Training your dog can be a minefield, no matter how experienced you are – every dog is different and there’s often a lot of conflicting advice out there too.

Bring a reactive dog into the mix, and training can become even more stressful. A lot of the time, it’s because of mistakes we’re making in the way we approach training, but fortunately, they’re easy to rectify. Often, just a game with a favorite toy or the use of some of the best dog treats as a reward can work brilliantly.

Expert trainer Carolyn Martell, the founder of Good Dog Training, has outlined five things we often get wrong when training reactive dogs, and number two really surprised us! Let’s take a closer look at what owners of reactive canines can do differently.

1. Believing socialization is all they need: “Socialization may have prevented the reactivity, but it won’t fix it,” explains Martell. “Reactive dogs need specific, methodical training, not socialization.”

2. Focusing on calmness: “Generally,” Martell says, “owners misconstrue stillness as calmness – which it’s not – and this is actually the opposite of how to approach training a reactive dog.”

3. Forgoing games like tug of war: It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that playing a game like tug isn’t good for reactive dogs because it’s not a particularly calm activity. However, it can be really beneficial when you’re trying to tackle reactivity.

There are all sorts of great games you can play with your reactive dog, including these fun games for reactive dogs that involve everything from playing hide-and-seek to finding tasty treats and exciting toys.

4. Jumping into triggers immediately: “This will stall your progress every time,” Martell explains. “Start with foundational work and teaching the skills you want AWAY from triggers.”

5. Assuming they’ll just outgrow reactivity: It’s actually the opposite. The longer you let your dog be reactive without addressing it, the more difficult it will be to sort.

When training your dog – reactive or not – it’s important to remember that positive reinforcement is always best. Other forms of training, rooted in dominance and fear, are outdated and the experts advise against them. We know that rewarding our pets for the correct behavior will help us get the results we’re after.

Read next: Owning a reactive dog is hard. Here's how I navigated the social challenges with my pooch

Dog reactivity is an emotive subject that people often mistake for aggression. A dog is classed as reactive when it has an extreme reaction to a stimulus, such as a loud noise, another person, or a dog.

Every dog is different, but typically, reactive dogs become physically frantic. They may bark, lunge or growl and have raised ears and hackles.

I rescued Poppy, a eight-month-old Weimaraner cross, from a dog charity. We had three other dogs at the time. She was a large dog and was a handful by 14 months old. The first time she reacted to another dog, it was dramatic and I had trouble holding her.

Poppy reacted to anyone up to around 300yds away. I couldn’t let her off-leash on the trails unless I could see ahead. I’d shared my life with multiple dogs, who had all been sociable and calm. Poppy’s reactivity worsened over time, and walking four dogs became impossible.

After a year of battling with the behavior, Poppy pulled me over onto a concrete path, and I broke three ribs. While recovering, I searched online for dog behaviorist training and studied with Sarah Whitehead. I was heartbroken when I realized I had prolonged Poppy’s reactivity by not understanding her response, which was fear-based.

What I now know is that reactivity in dogs is curable – and it’s certainly not aggression. Most of the issues are because we respond inappropriately to the behavior. I now work with reactive dogs and have never met one as bad as Poppy.

Mistakes I made with my reactive dog

Here's are the worst mistakes I made with Poppy:

1. Blaming the dog

Instead of understanding why she reacted so violently, I blamed Poppy for being a “naughty” dog and did not look to myself as the reason her behavior wasn’t improving.

When I saw a person out with a dog, I felt stressed. Of course, Poppy picked up on my tension.

What I did differently after qualifying as a dog behaviorist:

I started walking Poppy alone so I could focus on her. My proudest moment was the first time I stayed calm.

In a happy voice, I said, “This way, Poppy”, and turned to walk back the other way before she could react. Calmly removing a reactive dog from the trigger is the first essential step in behavior management.

I often tell clients that story because Poppy looked up at me that day, and I swear if that dog could have spoken, she would have said, “Thanks, Mum!”

Progress was fast when I changed my behavior and stopped expecting Poppy to do all the work.

2. Putting my dog in situations that made her react

I mistakenly thought that exposing Poppy to what she reacted to would desensitize her, but the opposite was true. In dog behavior, this is known as flooding and is inadvisable for training dogs.

What I did differently after qualifying as a dog behaviorist:

Instead of forcing Pops to face her fears, I removed her from the scene. I rewarded calm behavior and gradually shortened the trigger distance.

I would stop after a short distance, let her look and give her a treat if she didn’t react. I learned to observe her body language so I could move away if she looked concerned

3. Feeling embarrassed

I was so embarrassed by my dog’s reactive behavior. People labelled her aggressive, which was far from the truth. Before I qualified as a behaviorist, I used to try to explain Poppy’s reactions and respond to people's comments.

