Ask An Expert: A Conversation on Reactive Dogs

“As a handler of a reactive dog, you have the responsibility of keeping everyone around you safe.” photo: AdobeStock

Reactivity is a common label used in the dog training world to describe dogs who bark and lunge at stimuli in their environment. However, reactivity is a normal canine behavior.  Reactive behavior becomes a problem in certain circumstances, largely based on where you live and the frequency and intensity with which the reactive behavior presents itself. 

For the last century, society has bred dogs to bark and alert to changes in their surroundings, so it’s no surprise that our dogs still possess these traits. All living dogs react to their environments and only sometimes are dogs’ reactions expressed in a way that’s problematic for the human world in which they live. 

But perhaps an individual dog is reacting too frequently and it’s become unhealthy for both the dog and his human. What to do?

I sat down with my colleague Tania Lafer of Cannon Dog Training to discuss reactivity in dogs and the steps we can take to address it.

Q: First, tell us how you came to be a dog trainer, Tania.

A: I was finishing up my Ph.D. in music when I adopted a dog who turned out to be more difficult to live with than I expected. I started researching dog behavior and ended up falling in love with the field. I was fortunate enough to be accepted in the internship program at the SF SPCA, and afterward was hired there as a shelter dog trainer. I also completed many seminars, workshops, and professional courses, including training in agility and nose work. Later, I opened my own business, Cannon Dog Training.

Q: Reactivity is a confusing topic as everyone seems to have a different definition. How do you define reactivity in dogs?

A: Simply put, reactivity is an overreaction to things in the environment. A dog might be unable to cope with the sight of other dogs, strange people, or objects like cars or skateboards, resulting in lunging, barking, or even snapping.  This overreaction can stem from the fear of these things or from the frustration of wanting to get closer to them. When dogs are on leash, they can’t make their own choices and that can trigger big reactions.

Q: What brought you to work with reactivity cases in particular?

A: I live in a crowded city where lots of on-leash dogs encounter other dogs and people in close proximity. Dogs often struggle with the chaos of urban living and show that by barking or lunging while on leash. Their owners are also struggling, commonly feeling ashamed, anxious, and isolated by their dog’s behaviors. Neither dogs nor people can learn well when they feel unsafe or overwhelmed with frustration.

The owner of a dog has so much responsibility to keep everyone safe: their own dog, other dogs, their families, and society. When people feel unsure about what to do in their dogs’ intense moments, they tend to respond in reactive ways themselves. It’s my job to ensure that both dog and handler are able to train successfully. We plan for worst case scenarios, teach the dog alternative behaviors to barking and lunging, and finally we start addressing the underlying emotion that gives rise to these behaviors.

Q: If you could give the readers your top three tips for dealing with reactivity, what would you advise?

A: 1. Start by managing your dog’s environment so they don’t have to deal with the factor they struggle with on a daily basis. Being flooded by stressors all day long is detrimental to their progress. Avoiding daily triggers must happen before implementing the planned and gradual exposure to triggers to teach new responses. When a dog is constantly put in a position to worry about their environment or worse, to bark and lunge, they are rehearsing the behaviors we are trying to reduce. Management will interrupt that rehearsal and reduce those stressors. Management techniques should be a priority, while working on exposure should be only a small percentage of your training time.

 2. Teach your dog easy-to-perform behaviors that can serve as an anchor in moments of mild stress. In a world of unknowns, these should be behaviors the dog knows well and can easily access. Avoid behaviors that are stationary, like a sit or a down, and focus instead on behaviors that keep them moving and keep it fun. Train these behaviors out of context first, when no triggers are expected, and then start adding distractions as your dog becomes more successful and confident.

3. Meet your dog’s needs. You’ll need to strategize with your trainer about the most appropriate ways to do that given your individual dog, but unmet needs can contribute to reactivity, and meeting those needs can be a big part of the solution. Dogs have emotional needs, species-specific needs, and physical needs. They should be able to do doggy things, like rolling in stuff, sniffing, chewing, scavenging, and exploring the world at their own pace as long as safety is ensured. Enrichment walks in nature are great for tiring a dog in a non-stressful way as are decompression walks with a 15-foot line in safe places.

Q: Can you recommend any simple exercises that people can do easily with their own dogs?

A: Yes! The most important exercises are ones that will help you navigate your immediate environment. Let’s say you have a dog-reactive dog and she still needs to go potty outside on your street. This dog needs to learn proactive management behaviors so she is able to go out for a short period of time without barking and lunging. My go-to behaviors are U-turn, find it, nose targeting, and paws up. You don’t have to have too many tricks, but your dog does need to be trained in a variety of distracting environments before you use these tricks around known triggers. Also be sure to time these behaviors well. If the dog is not able to focus on you, such as when their triggers are directly approaching them, don’t ask them to perform these behaviors, and instead move away to a safer distance. Start small when triggers are far away and not moving toward your dog.

Q: The Bay Area is a busy place and exercising a reactive dog can be challenging in a dense urban neighborhood. What are your recommendations for exercising a reactive dog safely?

A: Keep dogs safe and away from icky situations while still providing outlets for canine-specific needs. Go to places where not too many people go with their dogs. Explore empty lots, big parking lots, cemeteries, and leash-only open spaces. Using 10-15 foot leashes made of biothane allows dogs to run and roam while ensuring everyone around them is safe and out of reach.

Q: Are there things one should avoid when working with a reactive dog?

A: Yes! As a handler of a reactive dog, you have the responsibility of keeping everyone around you safe. If you have a fearful dog or one who is easily frustrated, avoid having unknown people or dogs rush up and try to pet or meet your dog. Choose wisely where you go with your dog, as she is counting on you to keep her safe. Positive reinforcement training for reactive dogs does not mean being permissive.

Q: Before we wrap up, could you summarize your philosophy on dog training for the readers?

 A: Each dog is an individual and that requires you, the handler, to become skilled at reading their body language so you can make good training choices. Contact a positive-reinforcement-based trainer to help you sort out your dog’s individual needs and determine goals for you and your dog as a team and how to reach them.

Awesome advice! Thank you so much, Tania, for your time and for sharing your dog training knowledge and philosophy with us. 

Tania Lanfer is the owner of Cannon Dog Training. She specializes in behavior modification for dogs and offers an immersive online coaching program for clients. www.cannondogtraining.com