[yorkietalkjilly]

Dogs are often quite nervous on a lead when they see an approaching dog as they sense they are at a great disadvantage to the oncoming dog, not free to run or defend themselves in any way due to the constraints of the lead. It must be a totally confining, frightening feeling to sense one is trapped on that lead for the nervous, anxious dog when they see another dog approaching, especially if one has been traumatized by an attack or bad fright by another dog!!! Unless the dogs totally trusts you to protect him on the lead, a nervous or scary dog is going to be very anxious when he sees a strange dog coming his way and knows he cannot run or even fight successfully to defend himself thanks to the lead!

Dogs often aggress when on leads as they feel the best defense is a good offense and can become quite loud and snarly as they try to project a sense of their ferocity to approaching dogs. Usually dogs off lead can approach one another in the natural way and their body language can totally change once off lead and often prevents trouble, if at least one experienced dog handler is on hand. Sadly, there are many reasons that a lead is required equipment for walking all but the best-trained, country dog walking down his own private farm lane.

To start, I'd slowly condition her that another dog's passing can be a safe, good thing by walking her only when she's hungry(so she'll highly desire the treats, even if very nervous)picking her up in your arms, walking across the street from the oncoming dog and one after the other fast-feeding high-value treats to keep her distracted and feeling safe in your arms at a distance as she learns to tolerate other dogs in her presence. She'll slowly come to learn that from the safely of your arms, dogs at a distance cannot hurt her, pass on by rather quickly and will soon learn they also mean good things - treats! The treats, if she'll take them when nervous, will keep her interested in the special food as hungry as she is, as she senses the dog in the distance has passed without incidence. Keep each walk down to a block at first and then retreat to the security of home. Repeat these sessions x2 daily at first, increase as she begins to relax in another's dog's presence.

Once she tolerates a passing dog using this method without snarling or shaking for two weeks with NO set-backs, post her progress on this thread and we can take the next step. But this is the first step in re-conditioning her that a strange dog approaching isn't a bad thing.