Do dog parks help reactive dogs?
Reactive dog owners don’t go out of their way to make their dogs react and act out, they try to do e Read More
Should you walk a reactive dog?
Jamel VonRueden
2025-08-04 04:49:15
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When your dog starts acting less agitated and seems calmer and more relaxed, start reintroducing walks. Start off small and build it up. Incorporate training exercises for anything your dog is reactive too, such as counter conditioning, u-turns, distracting with treats, nose touches, etc. The idea is that after a few days of house-only activities, and with a better ability to relax, your dog is better equipped to handle things it finds scary or stressful. Stop taking your reactive dog on walks. Apparently the idea is that after a few days of house-only activities, and with a better ability to relax, your dog is better equipped to handle things it finds scary or stressful.
Onie Baumbach
2025-07-29 01:05:11
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Avoid neighborhood walks until you have worked with your own dog as described above, exercising your dog in the yard and the house. You can practice the behaviors above, or teach lots of fun tricks… mental exercise is really good at tiring dogs out, and doing tricks can be a great way to relax a dog around others. Walk in areas where you are certain dogs will be leashed. The more helpless and trapped you feel, the worse your dog will behave. Don't let yourself feel trapped and helpless, that just leads to fear and anger, and that rarely leads to a good result. Rather, think through what’s going on and arm yourself with skill, knowledge and a set of resources, whether it be books, DVDs and working with a progressive trainer.
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How do I train my dog to stop being reactive?
To train a reactive dog, it's essential to understand that reactivity is a symptom, not the root iss Read More
Harley Kuhlman
2025-07-24 00:42:06
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When walking a reactive dog, you need to teach your dog how to overcome the obstacles that trigger his reactivity, but you need to do this gradually, in your own time. In the meantime, avoid those triggers as much as possible. If your dog is dog-reactive, try to walk your dog in places where other dogs don’t frequent. You put as much distance between that trigger and your dog as possible. Try to block your dog’s view of the trigger, whether this means turning around and walking the other way, or even darting behind a tree for a minute or two. Walking a reactive dog is rarely easy, but, so long as you take things slowly, there will be plenty of small victories along the way. Beginning your walk in a calm and positive frame of mind can really make a difference. Make sure that your dog is calm before the two of you set off. If your dog is over-excited or showing signs of anxiety, work with your dog to deal with these issues before you begin your walk.
Tracey Eichmann
2025-07-17 15:51:33
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We understand that walking a reactive dog can be stressful, embarrassing even, but it is very common and does take a long time to improve. Walk past the dog/traffic etc calmly and confidently, giving the dog as much space as possible. Praise your dog if he is behaving well but ignore him if he is barking, growling or jumping. Keeping the lead at a steady tension walk him on past – don’t drag but be persistent – it is about helping them make the correct decision to move on. If your dog reacts – and sometimes you just can’t get enough space or someone suddenly appears – ignore the barking and lunging and take your dog away as quickly and calmly as possible. Being consistent is important, but also don't berate yourself if you didn't quite get through it as smoothly as you wanted – both you and your dog are learning with this one. It is very important to praise your dog the moment they start to come with you willingly.
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What is the best training for reactive dogs?
At Woodgreen, we recommend three things: Practice basic training, Keep your dog away from triggers, Read More
What not to do with reactive dogs?
Don’t Go to the Problem Area and Challenge your Dog. Don’t Expect your Dog to “Just Get Over It”. Read More
Emelia Mitchell
2025-07-10 13:08:23
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When our dogs meet on leash, they are typically forced to approach head-on and are often unable to turn their bodies. Their forced body language, and our own, tell our dogs that we want to fight with one another. Most dogs don’t want to fight, so they display a number of behaviors designed to prevent it. These distance-increasing behaviors includes barking, lunging, or growling — anything to make the threat go away. On-leash, both dogs feel trapped, unable to get away from each other. Often, owners have their dogs on tight leashes, thinking this will help if anything happens. Unfortunately, a tight leash tells your dog you're stressed, making your pup more stressed in return. As a result, both dogs may start barking, switching from their flight instinct, to fight.
Larue Boyer
2025-06-27 14:39:41
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If your dog feels fearful or anxious around other dogs or people, they may try to hide or get away from them. While on-lead, they might not be able to move away or closer. You can consistently use reward-based training methods and keep them on a lead when needed. Choose quiet places and times for walks, when possible, to avoid triggers while you’re working on changing their emotions. If you encounter a trigger, calmly move your dog away, avoiding adding extra tension to the lead. Try luring them away with a tasty treat or favourite toy to play with. Reward calm behaviour. Preventing your puppy from becoming reactive is also an option, the best way to tackle reactivity is to prevent it from happening.
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How do you desensitize a reactive dog?
All the R+ videos that I watched and practiced to eventually reduce my dogs' reactivity have include Read More
How to desensitize a reactive dog?
To desensitize a reactive dog, most dogs don’t want to fight, so they display a number of behaviors Read More