How can I reduce my dog's reactivity towards other entire males?

Hi @Willko, Did your behaviourist show you how to work with the long line? Yes, this tool can easily be treated a bit too much like a standard lead, which is the trap; don't forget its primary purpose. The goal is to eventually be able to remove it safely once you can trust your dog. When using a training lead, you really need to prioritise verbal cues and hand signals rather than physically pulling on the line, which is what we tend to do with a normal lead. In the meantime, it’s there for "emergencies" and gives the dog a sense of semi-freedom. As for the "no, leave it" command, I think you need to be more precise. As long as your dog is just looking but continues to walk with you, that's actually good behaviour as he’s showing self-control. The "leave it" should happen the moment he starts moving towards the other dog, gets fixated, or roots himself to the spot, etc. That’s when you can give the line a tug proportional to how determined he is to get there, while moving away from the dog that’s triggering him and always turning your shoulders in the opposite direction to show him you aren't interested and want to keep moving. When you pass another dog, as long as he hasn't initiated anything, you can praise him happily in anticipation (so, before he fixates or shows any real intention of lunging). You’ll see he’ll refocus on you much more easily. However, if he starts fixating on the other dog, that’s when the "leave it" comes in, with a more serious and firm tone, and you keep walking at a brisk pace.

Evening Willko, The phase your trainer is recommending is very much a working phase for your dog. It’s the equivalent of putting him in a situation that triggers stress and asking him to learn how to manage his emotional state. Your dog lashed out while he was stressed because he was stuck on a piece of equipment he’s afraid of. I’d say that, at the moment, your dog is struggling to regulate his emotions, and for him to reach that state, he must be completely overwhelmed. The more we ask of a dog, the more we need to compensate. So, without wanting to contradict your trainer, I can tell you for sure that your dog won’t be able to handle these desensitisation phases if he doesn’t also have times of total relaxation off-lead. These are moments where he can satisfy his sniffing needs—and therefore his mental and physical needs—as well as playing with you. This will also create a better bond with you and help with your other activities. That is the foundation of a balanced life for any dog. Mention it to your trainer next time; I doubt they’d advise against letting your dog off-lead in quieter areas. A long lead is still a restriction. Furthermore, given your dog’s current emotional management skills, I don’t think he’s ready for this much training yet, and I’d personally switch activities for a while. Again, if the activity is synonymous with stress and negative feelings, it isn’t going to help you reach your goal. Given the profile you’ve described, I’d perhaps opt for more play-based activities like flyball or treibball. For my part, I have a young adult dog and I’m only just starting to revisit certain training goals that I’d put to one side because I could tell he wasn’t ready, even though my other dogs were at that same age. Sometimes, it’s better to put a goal on the back burner rather than spending weeks or months frustrating him and yourself, at the risk of actually giving up on that goal altogether...

Evening Willko, in the specific case you're describing (I'm not sure if it's the only one), I agree with Lorna—it definitely looks like frustration to me. Your dog is still young; at 10 months for this breed, he's only just hitting his teens. It sounds like he was in a state of anxiety he didn't know how to handle, which inevitably breeds frustration. He’s got a bit of an emotional overload that he can't manage yet and needs to vent. Has he had similar episodes on walks? I’m not sure how you use the "leave it" command, but yes, it is effective—as long as you make it effective. He’ll only learn the word through repetition and you physically claiming space or stepping in to tell him to move away from the other dog. And of course, it only works as a preventative measure. This means you need to read the dogs' body language to spot the warning signs. Obviously, in a situation like the one you mentioned, it'll be completely useless. If your dog is already sprinting towards another dog, he’s far too focused. He’s tuned you out. I still get the impression you’re not 100% sure if he’s only aggressive towards intact males or not. When you meet dogs that aren't intact, don't you let him off the lead for a bit to let them interact? And how does he actually react when he’s on the lead with dogs he meets? Either way, I’d strongly advise against keeping him on a training lead all the time. This breed needs a lot of exercise, and his general behaviour will inevitably be tied to his need for off-lead time. My point is that keeping him on a lead will only foster a tense attitude. It’s a vicious circle. Try to find some quiet spots where he can run free, then maybe go to busier areas once or twice a week. Thanks for the reply, Flip-Cockwood. To answer your question, he sees a few neutered males and it all goes really well; I’d even say he’s the submissive one with them. Regarding the training lead, it’s what my trainer/behaviourist is recommending for now during a "desensitisation" phase. It’s only meant to be a temporary thing, but I’m worried it clashes with what you’re saying and that I might be getting into a vicious circle... I definitely want to, and will, keep up the socialising with other dogs, and yes, I’m trying the "leave it" as a preventative measure whenever a situation looks a bit dodgy. I’ve got another appointment on Monday so I’ll keep you all posted! Thanks again!

