Do dogs ever grow out of reactivity?
Mason Nienow
2025-07-25 00:13:47
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Reactive behaviors usually crop up in adolescence around 6 to 18 months of age and tend to get worse as the dog reaches social maturity around 2 or 3 years of age. Your pup will not “grow out of” this behavior. Seek help as soon as you notice an issue. Most reactivity is caused by fear or anxiety and the solution is to teach the dog to feel less anxious in the presence of the triggers. We use a program of systematic desensitization and counter conditioning to help the dog feel more comfortable. The good news is that with practice and a good training plan, reactive dogs can get much better.
Kasandra Nitzsche
2025-07-24 21:35:56
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Dogs communicate with us and each other through body language and vocalisations. If your dog feels fearful or anxious around other dogs or people, they may try to hide or get away from them. Reactive behaviour can develop due to a dog's experiences, or lack of, during puppyhood. Some dogs may lack social skills because they haven't learned appropriate boundaries, or how to communicate appropriately. Others may have had bad experiences that make them feel vulnerable when they're faced with similar situations. Can a reactive dog be trained? Absolutely. If you have a new puppy, the best way to tackle reactivity is to prevent it from happening. Prevent your puppy from becoming reactive.