Not Always Aggression

A dog lunging and barking at another dog is often caught in an emotional flood — fear, frustration, or overexcitement — rather than calmly planning a fight. But the behavior can still become dangerous. A dog over threshold may bite if the trigger gets too close or escape is blocked. Treat reactivity as a safety issue and a feelings issue at the same time: create distance first, then train under threshold.

The leash can make reactivity worse because it removes the dog's first coping tool: distance. A trapped dog may bark, lunge, or look scarier just to make the trigger back off.