Growling/Barking

Question
My dog is a 4 year old Beagle/Dachsund mix rescue who I adopted about 3 months ago. She is doing pretty well with obedience training but no matter how much I correct her, she continues to growl, snarl, lunge, and bark at any other dogs she sees when she is on a walk. I usually make her sit while the other dog goes by but it is a struggle to keep her down. She has no aggression at the dog park or doggie daycare. I would love to walk her and just pass other dogs without a commotion or have her greet other dogs in a friendly mannner. Thank you!

Answer
Hi Sandy,

It sounds like your dog is a good candidate for a Gentle Leader or Halti head harness, rather than walking her with a leash or shoulder harness.

Head harnesses are a humane training device. The head harness is based on the principle that wherever the head goes, the body follows. Like a horse's halter,  a dog's head halter is worn across the jaw and cheek, with one strap encircling the dog's nose and another running behind the back of the head. It is not a muzzle. You hook a leash to a ring to the snout strap under the chin.
Used properly, head harnesses enable you to keep and redirect your dog's attention to you, helping give you the edge over distractions such as squirrels, rabbits, bicyclists, skaters, smelly roadside "attractions" and other approaching dogs and humans. Then when your dog is looking at you, reward her for paying attention to you and ignoring everything else. Learn more about using a head harness here:

http://www.buygentleleader.com/View.aspx?page=dogs/products/behavior/gentleleade...

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=875

http://101-dog-training-tips.com/Dog_Training_Collars/head_collar_training.shtml

Because it's different from a "regular" collar, your dog would need time to adjust to a head harness. Practice inside, in very brief sessions, using tasty tidbits or even bits of peanut butter to distract and calm the dog. In most cases, the dog will acclimate to the head halter and eventually become very comfortable with it. The key is proper acclimation and use of the device. And never jerk this kind of collar.

Best of luck,

Patti