Hi everyone, I’m really sorry if my question caused any trouble. I truly didn't mean to offend anyone. I’ll make sure not to clutter up a thread like that in the future. Thanks again to everyone who replied. Have a lovely day, all!

Hi Willko, In the specific situation you’re describing (I’m not sure if it’s the only one), I agree with Lorna—it definitely sounds like frustration to me too. Your dog is still young; at 10 months for this breed, he’s only just hitting adolescence. It sounds like he was in a state of anxiety that he didn't know how to handle, which inevitably leads to frustration. It's an emotional overload that he doesn’t know how to manage yet and needs to release. Has he had similar episodes while out on walks? I’m not sure exactly what "leave it" means to you, but yes, it is an effective command. Provided you make it effective, that is. This command is only really learned through the repetition of physical intervention—taking up space or stepping in between to signal to the dog that he needs to move away from the other one. And of course, it only works as a preventative measure. This means you need to be alerted by the dogs' body language. Obviously, in a case like the one you mentioned, it would be completely useless. If your dog is already sprinting towards another dog, he’s already far too focused. He won't even hear you. I still get the impression you’re not entirely sure if your dog is only aggressive towards entire males or not. When you meet dogs that aren't entire, don't you let him off the lead for a bit to let them interact? And how does he react when he's on the lead with the dogs he meets? In any case, I’d strongly advise against keeping your dog on a long line all the time. This breed needs a lot of exercise, and his general behaviour will inevitably be linked to his need for off-lead walks. What I mean is that you’ll inevitably reinforce his tense behaviour by keeping him on a long line. It’s a vicious circle. Try to find some quiet spots where you can let him run free. Then, maybe visit busier areas once or twice a week.

Right, I see what you mean now ✌ as it was quite far from what I had in mind regarding the breed. Thanks anyway @Lornabis and @Mountain Hikes 👋 Samduval, it’s very easy to take a "I’ve heard that..." and turn it into a silly generalisation. Especially as all dogs have this instinct in their genes to some extent. A White Swiss Shepherd killing a rabbit, a gun dog killing a young boar or a deer, a terrier going after a field mouse, a Lab catching a duck... none of these examples justify labelling these dogs as monsters. I don’t really see the point in making these kinds of claims. Also, what people refuse to admit is that, as a pack dog, the Husky is very particular about canine social cues and etiquette. If your dog is a bit cheeky, he’ll quickly be put in his place.

Samduval, I was referring to a myth that’s frequently shared on this forum. Like any legend... it should be taken with a pinch of salt. Plenty of dogs have a prey drive just as high as Huskies. My Jack Russell used to specialise in snatching kittens from their nests—it was a guaranteed kill every time. My gundogs have always brought back rabbits, and as the story goes, Pyrenean Mountain Dogs are known for ripping marmots to shreds. Even a Yorkie, if given half a chance, will show a lot of ferocity. Now, alright, we’ve never seen a pair of Yorkies kill a goat, but the intent is definitely there! 😁 I have, however, noticed something specific to Huskies: they’re the only breed I’ve heard accounts of preying on the family cat or the neighbour’s dog, even when everyone thought they’d been best mates for years.