Dogs Scared of Joggers

We don’t see many joggers. So when a gentleman came jogging toward us this morning, our dog’s tail went between her legs and she barked as he was running. What gives, and how do we change that?

This is a really common problem for many dog owners in New York City! With a dog who is barking because she’s fearful, it usually helps to set her up with her trigger, starting at a distance that's far away, and pair the trigger with either just treats or a command that will be rewarded by treats (or a toy, if your dog's more toy-motivated.)

Here's what it looks like:

Jogger appears, half a block away. As soon as your dog notices the jogger, ask her for a sit (or a watch, or a hand-touch) and reward her with her favorite thing in the world—cheese, liverwurst, a game of tug, etc.

Repeat a few times until she's seeing the jogger and instantly sitting/watching.

Then have the jogger run by a little closer.

If your dog barks, you're going too fast. Most people who are not professional trainers do this kind of work way too quickly. If the dog is fine with a jogger a block away, the next step is not to have him right by you very close!

Repeated, slower reps are better with this kind of behavior modification. Getting a trainer to help with the setups is often a good idea.

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