What I did differently after qualifying as a dog behaviorist:

I stopped apologizing for my dog’s behavior! I focused on protecting Poppy, which often meant I ignored people when they made comments. I know that doesn't sound polite, but helping Poppy was my top priority.

It’s natural to feel embarrassed by a lunging, barking dog, but once you understand that most reactivity is fear-based, you can do whatever you need to help your dog.

My top tips for training a reactive dog

I lost Poppy in 2021. She was my greatest teacher and became a confident, well-balanced dog. Indeed, people used to comment on how calm she was!

Here are a few tips to help you rehabilitate a reactive dog.

• Stay calm: When you are calm, the less likely your dog is to have an episode.
• Talk less: Reactive dogs respond to energy rather than words. Our chatter becomes like white noise to a reactive dog.
• Move away from the trigger: Before your dog can react, turn and walk the other way. Stop after a short distance. Ask your dog to sit and let your furry pal look back at the trigger.
• Teach a “look” command: Hold tasty treats in your hand but close your fist. Your dog will try and get the treats. If your fur buddy stops, say “yes” and give them a treat. Next time, wait for your dog to look at your face and reward. Once your woofer has mastered this stage, add a “look” vocal command.
• Teach a sit command: Sit and down are calming behaviors. I taught Poppy to sit when I stopped walking. It automatically dials down the reactivity. Practice on walks until it becomes a habit for your dog to sit when you stop.

These are simple tips; there is more to rehabilitating a reactive dog, but they are a positive start to helping your dog.

Found this helpful? Read: Owning a reactive dog is hard. Here's how I navigated the social challenges with my pooch and how to calm a reactive dog. Or, what one trainer has in her reactivity training kit

Edited by Megan Milstead.

Adolescence can be a tricky time for us as dog parents. Your dog might regress in some aspects of their training or socialization, seem as though they’re being rebellious, or display reactive behavior.

Reactivity in dogs will often show up in dogs when they’re going through the teenage stage (not unlike teenage humans!) so it’s important to look out for the signs in order to tackle it. Put the hard work in now, and you’re less likely to run into issues in the long term – instead, you can go through life with your dog enjoying the best dog treats and toys without worry.

And professional dog trainer and behavioral consultant Amelia Steele, or Amelia the Dog Trainer, has explained just what we need to keep an eye out for in a new Instagram post, so let’s take a look!

“Most people I know are totally unaware of what the early warning signs are,” begins Steele, “And let me tell you, catching it early makes life so much easier.”

So, here’s what to look out for, according to Steele (and here’s what causes reactivity in dogs for some additional context!).

1. Stopping, dropping, or sitting down when they see another dog: “If your dog does any of these things,” she says, “This is a form of fixation, and it’s a really, really clear early warning sign for reactivity developing.”

2. Overexcitement: Does your dog get so overexcited when they see another dog or person that they can’t contain themselves? “This can lead to a lot of unhealthy behaviors that can also lead to frustration-type reactivity,” explains Steele.

3. Having to greet every dog: This can result in something referred to as oversocialization – in simple terms, when your dog gets used to saying hello to everybody. “So, when that lead goes on and they can’t,” she continues, “They become frustrated and they bark.”

4. Avoidance: If your pup wants to avoid other dogs or people, or they aren’t confident when it comes to greetings, this might be a sign of fear. It’s something that’s best to identify early on to prevent reactivity further down the line.

Steele adds, “The truth is, there are no quick fixes for behavior like this. But having a consistent plan in place as early as possible will really help.”

For more reactivity advice, you might find this article from a fellow dog parent insightful: I trained as a dog behaviorist to better understand my reactive dog, and it totally transformed our bond. Likewise, there’s plenty of useful advice in this article: My dog’s leash pulling made walks miserable until I helped her reactivity, here’s how.

Make no mistake, things can be challenging when you have a reactive dog, and it’s understandable that you might find things difficult at times.

For long-term success, it’s important that we work together with our reactive dogs – doing so will help us rehabilitate them, making our lives and their lives easier at the same time. And doing so is not as tricky as you might think!

Award-winning trainer Lisa Burton of Listen Dog Training has explained how we can work with our reactive dogs in a new Instagram post, and it’s really made us think!

First, Burton says we need to understand the problem. It might be that your pup has formed a negative association with a trigger, or multiple triggers, or that your dog is trigger stacking – this is when they’re frequently exposed to stressful situations, leaving them in a state of high arousal. Consider, too, whether you have any strategies in place to prevent the rehearsal of reactive responses.

