How to stop barrier reactivity?

Preventing barrier frustration requires a proactive approach starting early in a dog’s development. Socialization and positive introduction to new stimuli is key. This means working with your pup, exposing them to a variety of people, animals, sounds, smells, and environments in a positive and controlled way. For dogs already dealing with barrier frustration, several strategies can help to manage their behavior. One of the most effective is desensitization and counterconditioning. This involves gradually exposing your dog to the object or situation that triggers their frustration, while rewarding them for calm and relaxed behavior. You may also want to consider calming supplements and pheromone collars to help decrease stress during this time. Another strategy is to provide your dog with an alternative outlet for their frustration and attention, such as an interactive toy or game. By providing socialization, exercise, and mental stimulation, as well as using behavior modification techniques under the guidance of a veterinary professional, you can help your dog overcome their frustration and lead a happy, healthy life.

To stop barrier reactivity, you will need to cover windows and/or any breaks in the fence line to ensure that your dog is unable to see through them, attempting to eliminate their need to react in the first place. You may also want to keep your dog’s leash clipped to their collar, but let them drag the handle so you are able to grab it and safely redirect them if they do become reactive. Be sure you are always present when your dog has access to the barriers they’re reactive to; this may mean restricting access to certain rooms or areas when you aren’t home. Cut up tiny pieces of high value food, like hot dogs or bits of their favorite smelly treats, and approach the barrier with your dog on leash. Remove the covering so they can now see through the window or fence line. The moment that they notice the trigger, begin to feed them constantly. If your dog begins to bark or react and is too distracted to take the food, don’t panic, that simply means that your dog is over their threshold. If you find that being up close to the barrier is too difficult for your dog, move further away and try again once they have had the chance to calm down. Be sure to keep these sessions short, this work is difficult for our dogs and you will want to train for a few very short sessions per day when you begin, rather than working for longer periods of time. As this work becomes easier for your dog, you can work with them for longer and longer periods of time.

We support the LIMA approach to dog training. The tips and advice here cannot replace a qualified certified trainer or veterinary behaviorist - if you are struggling please consider these resources for your dog. I am really looking for any advice at all on how to handle/manage it. We do have an R+ trainer that we use and am also reaching out to, but I figured the more ideas I can get the better.

Remove sights that set off your dog. Dogs are less likely to react to a trigger if they cannot see it. If your dog barks at your front window at passersby, try keeping the curtains closed or use a frosted decal on the lower half of the window. Reduce unsupervised yard time. Dogs who struggle with barrier reactivity in the yard practice self-entertaining by barking at dogs or people as they pass, making the behavior stronger. Keep your distance. If your dog struggles seeing dogs or people while on walks, it can be harder for them to maintain their composure if they are close to the trigger. Redirect your dog’s attention. If your dog begins to react or looks as if they may react, ask your dog to perform a skill they know in a cheerful, upbeat tone and redirect your dog’s attention back to working with you. Train! Take the time to teach your dog impulse control and basic manners utilizing positive reinforcement training. Whenever your dog performs a behavior that you like, be ready to reward your dog with a treat. With practice, your dog will be able to redirect themselves away from barking and lunging, and instead perform these rewarded behaviors.

To figure out exactly what your dog’s trigger is — what she is reacting to — observe what happens just before she becomes reactive. Next, you will want to arrange your dog’s environment so she won’t have the chance to react. If your dog is barking through a fence or at a window, for example, try covering up her view by putting up visual barriers along the fence line or closing the curtains. If she becomes very reactive when someone comes to the door, try putting her in another room before guests arrive. Your goal when working on management is to set her up for success, which translates to her not reacting to the trigger. Sometimes, management itself is enough to solve the problem. One of the easiest techniques to use when working with a barrier-reactive dog is called counter-conditioning. The goal is to change how your dog feels about the trigger, whatever it may be. You want to change your dog’s perception of the trigger from something anxiety-provoking to something good and pleasing.

Your first step in working through this will be to assess ways in which you can prevent your dog from noticing the stimulus/trigger. Minimizing visual and audio access will help to decrease your dog’s stress level, making your training much easier. First, observe when and where your dog becomes reactive to determine what the trigger is. Next, arrange your dog’s environment, so they won’t have the chance to react. For example, if your dog is barking through a fence or window, try covering the view by putting up visual barriers along the fence line or by closing the curtains. If your dog becomes reactive when someone comes to the door, try putting them in another room before guests arrive. You can even turn on soothing music or give your dog a long-lasting treat to help distract them from their trigger. Remember, dogs are learning through every experience and interaction they have, so your goal when working on management is to set your dog up for success, which translates to them not reacting to the trigger. Always use a calm, gentle tone, keep sessions short, remember to take breaks, be patient but optimistic, and note that progress might be slow, but it will happen.