My Pet World: Help for dog that pulls hard on leash and chases grandchildren

Cathy M. Rosenthal, Tribune Content Agency on Oct 26, 2022

— Susan, Bushkill Township, Pennsylvania

Dear Susan,

As I noted in the column about pets' changed behaviors after surgeries, it's not uncommon for dogs to develop fears or anxieties after traumas, surgeries, or extended illnesses. The behavior you describe sounds like "fear aggression," when a dog becomes confrontational out of fear of an approaching animal or person.

Knowing what changed a dog’s behavior is not always possible. While Zena could have had a scary experience at the vet's office, the behavior changes more likely resulted from the accident on the beach. You didn't provide details but said it was a terrible experience for her. That's precisely the kind of experience that can make a dog fearful. It's no different from us experiencing something traumatic and then having a post-traumatic stress reaction when faced with similar triggers to the experience later on.

In the future — and for anyone who has had a dog with severe behavior changes after a traumatic experience, illness, or surgery — you can help your dog by building their confidence again. This involves more training to reinforce the bond between pet and owner, and slowly reintroducing previously positive experiences to recondition the dog’s reactions.

Begin by keeping the dog further away from the trigger to prevent a reaction. Move closer to the stimulus over time as your dog's tolerance increases. An example of this might be to take a dog to a pet store parking lot and stand at the far end where she can see other dogs but is not close enough to react to them. Each visit to the parking lot would result in getting closer and closer to the trigger to build the dog’s confidence that those other people and animals are not a threat.

Thanks for taking care of Zena all those years.

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)