So, what can we do to modify associations to reduce reactivity in dogs? Burton suggests using a clicker or marker word in your reconditioning training, pairing rewards with multiple triggers at home, and taking high-value treats on walks all the time. She recommends DMT (distraction, mark, treat) training, too – mark and treat when triggers are present but your dog can remain under threshold. “Start using the DMT exercise with very low-level triggers to begin with, to set your dog up for success,” she adds.

When it comes to managing arousal, ensure first that your pup’s basic needs are all met, making sure they’re happy, healthy, and have everything they need. Then, practice transitioning from high to low arousal at home, perhaps playing a high-energy game and then moving into calmer training.

Practice behavioral cues to help your dog think better in arousal, and scatter-feed periodically throughout the day. Burton also advises practicing scentwork in the yard for five minutes before a walk, and desensitizing any triggers your dog associates with going on a walk – like putting your shoes on – by repeating them throughout the day. If you’re interested in trying this, our article on desensitization for dogs might help.

In terms of limiting rehearsal, Burton suggests teaching a distraction noise or eye contract cue, managing your pup’s access to windows, rewarding spontaneous check-ins on walks, and teaching a nose cue to help with trigger avoidance.

“Outside of stressful situations, train a ‘A to B’ transition cue with your dog on lead,” suggests Burton. “You can move them away from triggers when you spot them first.”

And don’t forget, as she says in the caption, “Reactivity isn’t bad behavior – it’s a response to fear, frustration, or over-arousal.”

If you’d like more advice, you might find this article from a dog parent in the same position useful, too: My dog’s leash pulling made walks miserable until I helped her reactivity, here’s how.

Do you have a reactive dog? If you do, you’re not alone. Many dog parents have or have had a dog that’s reactive, for whatever reason.

Dealing with reactivity in dogs can be difficult, and you might find yourself spending a whole lot of time trying to balance and regulate your dog’s feelings. That’s why it’s important to remember to take breaks and look after yourself, too. Sure, you might have the best dog treats for your pup, but don’t forget something nice for yourself at the same time!

Award-winning trainer Lisa Burton of Listen Dog Training has offered some key pieces of advice for parents of reactive dogs, and it’s all worth remembering.

“Dedicate time to self-development away from your dog, to work on your own mindset/beliefs/self-opinion,” begins Burton, “If the voice in your head berates you every time your dog has a reaction, you need a new inner voice.”

It’s important to go easy on yourself. Don’t let self-criticism dominate the journey you’re on with your dog, as it can easily begin to set the tone for what you come to believe is possible. As Burton puts it, “Whether you believe things can get better, or you believe they can’t, you’re right.”

Similarly, be careful not to become too hyper-fixated on one issue, because it can stop you from noticing everything that’s going right! It can help to take breaks from working on issues to spend some time having fun with your dog. During these times, try your best not to dwell on the negatives – instead, enjoy having a good time with your pup. Try one of these eight fun games to play with dogs, or reach for your pup’s favorite toy.

Breaks can also help you to avoid burning out, or sacrificing your own health and wellbeing in a bid to get the ‘perfect’ dog. Burton stresses, “Remember that to be the best owner you can be, you need rest, regulation, and self-care. Fill up your cup so that you can fill your dog’s too.”

If you’re struggling with your reactive dog, you might find the following article useful: Owning a reactive dog is hard. Here's how I navigated the social challenges with my pooch. If your dog is a little younger, you might find this article handy, too: Five mistakes I made with my reactive dog that you'll want to avoid.

Reactivity is something that many dog parents will have to manage at one time or another. But while every dog is different, of course, there are things we can do without realizing it that might cause our dogs to be reactive. 

For example, your dog may love playing with the best dog toys and other dogs too, but too much play when your dog’s a puppy can lead to more reactivity when they get older — and we don’t always realize this. 

In a recent Instagram post, Juliana DeWillems, the owner and head trainer of JW Dog Training & Behavior, has explained what we can do to prevent reactivity — as well as some of the behaviors to reward!

DeWillems explains, “While there are a number of factors that influence a dog’s reactive behavior and a lot of them are out of our control, we can control a young dog’s experiences around other dogs.”

So, what causes reactivity in dogs? Well, DeWillems continues in her caption, “When a young dog’s life is full of nothing but play, play, play with other dogs, that can, unfortunately, cause a lot of frustration-based reactivity as they get older.”

Play is important, as it helps with socialization and meets your pup’s social needs, but you want to balance it with teaching and reinforcing desirable behaviors — for example, teaching your dog that the sight of another dog is a cue for them to engage with you. You want them to pay attention to you and continue what they’re doing even when another dog is around.

