So many dog owners come to me as a professional dog trainer asking questions like "what is a reactive dog" and "do I have a reactive dog" and sharing similar stories. They usually describe something like this:

You’re walking down the street enjoying a beautiful day with your pup. You turn the corner and at a distance you notice another dog walking on leash as well. Your dog then notices this other dog.... dog body language from your pup is a quick sign of your dog's stress... your pup's forehead wrinkles and ears tighten and rise. Your dog pounces forward, reaches the end of the leash, and springs into frantic barking with some growls thrown in.

You get a judgmental “get control over your dog” look from the other human while you try to get your pup to stop this embarrassing behavior....but nothing you're saying or doing is working.

So much for an enjoyable walk....more like a stressful walk. Your dog would agree.

While it may seem your dog is giving you a hard time, the truth is, your pup is really HAVING a hard time.

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Your dog needs your help and your partnership to help cope with and overcome the all too common stresses and behaviors around reactivity, particularly leash reactivity.

"Reactivity" in dog training and behavior simply means your dog is reacting with stress and/or fear to something in your environment. Many, even most, dogs may react to something at some point in their lives. This does not necessarily mean they are a "reactive dog." A truly reactive dog is one who reacts to multiple triggers consistently and intensely.

This type of behavior can be alarming, frustrating, overwhelming, and even scary. But as with any other behavioral issue in dogs, it can be managed and improved through positive reinforcement training techniques that focus on creating a sense of safety for the dog and building their confidence.

A reactive dog is not a bad dog, just a dog who needs a bit of guidance and support. That’s where you come in!

Your dog’s “reactivity” may not be as intense as described above, but many dogs react with barking, lunging, whining at specific triggers (bikes, other dogs, people, joggers, kids) and dog reactivity can take the joy and relaxation out of your walks for both of you, at both ends of the leash.

As stressful as it is to witness your dog’s reaction, it’s at least doubly stressful for your dog to experience.

What can you do to help your reactive dog?

Whether you have a frustrated hyper-social puppy or a fearful adult reactive dog, the plan to address your dog's behavior is pretty similar.

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Step 1: Manage your reactive dog's environment

Reinforcement drives behavior.

Your dog barked and lunged, and the other dog eventually increased the distance between them. The reactive behavior worked for your dog!

Most leash reactive dogs are fearful dogs and their ferocious-looking histrionics are an attempt to get the scary thing (other dog, bike, etc) to go away. Even if your dog's reactivity is due to over-arousal/excitement: the other dog went away following the behavior and your dog is no longer overly excited. Problem solved. “Aren’t you proud, mom? Cookie, please.”

Minimize the reinforcement of your dog's current behavior.

To create new learned behavior, we must first try to minimize the reinforcement of their current behavior. The way we begin to do this is by managing the environment.

Keep in mind, while these management techniques are not meant to be a forever solution, here are 2 first steps to take to see efficient progress:

Try this: Start inside your home.

Is your dog also barking through the window at these same “triggers” you see on walks? Probably. You'll want to manage that scenario to keep it from interfering with the progress you want to see outside.

• Do that by blocking access to these windows or areas.
• Simple solutions to try: close blinds or use a baby gate blocking access to the front of the house.
• You may need to get creative with window film or some other sort of covering to help block out these visual triggers.

Keep your dog under threshold, whenever possible.

This means SPACE when you take your dog outside.

• Create enough space between your dog and an oncoming dog so your dog can simply watch without reacting. The space needed will vary from dog to dog (and from trigger to trigger).
• If you live in an area with a large amount of traffic and not a lot of space, it may be a good idea to drive to other areas with minimal (or no) triggers for a more consistently positive walk. If you are living in an apartment or high density area, I typically recommend taking your pup for only quick potties outside near your building, and for longer walks, driving your pup to a lower-trafficked space if possible (think the opposite of a dog park).

What to do when circumstances surprise you...

As much as we might try to control all of these different factors, triggers will come out of nowhere, unpredictably, and our dogs will react. Breathe through your eyeballs, create space from the trigger as quickly as possible, comfort your dog, and move on. You are minimizing triggers, but can’t control everything.

