Acting out

[TERRY VALENTINE]

This is another issue that has surfaced since we got a second dog.  Even though our 80-lb husky mix Sebastian now has a playmate he seems overstimulated much more often, judging from his energy levels after an hour-long walk or even two in the same day.  I've been implementing training sessions (though forming a regular schedule has been a challenge) and brain games to tire him and even reduce the need for physical exercise (=fewer/shorter walks), but often he still wants to go farther, longer, down that road we didn't walk, etc.; and when he doesn't get what he wants he vents his frustration on his little sister, rough-housing while they're both still on leashes, clamping onto her neck and slinging or dragging her.  I don't think he's trying to hurt her but of course it's both irritating and disconcerting to me, and we spend several minutes tangled in two leashes while I try to intervene and get them both moving down the road again.  

While he was our only dog there were hints of this behavior (that I see now in retrospect) when he wanted to be off-leash, as he would play tug-of-war with the leash for a minute or so before giving up when he saw that I wasn't stopping or giving in.  Eventually with more and more walks he gave up this behavior altogether for a while, especially as I was able to trust him off-leash once we returned to our own property.  But now that he has an actual dog to pick on it seems the behavior has escalated (including resuming the tug-of-wars), and I'm not sure how to handle or prevent this.  Maybe the overstimulation is a husky thing, but I've mentioned before that we're his 4th owners at least, so my knowledge of his history is limited.  

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Huskies have a lot of energy, this is because they were selectively bred to run for miles and pull sleds. His behaviors suggests that he may not be reaching a point of calm after physical exercise. Overstimulation can manifest as rough play, frustration, and heightened arousal.

This does sound like a case of redirected frustration, which of course, is not nice for you (the leash) or the other dog to be on the receiving end. In general, the more aroused the dog, the more likely he is to redirect to neutral targets such as a dog or person nearby who were just quietly minding their own business 

Of course, as other behaviors, the more your dog gets to practice the behavior, the more habit-forming it becomes. Early intervention is important because with practice, the frustrated dog may come to associate your other dog with the feelings of frustration and may start using dog at the receiving ends as his “punch pillow” which allows him to "vent" in face of any arousing contexts. The behavior may therefore generalize to other frustrating events such as when barking at something he can't get to etc etc. 

So this is a challenging behavior to work on because it's already difficult to work on this when walking one-on-one with a dog with this behavior, with two dogs, you have the extra challenge of leashes tangling, and the risks for a redirected bite (not out of aggression, simply a knee-jerk reaction to any thing that touches them when they are in this highly aroused state). 

In cases like this, my suggestions are:

-Working a lot in the background on helping these overstimulated dogs learn how to cope with their feelings of frustration and to learn how to control their impulses. Impulse control games can help with this: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/10-impulse-control-games-for-dogs/

-Adding some mental work into walks (asking for cues such as sit, heel, down, hand target) to keep them focused and engaged.

-Using tools like a backpack for dogs with light weights (ask your vet first if this is OK based on his health and age). This can help give him a "job" and tire him out more efficiently. 

-Supplement walks with other activities such as hiking or pulling activities such as carting or bikejoring. These latter activities align with this dog's breed's natural instincts and gives them the opportunity to release excess energy in a productive way.

-Continue offering enrichment with puzzle feeders and put his nose to work. Nosework can be particularly tiring. 

-The jazz up and settle down game can help find his "off" button: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/high-school/jazz-up-and-settle-down/

-Supervise play.  Prevent the play from causing too much overstimulation. Set up, short supervised play, ending them before things get too rough. Offer calm activities such as chewing on something to help tone done all active energy. 

-You can try using a front attaching harness for more control during walks or a head halter (a conditioning period is required for this latter).  

-When you reach a certain area where you may predict the behavior of biting on the leash, you can try to preempt it, by tossing treats for him to catch on the ground one after another and keep intermittently tossing treats until the way home. Then once home, provide access to something he really loves doing (like a game of hide and seek, chasing a flirt pole or a treasure hunt) so that he doesn't associate going home with all the fun in his life ending. 

-Separate walks may be needed initially so that you can work more on Sebastian's impulse control, leash manners and preempting him from reaching the frustrated state. Caution is needed because if this can't be done effectively, he may go back to redirecting his frustration with the leash and you since the other dog is no longer in reach. You may need the help of a dog behavior professional to work on foundation exercises, ensure correct timing and recognizing early body cues of the beginning of over stimulation.

Separate walks may also ensure that your other dog has a positive walking experience without being subjected to Sebastian's frustration. 

-Once Sebastian no longer shows signs of frustration and is better under control, you can gradually add short walks together in low distraction areas. They should be walked ideally with two handlers initially so as to determine whether the problem behavior may be resurfacing and making adjustments as needed. 

I hope this helps, this is not an easy to address behavior and requires a multi-faceted approach to address helping the dog cope with low frustration tolerance. 

Disclaimer: dog training and behavior modification, particularly for challenges involving potential aggression (e.g., lunging, barking, growling, snapping, or biting), require in-person guidance from a qualified behavior professional. Online articles/videos are for educational purposes only and do not replace personalized, professional intervention. By using this information, you accept full responsibility for your dog’s actions and waive any liability claims related to their behavior. If your dog shows concerning behaviors, seek professional help immediately to ensure safety and proper care."