What is Barrier Frustration?

Barrier frustration is behavior that is exhibited by a dog that appears aggressive in nature when they are unable to access something they are interested in, usually in a social context. Often we see this when dogs are lunging and barking at the end of a leash or behind a fence. While the frustration exhibited by these dogs sure can look aggressive (think of yourself, late, stuck in traffic) the moment that the barrier is removed and they can access what they wanted the aggressive display is gone. Sadly this can often result in dogs whose access to other dogs becomes limited because it looks like they are aggressive towards dogs when really all they want to do is go say hi. It is almost impossible to tell the difference between barrier frustration and fear based aggression just by looking at the encounter. But one question to ask is does the dog play with other dogs when they are off leash? If yes then they are almost surely barrier frustrated. If they tend to be nervous around other dogs then the lunging and barking may be more of a fear response that also can be exacerbated by the leash as the leash holds them in place when they might otherwise have an option to flee. This, however, is a topic for another time. 

By giving dogs opportunities to say hi or play with appropriate friends we can “saturate” our dogs with more dog experiences so these occasions become less of a novelty and our pups are not so desperate to access dogs they pass at a distance. Dog play can be a joy to watch for us and great fun and enrichment for them. And while not all dogs love play, some just want the opportunity to say hello and co-exist socially with another canine. Its like the person who likes to go to the party but is not a fan of the dance floor. Thats fine! Some dogs may not have had many opportunities to learn how to politely greet other dogs and can come on strong or try to play in ways that are not appropriate for a first meeting (ie. immediately jumping on the dog or chasing them intensely). Don’t panic. Just remove your dog gently and move on or try again after a breather. Sometimes we don’t know, but our dogs may have never had the chance to learn what a healthy greeting ritual is. Interruptions, repetition and feedback from other dogs who are experienced with play can help them learn this over time. Appropriate dogs to say hello or try play with are: confident dogs of equal size to yours, no puppies, no fearful dogs - if the other dogs’ tails are tucked, they move away, or are tense, skip them. Always ask handlers for permission to say hello if their dog is on leash.  

But what about the dogs that my barrier frustrated dog has to pass on leash and do not have the opportunity to say hi to or play with?  In addition to ensuring that your dog's intraspecies social needs are met outside of a leash walking context, teaching your dog to disengage from distractions on cue (and for big rewards!) and building good leash walking skills can address barrier frustration effectively.  

Here are two great examples of barrier frustration at a fence that is resolved as soon as the fence is opened. 

Photo credit: Ben Moreland