru the leash and affects the dog I've seen a nervous owner (of course not like shaking or anything) that is nervous because is in front of a large crowd having a dog on a leash and the dog is also nervous, but when the leash changes hands to a person that is completly calm it seems that they switched dogs too because the dog is completly calm also The leash is like an extension of yourself that makes the dog "be part" of you too What do you think?

I think that this is an oversimplification of a complex relationship.

I have owned a seriously leash aggressive dog, and was frustrated because when other people walked the dog nothing bad happened. I felt like it was all my fault!

But then I left her with my father for a few days... and after about two days she started acting out on walks again.

And then I went on my honeymoon... and the people who took care of her had about three good days before she started acting aggressive on a leash.

And then my neighbor started walking her in the afternoon. And after about a week there she was, back to flipping out at every dog she saw.

I take from this experience that the dog brings something to the situation, and that the leash does not magically turn the dog into a mirror of the human. Does a calm walker help? Of course! But just as a lack of chicken soup does not cause a cold... nervous people do not spawn epidemics of leash aggressive dogs.

ORIGINAL: dogslife


I walk them separately.  I am not anxious in walking my dogs.  I do not do anything different with these dogs.  Her personality is "hyper".  She is a great little gal and her energy level is high.  The male has a lot of energy as well, just more self control.  He isn't as fast of a runner as her. 

To calm her on a walk, I try to redirect her attentions to surroundings, me, have treats in my pocket ...anything to get her out of that tunnel vision.  She is better when I can get her attention.  Siberians were bred to pull sleds.  It is her instinct, and I am trying to work her through this.  Very difficult!

Something interesting that I noted today.  Previously, I thought the male was a better listener.  But when I made a command "get downstairs".  She obediantly did just that, looking at me.  The male, went into another room!  And I had to get him and bring him in the direction to get him to go.   Also, "get in your crate", she goes right in and he will only go in if he gets a treat.

 
I know what you are talking about, i used to have a Siberian and he was breaking every leash he was having, i understand that having two at the same moment walking would be bad, what do you do BEFORE going out to walk? is she hyper even before crossing out the door? is she hyper before putting the leash on? because if you make her being calm before those two things happen you will have more control over the walk

ORIGINAL: fisher6000

Does a calm walker help? Of course! But just as a lack of chicken soup does not cause a cold... nervous people do not spawn epidemics of leash aggressive dogs.

I dont agree, if you are nervous you are almost "saying" to the dog that there is something to be nervous for, you said it yourself  "and was frustrated because when other people walked the dog nothing bad happened. I felt like it was all my fault!", the dog does not know the reason, just knows that you are feeling frustrated and he does not know why and thats why he acts aggressive, because he feels you are tense

How do you know that every single person your dog was with was not doing the same as you? being tense, nervous or whatever feeling they had? I have seen it with my own eyes and i have doing it myself, people telling me "do you want to take my dog out for a walk? good luck buddy, he will drag you to hell" but when they see me coming back with the dog at my side they cant believe it 

So I guess I must just be lucky because I'm pretty nervous sometimes when I walk my younger lab and yet, she's never been leash aggressive.  Example - I was just taking her out this weekend when I turned the corner and a neighbor was coming towards us with her siberian husky mix.  That dog was scratching and trying real hard to come towards us and the owner was telling her "no, calm down".  I know I was totally tense since I think that if that dog had gotten loose, it could've been really ugly.  Nevertheless, Sassy had her ears perked up and was watchful, but I was easily able to walk on by.  I certainly don't take any credit for her being non-leash reactive. 
 
I see the leash like anything that constricts or confines a dog, such as chaining to a tree or behind a fence they can see thru.  When they can see another dog but can't interact (i.e.,, run, play, or even fight), they usually react.  Once they do, and realize they're truly constricted, the feeling escalates, and so on.

I dont agree, if you are nervous you are almost "saying" to the dog that there is something to be nervous for, you siad it yourself "and was frustrated because when other people walked the dog nothing bad happened. I felt like it was all my fault!", the dog does not know the reaso, just knows that you are feeling frustrated and he does not know why and thats why he act aggressive, because he feels you are tense

 
There are just so many more contributing elements to leash aggression than the emotions of the walker. Yes, it certainly doesn't help. But I think these posters know well enough whether they are bringing out the aggression in their dogs.
 
Leash aggression, just like off-leash aggression, is rooted in problems either temperamentally or with socialization...

ORIGINAL: espencer

What do you think it really is? that term is used most of the time when the dog has an unwanted behavior only when it has a leash on, but the rest of the time he is a happy dog 

It seems that at the moment the leash is in the dog's neck then the leash has some "weird" effect on the dog that makes him beheave bad

And i agree 100%, it has an effect but thats because the owner is at the other end of the leash, the dog is a "mirror" of the owner, the feeling that the owner has at that moment go thru the leash and affects the dog

I've seen a nervous owner (of course not like shaking or anything) that is nervous because is in front of a large crowd having a dog on a leash and the dog is also nervous, but when the leash changes hands to a person that is completly calm it seems that they switched dogs too because the dog is completly calm also

The leash is like an extension of yourself that makes the dog "be part" of you too

What do you think?

I think you're way off base here.  I have a leash aggressive dog.  I didn't make her that way, she came with the baggage.  I also have a non-leash aggressive dog.  He was socialized often and early. 

What causes leash aggression?  In my dog it is fear of being trapped.  She was raised with mastiffs and developed a "best defense is a strong and loud offense" philosophy which we're trying to break right now.  She has the scars to prove that faster, quicker and smarter doesn't always win the fight.  And trust me, she has no problem fighting with another dog-she's tried to start a few of them even when off lead.

But ok, let's take your idea and explore it...If it's the person at the end of the lead that causes the leash aggression then I'd have two leash aggressive dogs, right? 

Apparently you haven't been around sighthounds too much.  Sighthounds and hounds in general aren't mirrors of their owners.  They will pick up some personality traits, but hounds are tremendously independent.  So much so that at times, you-the owner, don't matter on whit.

Does snapping a leash on a dog have an immediate effect?  Yes it certainly does, in some cases.  My male could care less, but putting the collar and lead on my female (they don't wear collar and lead inside) gets her very excited and the adrenalin starts pumping.  At the point where she's on lead she's ready to hunt, or dare I say it, to kill.  She's happy, tail wagging with excitement, jumping up and landing in a play bow and very vocal.  All that from snapping on a leash.  And again the male doesn't act any differently.

Whether I project a calm demeanor or am nervous Gaia will demonstrate some leash reactivity, it is sometimes less when I am calm.  On the other hand, sometimes it's worse.  I've learned that yellow dogs, brindle dogs and small black dogs are bad for her.  Big black dogs are ok, if they are in profile or walking away.

ORIGINAL: cakana


I see the leash like anything that constricts or confines a dog, such as chaining to a tree or behind a fence they can see thru.  When they can see another dog but can't interact (i.e.,, run, play, or even fight), they usually react.  Once they do, and realize they're truly constricted, the feeling escalates, and so on.

Very well said Cathy!

ORIGINAL: cakana

I see the leash like anything that constricts or confines a dog, such as chaining to a tree or behind a fence they can see thru.  When they can see another dog but can't interact (i.e.,, run, play, or even fight), they usually react.  Once they do, and realize they're truly constricted, the feeling escalates, and so on.

I agree that happens when you have a dog that has not being socialize, when is dominant, etc. but you can ask even to spiritdogs which has some really well beheaved dogs how they can be on a leash, behind a fence, etc and they dont even pay attention to other dogs, they are in their own business without care what the other dog is doing at the other side of the street or the fence