DeWillems adds, “Another scenario is the dog who is nervous or uncomfortable around other dogs but is continuously meeting them on leash and having unpleasant experiences.”

While a puppy in this situation may not be reactive just yet, as they get older they’ll become more proactive about keeping other dogs away by barking and growling. To help both you and your pup, DeWillems recommends teaching your dog that when they see another dog, they should stay next to you until you let them know what their next steps are.

And, she outlines some desirable behaviors in your pup to look out for and reward when they see another dog:

• Looking at you
• Remaining close enough to you that the leash is loose
• Looking at the other dog quietly
• Turning away from the dog
• Responding to their name, familiar cues, or ‘kissy’ noises
• Sniffing the ground
• Walking past or away from the dog

She explains, “When we focus on what we do want from our dog in the presence of other dogs, we see a reduction in pulling, lunging, and barking behaviors.”

You can do everything right and still have a dog who struggles with reactivity, but by taking on DeWillem’s advice, you can at least control some of the potential contributing factors. You might find this article from someone in a similar situation useful, too: My dog’s leash pulling made walks miserable until I helped her reactivity, here’s how.

Having a reactive dog does come with its challenges, and living in an apartment can make things more tricky. You might not have as much space, and you’ll likely come into contact with other people and dogs when you’re on your way out for a walk. 

But, while living in an apartment with a reactive dog might not sound entirely plain sailing, there are ways to make your life — and that of your pup — a little easier, and some of the best dog treats are involved! 

Juliana DeWillems, the owner and head trainer at JW Dog Training & Behavior, has explained more in a recent Instagram post.

“Corners and doorways can be really tricky for reactive dogs in apartment complexes, because you don’t know what might be on the other side of the door or around the corner,” DeWillems begins. “One way to prevent being startled with something unexpected is to pause as you approach a corner or door and toss a handful of treats behind you.”

The idea is that your pup will go and eat the treats while you have the chance to check around the corner to see if there are any triggers coming your way — like another dog. DeWillems explains that those few extra seconds can make a huge difference in preventing potentially difficult situations. 

“Having a few dog training tricks up your sleeve, like this one, can make bathroom breaks and walks a little less stressful,” she sums up in the caption.

It can also be a good idea to let your neighbors know that your pup is reactive with people or other dogs. It’s a fact of apartment living that you won’t be able to avoid your neighbors totally, but to minimize tricky situations they might be able to let you know when they’re usually out and about or walking their own dogs, if they have them, so you can plan your dog’s schedule accordingly. 

This might not be practical in every apartment, but could you keep bathroom breaks outside to a minimum with an area indoors for your pup to go? There are a few different products that allow dogs to go to the bathroom indoors, so you may want to explore this possibility to help avoid your pup seeing other people and dogs as often.

If you live in an apartment and don’t have much outdoor space, you might find this article useful, too: I don’t have a garden for my dog but I meet all her needs without one - here’s how.

Of all the challenges you'll face as a dog owner, dealing with your dog's reactivity is one of the hardest. 

An overreaction to common stimuli in their environment, reactivity in dogs can present in a variety of different ways. Perhaps your dog lunges at other dogs or barks incessantly every time the doorbell rings. Whatever the behavior, reactivity requires more than just the best dog treats in order to be overcome.

When it comes to what causes reactivity in dogs, the answer is complex. While reactive behavior can have many different causes, three of the most common are anxiety, improper socialization and a lack of education around dog walking etiquette. 

Thankfully, you needn't resign yourself to a life of tearing your hair out and feeling trapped in your home because with lots of time, love, and patience, reactivity can be overcome.

With that in mind, expert trainer Amelia Steele has shared five simple training tips that will help you on your journey to healing your dog's reactivity. Let's take a look...

1. Start with well-being: "Reactive dogs often struggle to regulate their emotions and nervous system," explains Steele. "I start every training plan by reviewing the dog's needs and ensuring they have appropriate outlets for natural behaviors."

When training your reactive dog, this might look like providing them with plenty of opportunities to sniff and roll around, as well as ensuring there's plenty of open space around them to help them stay calm. 

2. Implement a management system: "Management is the process of preventing a behavior from happening," Steele says. "In the case of reactivity, management can be a series of behaviors or actions you can take to avoid a trigger or reduce the intensity of a reaction."

3. Give yourself breaks: It can be really tempting to throw yourself into training, but investing in your own mental health is just as important as investing in the well-being of your reactive pup. "It's important to have rest days," Steel confirms, "so try to work out at least one walk per week that gives you the chance to switch off and chill out with your dog."

