One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned with my collie-cross, Ollie, is the value of processing time. Because he loves running, he would get highly triggered whenever other dogs started barking and chasing. When he was a puppy, I often let him join in. What I didn’t realize then, was that the more he got to practice this adrenaline-fuelled behaviour, the more he paired that high-energy buzz with the presence of other dogs. Before long, just the sound of barking or the sight of dogs running was enough to set him off, and because he is lighting fast, there were occasions where he would hear or see dogs running and barking, and take off to join in.
The problem? Once his adrenaline spiked, it was almost impossible to bring him back down to a normal level. He’d take off before I had a chance to react, and because he’s so fast, I had no way to catch him. It was stressful, unpredictable, and potentially unsafe for him and for the dogs around him. I never knew how other dogs were going to react to him, and I felt as though he was not safe.
When he was three, I introduced what I call the long lead protocol. For six months Ollie wasn’t allowed off-lead.
This wasn’t a punishment. It was about safety and about breaking a habit. The long lead gave him space to move, but also created an environment where he couldn't run off, but had to process from afar. Over time, something amazing happened: instead of automatically charging toward noise and movement, he learned to pause, look at the situations, and then check in with me.
A consistent theme I see in puppy class is that there seems to be the thought that one your dog can recall off lead, that putting your dog on a lead is a backwards step. I disagree, and here are three key takeaways from when I implemented 'long lead protocol':
1. Processing Time Builds New Habits
Giving your dog a few seconds to pause interrupts old automatic reactions and helps them engage their “thinking brain.”
2. Rewiring the Brain Takes Time
Just like with humans, breaking old habits and creating new ones doesn’t happen overnight. Repetition, patience, and consistency are what allow your dog’s brain to build new pathways, and those changes will stick with practice.
3. Reinforce the Check-In
When your dog looks to you instead of reacting, reward it immediately, with pats, praise, food or movement. You’re teaching them that choosing calm over chaos always pays off.
Allowing dogs time to process doesn’t just reduce reactivity. It helps them feel safe, supported, and more in control, which helps you both enjoy the world together with confidence. Never be afraid to put your dog on a long lead, especially for their safety. Sometimes management is the smartest, kindest training tool you can use.