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Step 2: Teach your reactive dog communication cues

It's pivotal to establish a solid foundation of communication with your dog. Training cues are essential tools that allow you to effectively signal your dog towards a desired response.

Remember, reactivity is often borne out of fear, anxiety, or overexcitement. By providing clear cues, you can help guide your dog toward calm and controlled behaviors, regardless of the environment or situation.

Let's dive into some basic cues that can help manage your dog's reactivity.

Try this: “Find it”

Teach your dog to respond to a treat scatter on cue.

It’s very simple: You toss a handful of treats on the ground in front of your dog and you say, “find it.” (If at first, your dog looks at you like you’re a weirdo, tap on the ground to show them the treasure trove of treats you just dispensed for him/her.)

Repeat often and randomly. Advance on this by scattering treats behind your dog or off to the side.

Try this: “This Way”

Teach your dog to calmly, efficiently do an emergency U-Turn with you.

This is for those moments where you can’t create the space you need off to the side so your only option is to turn around and go the other way. You can practice this inside your house first.

Get your dog to excitedly follow you and then pivot to switch directions, offer a hand with a treat easily accessible as your pup switches directions with you and immediately reward.

Once your dog is responding quickly to your switch in direction, you can verbally cue this behavior with “this way." Practice this regularly to get a quick U-turn response and make it a reliable move in your and your dog's repertoire.

Teach fun and reliable cues in training sessions:

Teach your dog simple, fun cues that can connect the two of you any time and can be great options for replacement behaviors for your dog's reactive behavior when you see your dog's triggers.

Cues like “touch” (nose target), “spin”, “bow”, “look”. (We’ll talk more about using these cues later in this channel).

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Useful tools for your reactive dog training skills

Training a reactive dog requires patience, consistency, and the use of the right tools to effectively manage and modify behaviors. In this section, we will introduce some useful tools that can enhance your reactive dog training skills and facilitate a more productive and stress-free training experience for both you and your dog.

1) High value dog treats

Remember that your dog determines what is a high value dog treat to him/her. Some favorites I’ve used: boiled chicken, string/shredded cheese, freeze dried raw treats, beef lung tips.

2) Treat pouch/fanny pack

You'll want to keep your treasure trove of treats handy for quick delivery but easily so you aren’t handling five million things on your walk. A treat pouch or fanny pack is a lifesaver!

3) 6-10 ft flat leash for a regular walk

For training exercises, you'll want a long leash, 10-20 ft (for controlled environments only; we will discuss in more detail in Part 2). No retractable leashes ever - they don’t offer the same safety net a flat leash does, and beyond that, they're dangerous.

4) Harness

Many reactive dog owners find a front leash attachment helpful if their dog is a heavy puller. A favorite example: Mighty Paw harness that has both front and back leash attachments.

5) Muzzle (if bite history or unknown history with triggers)

Please read how/why to condition dogs to enjoy their muzzles before using one; you can learn about this useful tool here. Muzzles are an underrated support and good to have in your back pocket as something your dog is comfortable with before you need them (from everyday situations to emergency vet visits).

Be patient

Dealing with a reactive dog can seem overwhelming at first, but with patience, consistent training, and the right tools, you can help your dog learn new, positive behaviors. It's crucial to remember that this is a journey, and progress may be slow. But every step forward, no matter how small, is a victory.

Your dedication and commitment to your dog's well-being can turn your challenges into triumphs, effectively transforming your walks and outings from stressful to enjoyable.

Remember, the goal is to nurture a trusting relationship between you and your dog, and with time, persistence, and love, this is entirely achievable.

Next up in the Reactivity Channel on Dogly

Now that you have a good sense of your dog's reactions, what stresses your dog in various situations, and initial management and communication tools, continue on in the Reactivity Channel for more ways to support your pup in stressful scenarios.

If you have any questions on reactivity and your dog, just ask us in our Community Discussion where our community of Dogly Training Advocates can help you.

If you need more personalized dog training guidance, get started in your dog's plan now.