4. Make a plan and stick to it: "It's great to be able to problem solve and shift your approach when you need to, but it's also important to know when to stay consistent. Without one solid, consistent approach, you're likely to go round in circles," explains Steele.

5. Understand why your dog is reactive: Before you can help your dog overcome their reactivity, you first need to understand the cause of it and the emotion behind it. "When you approach your dog's behavior from an empathetic stand point, you'll find that you start working as a team with your dog instead of feeling like they're against you." 

When it comes to how to calm a reactive dog, understanding your pup's particular triggers will also help you tailor your support to meet their specific needs. 

Training a reactive dog takes time, patience and consistency. Check out these practical tips for training your dog on your own, or reach out to a qualified professional if you feel you and your pup would benefit from some 1:1 support. 

Some dogs are totally cool with cars. Others, however, can be rather reactive when it comes to cars. It makes sense, as cars are big, loud, and fast – it’s not surprising that some dogs may not like them, particularly as a dog’s instinct is to follow something that’s moving. 

But, what can you do if your pup is car-reactive, and all the best dog treats in the world fail to stop your pup barking and lunging? Well, the team at Happy Dogs Training, founded by certified trainer and animal behavior expert Piper M Novick, has offered some advice in a recent Instagram post. 

In the video, trainer Benah Stiewing begins the training session with Stella by allowing Stella to settle into her surroundings, exploring and sniffing away from triggers. She starts off slowly, careful to ease Stella in.

“Once Stella is showing relaxation, we start work,” she says. “We start with the up/down game, capturing and reinforcing attention in a distracting environment. Once I am getting reliable engagement from Stella, we start work on her trigger.”

They move to an environment where cars will appear. When Stella notices the trigger but doesn’t react to it, Stiewing reinforces her, and Stella moves away from the trigger to take space and get food. Here’s how to calm a reactive dog for more advice.

Stiewing finishes, “As Stella progresses, we gradually decrease distance.” Over time, Stella will be able to move closer to cars without reacting – she’ll notice them, but won’t do anything.

If your pup is car reactive, it can make things like walks and trips out much more difficult than they would be otherwise, and what if your dog needs to go to the vet but you have to drive there in your own car?

Don’t expect your dog to stop being car-reactive overnight. It’s the sort of thing that can take time, so it’s important to be patient and understanding. Even though living around cars might be second nature for most of us, they can be scary for dogs, or they might want to chase after them.

You might want to find out more information about what causes reactivity in dogs. And, while the dog in this article was more reactive to people and other dogs than cars, you might find it useful: My reactive dog impacted my entire household, here's what I did about it.

When it comes to the most challenging parts of being a dog owner, there's no denying that dealing with reactive behavior in dogs is at the top of the list. 

Whether it's excessive barking, lunging, or even aggression, reactivity can leave you feeling frustrated, exhausted and trapped in your own home. 

Many of us rely on the best dog treats to try to change our dog's behavior, and while these can certainly be an effective tool for rewarding your canine when they do something positive, treats alone aren't enough to overcome reactivity. 

What causes reactivity in dogs is complex and how to calm a reactive dog requires a multi-faceted approach. 

With that in mind, expert trainer and behaviorist Renee Rhoades has shared a helpful video on Instagram in which she reveals five simple things we can do to help lessen our dog's over-reaction to common stimuli in their environment. 

1. Practice management cues: There are so many different management cues you can practice with your reactive dog. In her video, Rhoades can be seen stepping on her dog's long line when he starts to become overly focused on other dogs who are running around in the distance. A management cue is anything your dog can perceive — it could be something they can see, feel, hear, smell, touch or taste. The cue itself is not important, what is important is that you practice it regularly and your dog is responsive to it. 

2. Pick open spaces: "Environments where you have the most visibility work well for proactively managing your dog and your movements," says Rhoades. A quiet park, field, or stretch of beach are all great choices when you're working on your dog's reactivity. 

3. Reward shake-offs: If you've had your canine companion for any length of time you've probably noticed them shaking on more than one occasion, and it turns out this behavior isn't just something dogs do when they're wet. "Shake-off's are a dog's "reset button", used to release tension - rewarding these can increase a dog's ability to self regulate stress," explains Rhoades.

4. Keep food close at hand: When training your reactive dog, make sure you have plenty of high-value food in your pocket. "This is always a plus especially in the early stages when we need to build up strong positive associations - or avoid further negative ones!," says Rhoades.

5. Let your dog sniff: "While we may encounter triggers on our walk, the main purpose is to allow your dog to engage with the environment around them, specifically working that nose!," Rhoades explains. If you want to learn more about the many benefits of sniffing, 'I tried a 45-minute 'sniffari', and it tired out my border collie more than a two-hour hike' is well worth checking out!

