How to Fix a Reactive Dog – Nest Dog Bed

Your dog is the kindest, calmest, well-mannered pooch of all time at home but as soon as they see another dog, Satan emerges. They’ll fight to get close, bark, growl and even attack if left to their own devices. Sound familiar? Don’t worry, you are not alone and there is a cure! Let this blog be the start of your journey to a happy, socialised dog around others.

Happy French Bulldog Smiling

Positive Reinforcement

Firstly, I’m going to be making the case for positive reinforcement rather than ‘corrections’. Many experienced dog trainers still use ‘the stick rather than the carrot’ but the overwhelming consensus is that positive reinforcement is the way to go and that’s the method I have personally found success with. Most reactive dogs are that way because they’re nervous around others and by punishing that behaviour, you run the risk of exacerbating the problem. In your dog’s head, attack is the best form of defence and you can’t really argue with that logic so even if your dog looks ‘up for the fight’ every time they see another dog, it’s probably because they’re proactively dealing with a potential threat rather than just being aggressive for the sake of it. Having said that, there are plenty of dogs that are out to ‘dominate’ for other reasons but those situations are still better dealt with, in my opinion, with re-direction and positive reinforcement than punishment.

Very High Value Rewards

Find the reward that your dog puts above everything else. If you have a Labrador, that’s probably food like cheese or chicken. Others will prefer play, like a tug toy or a ball. Whatever they prefer, ration it; don’t be giving them chicken for going on their bed or giving paw or in their daily meals, save it for walks when they’re likely to encounter other dogs. Same with the ball if that’s what they love, use another toy inside and keep their favourite one for when it really matters – it will be worth more when you really need their attention.

Spaniel Puppy Holding Ball

Avoid Other Reactive Dogs

Every bad experience your pooch has with another dog will set them back a few steps so for now you’re going to have to be very picky with the dogs you allow yours to socialise with. Look for confident dogs who don’t look overly concerned with the presence of another dog, older dogs are usually better for this. If in doubt, ask the owner from a distance but any hesitation from them about whether theirs is ‘friendly’ then keep your distance, it’s not worth the risk. Even better, if you know anyone with a well socialised dog ask them if they’d be up for a joint walk or training session. Avoid, like the plague, dogs that are pulling on their lead to get close to yours or have their tail or hackles up.

Start Small and Build it up

Get just close enough that your dog can see/smell the other one and reward when they show you any attention whatsoever. Even if it’s the shortest glance in your direction, you can build from that. If rewarding with a toy, make sure you pay them appropriately, 15 seconds of tug or 2 fetches of the ball should do the trick. Don’t get any closer than that until you can maintain their attention enough to ask for a sit. This might take time, even days or weeks of practice in bad cases, but you’ll get there with repetition. A good idea at this stage is to position yourself outside of dog parks, away from any foot traffic which may include dogs but just close enough for them to notice other dogs. When you can permanently hold their attention you’re ready to make it harder.

Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever With Glasses

Get a few steps closer and ask them again for a simple command. Chances are they‘ll lock onto the dog again and ignore you. If that’s the case then say “nope” and walk backwards until they’re forced to follow. Repeat step 1 above and then try again.

There will be times when off-lead dogs approach yours and you have very little control over the situation. Unfortunately there’s not much you can do to make others keep their dog on the lead around yours other than warn them from a distance by shouting “my dog is reactive, please keep yours close”. Hopefully theirs isn’t reactive and it results in a non-confrontational meeting. If you find their dog to be reactive then it’s worth asking them to put it on lead the next time you meet, if not then all you can really do is avoid the routes that they take until your training is complete. Eventually you’ll find that once yours has overcome their fear and can keep their attention on you, other dogs don’t bother with them as much, even the reactive ones.

Grumpy Dog Growling

Your Body Language

Pay attention to your own body language and consider how it may be affecting your dog’s behaviour. It’s natural to tense up when you see another dog if you’ve had bad experiences in the past, even though most dog fights look worse than they are, there’s nothing nice about having to tear two scrapping canines apart. Try to act exactly the same as before the other dog came around the corner; don’t speak to yours any more than you normally would and keep the tone and tempo of your voice calm. Don’t tighten the lead – they’ll probably tighten it themselves by moving towards the dog but don’t be first. It can be difficult to stay calm through these interactions but remember you have a plan now and it will get better the more you commit to it.

There’s quite a lot more to this but you can make a good start from here. I’ll do a ‘part two’ soon and in the meantime, I can’t recommend YouTube enough! There are loads of great trainers who offer their advice for free and create short engaging clips for you to learn from. Good luck!

Running Dachshund With Funny Expression

While I’ve got you here… let me tell you why a Nest Dog Bed is perfect for your pooch as we move into the colder months. First of all, the shape of it excludes drafts and keeps your pup cosy inside. The sides of the Nest Dog Bed are heavily stitched down so they always hold strong and won’t sag over time. Both materials are 100% waterproof so no moisture can penetrate the inside which means pup will dry up quickly in their own body heat along with the bed. Then they won’t return to a freezing, damp bed later. Lastly, the Nest Dog Bed boasts the signature Tuffies durability so you can forget about replacing their bed every couple of years and invest in long-term quality.

GWP Pontus in his Tuffies Nest Dog Bed