How to stop barrier reactivity?
Preventing barrier frustration requires a proactive approach starting early in a dog’s development. Read More
Do dogs ever grow out of reactivity?
Janae Marquardt
2025-08-07 07:48:29
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Does it get better as they get older.
A reactive dog is not required to join, but please keep discussions and posts focused on dog reactivity.
My 8.5 month old is leash reactive, it started showing around maybe 5/6 months but has been off and on better and worse.
Anyone have positive stories of puppy reactivity settling down in time??
I'm trying to focus on reducing reactions, setting up opportunities for positive associations and counter conditioning, but with it being so up and down I'm wondering at least SOME of it is heightened with teenage hormones?
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.
Read also
Can you train a reactive dog to not be reactive?
In an ideal world, we all hope for our dogs to be friendly, easy-going and comfortable in different Read More
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.