Dealing with reactivity takes time, patience and consistency, and you don't need to go it alone. If you feel you and your dog would benefit from some extra support, we highly recommend reaching out to a professional trainer.

Check out our guide on how to spot dog trainer red flags to ensure you're working with someone who's suitably qualified and uses positive training methods. 

If you've got a reactive dog on your hands, then one of their triggers might be other dogs. This can make things tricky when it comes to walk time, as it's pretty much impossible to avoid other pooches in the park. 

Even if you've clipped them onto one of the best dog leashes, walks might be a stressful situation for the pair of you. This is especially true when other dog walkers don't understand your pup's needs and come towards you.

If you're wondering how to calm a reactive dog and haven't had much luck, then we've found a method that might just help you. Adam Spivey, an expert dog trainer and the founder of Southend Dog Training, shared this tip in a recent Instagram video - and we think it's genius!

When your dog spots another dog on a walk, Adam recommends doing these two things instantly: leading them back towards you and giving them one of the best dog treats. In the video, he explains that this will teach your dog that the sight of another dog means food.

He says: "Get that reward in at the second she looks at the dog. What she's learnt is: sight, get stiff (tail gets stiff/body gets stiff), and then I react." 

He explains that it's important to do this before your dog explodes. This is because it allows you to quickly alter their emotional response in a positive way. 

Practice makes perfect and you might need to repeat this a few times for them to fully get the hang of it.

If your dog isn't interested in food, then you can try moving backwards to get them to come towards you instead. Alternatively, Adam recommends giving them one of the best dog toys, praising them or trying to build up their food drive. 

To begin with, Adam suggests practicing the movement with no other dogs around to give them a chance to get used to it. It's also a good idea to try it somewhere where there its lots of space. This will help you both to feel more prepared when you pass a dog for real.

Enjoyed this? You might also find these features useful: My reactive dog impacted my entire household, here's what I did about it and how to tackle dog aggression: 5 dog behavior problems solved.

When your dog doesn’t seem to stop barking you’d be forgiven for feeling frustrated and annoyed. If you’re in public, it can feel embarrassing, and if you’re at home trying to take part in an online meeting, doing the housework, or even just relaxing, incessant barking can be incredibly distracting. 

If your dog is a reactive dog and not even the best dog toys can distract them, you may be feeling at a loss as to what to do. There are many possible reasons why your dog barks at everything, but regardless of the cause, you'll be relieved to know that there's so much you can do to help your pup overcome their reactivity. 

This advice from certified dog trainer San Choi of Ruff Roll Academy in particular could prove really valuable – it certainly gave us some ideas!

Choi’s advice is designed to allow us to help our pups feel calm when they hear or see things that might trigger them, whatever they might be.

First, Choi recommends teaching a looking behavior. “Yes, you can train your dog to look and not bark, but you have to do it systematically working up to bigger and bigger challenges to see success,” he says. “Start with giving your dog a mark, or ‘yes,’ when they hear or look at something.”

However, you should make sure you’re physically at a distance from the thing that might trigger barking – ideally, at a distance that’s far enough that they won’t yet be triggered to bark. As Choi explains, “The idea is to show them a trigger at a lower intensity that does not send them to the point of stress where barking and other behaviors may come up.”

This exercise involves desensitization, with which it’s always important to start further away before moving closer. Choi says that the technique he’s outlining here uses the concept of differential reinforcement training – this is when you reinforce the desired behavior while withholding reinforcement for any other behaviors. So, if your dog does something undesirable, you don’t use negative reinforcement or punish them, you just ignore it. 

Don’t be afraid to reach out to a qualified professional for help, either. As Choi says, “Understanding the full scope of dog behavior can be so nuanced it’s always helpful to call in a qualified pro.”

Here’s what one dog parent in a similar situation did to help address their dog’s reactivity – you might find this article useful: My reactive dog impacted my entire household, here's what I did about it.

Anyone with a reactive dog will know how challenging they can be to manage. If your pooch overreacts in certain situations (like meeting other dogs or seeing certain objects), then you might be left feeling isolated and like you can’t leave the house. 

It's important to know that you're not alone and many pet parents have felt this way before (including us!) There are lots of ways that you can help curb this behavior, like giving them the best dog treats as a distraction or learning more about dog body language. 

