Leash reactivity: Practical management strategies
Leash reactivity is a common struggle for canine caregivers attempting to navigate busy neighborhoods and parks where other dogs often frequent. It can be a source of frustration and embarrassment, leading to avoidance of leash walks altogether. This session will explore the underlying emotional drivers of leash reactivity, including fear, frustration, and barrier-related aggression, and will provide veterinary professionals with practical tools to guide clients in managing and improving these behaviors. Emphasis will be placed on recognizing body language, reducing emotional arousal, implementing management strategies, and supporting long-term treatment plans that integrate both behavior modification and, when appropriate, pharmacologic support. Attendees will leave with evidence-based strategies that they can immediately apply in practice to help dogs, strengthen the human-animal relationship, and improve safety during daily walks.
This session originally was presented at AVMA Convention 2026.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
- Identify key canine body language signals that indicate escalating arousal or reactivity while on leash.
- Apply management strategies to reduce exposure to triggers and set clients and dogs up for success.
- Evaluate when adjunctive interventions, such as psychopharmacology or referral to a behavior professional, are warranted.
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Dr. Shana Gilbert-Gregory grew up in New York City and at a very young age, she developed a passion for animals and their well-being. Her experiences with sheltering and animal rescue throughout her life helped her realize that she was especially interested in addressing behavioral medicine concerns and helping improve the human-animal bond. This passion led her to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine followed by completing her behavioral medicine residency with Dr. Meghan Herron at The Ohio State University. Dr. Gilbert-Gregory spent the last 8 years serving in a rare dual role as both clinical behaviorist and behavioral hospitalist. Her work focused on comprehensive, whole-health behavior care, including advanced psychopharmacology and behavior modification. In the last year, she has moved back to sheltering and joined Gigi's as the Director of Behavioral Medicine, bringing her unique skill set to central Ohio to benefit shelter and owned animals. Dr. Gilbert-Gregory has a special interest in behavioral medicine but also enjoys shelter medicine, internal medicine, emergency, and orthopedics. At home, she has 4 pets: Roland, a 4-year-old Golden Retriever, Lou-Wee, a 12-year-old Golden Retriever, Eldy, an 10-year-old Boston Terrier and Brick, an ancient domestic shorthair who rules the roost. |
