Or he may not have been sufficiently trained to have impulse control. He may not have been properly socialized. Many things may cause a dog to be reactive. The dog is put in an environment where he’s scared. Whale eye (whites of eyes showing) intense stare tense/stiff body leaning forward tail held high with a slow wag raised hackles (hair on back of neck/shoulders) straining on leash/lunging and ignoring redirection What Causes Reactivity? Yawning when not tired: shedding dandruff lip licking tail tucked under body leaving paw prints when it’s not hot drooling and sudden scratching.Ī stressed dog that’s highly aroused by a stimuli or situation may show the following body language: Signs of an Anxious, Stressed DogĪ dog that’s reactive is usually very anxious and stressed. Reactive dogs are anxious, stressed dogs in the situations in which they’re reactive. I’ve even conducted classes for reactive dogs for a local shelter. I’ve successfully worked with many reactive dogs over the years.
![dog reactivity dog reactivity](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xesP49HPRug/maxresdefault.jpg)
Or they may react to very specific things such as men with beards or women with hats.
![dog reactivity dog reactivity](https://www.dogster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/shutterstock_dog-aggression-reactivity-hero.jpeg)
Some may react adversely to men or women or dogs. They respond to stimuli in a higher-than-normal level of intensity. Reactive dogs overreact to certain stimuli or situations. Don’t let others ruin your training program.What Can You Do To Help Manage a Reactive Dog?.So, first identify what your dog’s triggers are. Do the exercises below, then, when he’s ready, practice them in your yard.
![dog reactivity dog reactivity](https://jackrussellparents.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/barking-loud-noises-doggy-dojo.jpg)
Or close the window.Īnd dogs who are reactive in their yards shouldn’t be left alone to practice their reactivity. If your dog’s reactive to noises, play soft music or a television to block the sound. But your dog thinks that his barking sent the person away.Īgain, as in every situation, manage it. We call it the “mailman syndrome” because the person goes about his/her business. Some dogs bark out the window when they see someone. I am dealing with leash reactivity in this article.ĭogs may be reactive at home too. But the same techniques can be used for other things that your dog is reactive to, such as people. In this article, for simplicity I am using reactivity to another dog as an example. He was the cutest, spunkiest, black-and-white ball of fur.Īs a dog trainer and behavior specialist, I wanted to help him live a happy life.īut I realized that it would take a lot of time and patience to see any progress. He had bite wounds and apparently a very rough life. He would bark and lunge in a very menacing way when he saw another dog.