Renee Rhoades, an applied animal behaviorist, has shared three brilliant tips in her recent Instagram post that are a great place to start. She's brought things back to basics and rounded up three core tips that you can apply in every situation. Get your notebook and pen ready to take some notes - these are worth saving for later:

1. Comfort is key

Before you get started on your training journey, ensure your dog is comfortable. To do this, Renee recommends using a Y-front harness and the longest leash possible. If you can't decide on the best dog harness to buy, we've rounded up our favorites in this helpful guide. 

She says: "Comfort is a prerequisite to learning. Think about a time when you were trying to learn something and for some reason you were physically or mentally uncomfortable. Were you able to be present and absorb the information? No. Why would this be any different for your dog?"

2. Take a break from triggers

You don't need to expose your dog to their triggers every time you go for a walk. Techniques like counterconditioning can be super effective, but Renee explains that your dog's nervous system needs a break from it at times. 

She says: "Every outing does not need to be a trigger-focused outing. In fact, it's better if your dog has opportunities to be in an environment without the threat of triggers. It is incredibly important to avoid reactions as much as possible. Management and avoidance are a key part of every therapy plan I construct."

3. Change one thing at a time

If you're not seeing results with your current training plan, you might be tempted to scrap the entire thing and change everything you're doing. However, Renee suggests changing one thing at a time - that way you'll know for sure if it's right for you and your dog.

She says that it can take up to two weeks of consistency to really see the results, so it's worth hanging in there before making major changes. 

She goes on to say, "If you change too many things at once, it's likely you'll end up confused about what prompted positive behavior change when you see it. So when something shifts again in your dog's behavior, you don't know what to modify because so many things were modified before."

Want more advice like this? Check out these features on how to calm a reactive dog and how counterconditioning can help your reactive dog and increase your bond.

Owning a reactive dog can make the little things in life more challenging - whether it’s taking them for a walk or just having some guests over. These might not seem like scary situations to us humans, but for a reactive dog, it can expose them to their triggers and cause them to behave in unwanted ways.

If your dog struggles around new people, then they might bark, jump, and have difficulty listening to you. They might also struggle eating (even if it’s one of the best dog treats).

Karishma Warr, head of training and behavior at Calm Canine Academy, recently shared some brilliant advice on how to help your dog deal with this. 

1. Understand your dog

Karishma explains that your dog isn’t operating from a logical place and that it’s usually a response to feeling scared and overwhelmed. It’s not something they’re choosing to do - it’s an involuntary response. If your dog wasn’t introduced to a variety of people from a young age (before 12 weeks), or they have had trauma in the past, then this might be a reason for the behavior.

They explain that even though their dog body language appears big and tough, they’re actually feeling insecure and are unsure of how to get their safety and social connection needs met. 

They say: “I just want to bat away this idea that your dogs are conspiring to be naughty in these moments and that your dog is choosing to be disobedient. That is absolutely not what’s happening.”

2. Don’t focus on obedience

If your dog is displaying unwanted behavior, like lunging or growling, then you might interpret this as them being protective or dominant. Karishma says that lots of owners think that they need to show their dog who is boss and practice obedience as a solution.

However, you might be surprised to hear that this isn’t the best way to fix reactivity in dogs. Instead of focusing on their behavior (which can actually make them feel more anxious), they advise focusing on how they are feeling in the moment.

They say: “Obedience is not the solution to a [...] feeling of unsafety. [...] If I’m telling [my dog] to lay down around something he’s scared of, he would do it but inside he is not going to feel super good. [...] Being stuck in an environment and being pressured into being still can be even more scary.”

They recommend introducing a system where your dog feels comfortable around new people. In time, they will start wanting to connect with them and build a relationship. However, they say that it’s still important to teach your dog reliable cues.

3. Don’t use treats to coerce your dog

If your dog is scared of a stranger, that person should give them a treat to build their trust - right? That’s what we thought too, but Karishma says that this can actually have a negative impact on your dog and their relationship with food. This is a common mistake many dog parents have made (including us), so don’t worry too much if you’ve done this before. 

When Karishma did this in the past, their dog stopped taking food from them and struggled to eat - associating it with uncomfortable situations. It also encourages the dog to get too close before they are ready. 

They say: “[...] Avoid putting our dogs in situations where they are being coerced into interactions with human beings and instead, facilitate scenarios where they are genuinely getting curious, genuinely interested and able to gather information in a way that doesn’t have that tinge of anxiety around that.”

For more advice on reactive dogs, check out these features: My reactive dog impacted my entire household, here's what I did about it and owning a reactive dog is hard. Here's how I navigated the social challenges with my pooch. 

Dog behaviorist Jan Barley explains how counterconditioning can transform your training sessions and deepen the bond with your dog. But what is counter conditioning? 

What is counterconditioning?

