As a professional dog trainer, one of the more common issues dog owners ask me about is how to handle their pet’s reactivity towards other dogs.
The good news is that this issue is relatively easy to deal with by identifying what causes a dog’s reactivity and then learning how to avoid those triggers.
Possible causes for a dog’s reactivity include
· A lack of environmental socialization early in the dog’s life
· Another reactive dog
· The handler’s tension on the leash that reinforces negative behavior
· Eye contact with another dog or a dog that has been in a prior fight.
Fortunately, a dog’s reactivity can be mitigated by anticipating what triggers the reactivity and disrupting the animal’s thought process by channeling its focus into another direction or object.
Reactive triggers can include encountering a stranger with a dog on a walk, as dogs have a keen sense of awareness to sights, sounds and smells from their neighborhood and recognize sights, sounds and smells of those who are not from the area; new places and environmental scenarios, such as crowds; and being confronted by strangers. These triggers can create a heightened state of anxiety for a dog, which often learns through aggression that if they bark, the perceived threat will turn and go away, thus, their learned behavior can reinforce reactivity.
Once a dog’s reactive triggers are identified, we can begin to develop a training plan to address the issue. For example, changing direction to avoid being near another dog during a walk and rewarding the dog with a praise, treat or toy while remaining calm. Following such guidelines can provide your dog with a long-lasting training foundation and enhance the relationship between the canine and family.
Author Rodney Spicer began training dogs in 1985 and founded Gold Coast K9 in 1991. Today Gold Coast K9 provides training to families, over 100 law enforcement agencies and corporate clients. To learn more, call 805.647.1799, visit GoldCoastK9.com and on Instagram at goldcoastk9.
Once a dog’s reactive triggers are identified, we can begin to develop a training plan.