Counterconditioning can be the answer to retraining reactive dogs. I’m a dog behaviorist and still find the results almost magical, as do many dog owners I work with. If you’re one of many owners looking for advice on how to calm a reactive dog, then counterconditioning must just be what you need.

According to the American Kennel Club “Counterconditioning involves pairing every presentation of the stimulus with something your dog finds fabulous. It doesn’t matter what that is, as long as it’s wonderful from your dog’s point of view.” 

In simplified terms, counterconditioning is a stress-free training protocol for reactive dogs. It enables you to shape your dog's behavior to teach him to respond more positively to whatever triggers his reactivity. In other words, if your dog is afraid of people, you teach him to associate a reward with not reacting negatively to people. 

Counterconditioning is a simple yet powerful approach to training your reactive dog. After grasping the positive association between what your dog fears and a reward, it is much easier for him to focus on you in stressful situations.

How counterconditioning works

Oscar is a timid and nervous 65 kg Otterhound. As a first dog owner, Oscar's doggy mum struggled to understand his fears and lacked the skills and confidence to manage a large, unruly dog. 

When we first met, I learned that Oscar had bitten the postman and attacked several dogs in the village, thankfully without injury. Oscar's tearful owner was worried she would have to put her beautiful two-year-old dog to sleep.

After watching the owner walk Oscar around the village, I realized their bond was non-existent. Oscar didn't trust his owner to care for him when encountering something fearful. He ignored her and nervously scoured the horizon. He was unmanageable on the lead, pulling her and ignoring requests to walk to heel. 

The first step in counterconditioning a reactive dog is to slow everything down. A calm and steady approach is crucial. Don't worry too much about the need for physical exercise because the first step is to engage your dog's mind. 

Step one: Get your dog's attention

I became a dog behaviorist because I couldn't manage my reactive Weimaraner cross, Poppy. My experience with that wonderful girl taught me that when a dog is hypervigilant about their environment, it is challenging for them to engage with you. 

Your dog cannot respond to you because they hyper-focus on whatever they're reacting to. So, the best thing to do is to stop walking and re-engage with your dog. And that's what we did with Oscar. 

Armed with a pocketful of delicious treats, I took the lead from Oscar’s owner and walked Oscar over to the village green. I sat on a bench overlooking three interlinking roads. Oscar had a vantage point as the green is on a hill, meaning he could relax a little. 

I showed Oscar I had yummy treats and threw a few on the grass. After a while, Oscar sat looking at me, wanting more treats. The goal was to build his relationship with me to enable us to progress to the next stage. 

Additionally, in that session, we worked on improving heel work so that Oscar was more responsive. With reactive dogs, there is typically more than one behavior that needs adjusting. 

A dog walking nicely is less likely to overreact than a dog pulling on a leash.

Step two: Introduce the trigger

In session two, Oscar’s owner asked a friend to walk her calm dog in the area around the village green. I advised the friend to increase the distance from us if Oscar barked or reacted. 

When Oscar noticed the dog, his body language elevated. I threw a treat on the grass and praised him when he took it. When he looked at me, I said, "Yes! Good boy," and gave him another treat. I repeated this exercise, and within five minutes, Oscar sat and waited for a treat. Occasionally, he turned to look at the dog but didn't react. When Oscar made eye contact with me, I gave him a treat. 

This counterconditioning exercise taught Oscar a pleasant association between the trigger (the dog and the person) and getting a yummy reward. 

Step three: Gradually progress the counterconditioning

When training reactive dogs, it's crucial to go at their pace. You are modifying an ingrained behavior, and that can take time. One small step during each session enables your dog to process the training. Occasionally, the dog may slip back into reactive behavior, so stay calm, take a step back and remain consistent. 

Consistently measure how far your dog has come. When your dog takes a second less to react or looks at you for guidance, that's a win. Become the benevolent leader, the calm oasis for doggy confidence. Your dog will react less when you change your responses to his behavior.

A big part of improving Oscar's reactive behavior was about increasing his owner’s confidence. Her fears traveled down the lesh because she felt stressed and worried about potential conflicts with others. When she saw someone approaching, she tensed and held the lead tighter. Oscar instantly became alert to danger, and the entire cycle began again. That is how it was for me before I qualified as a dog behaviorist. 

How long will it take for counterconditioning to work with your dog?

Counterconditioning could take days, weeks, or months to change your dog's reactive responses. It depends on the severity of the dog's reactivity, how much you practice, and how responsive your dog is to training. 

Oscar took six months to become a relaxed, confident, and less reactive dog. He responded better to his owner, and they began enjoying days out and a deeper bond because they trusted each other.

My dog Poppy's reactivity was more extreme. As her trigger distance was around 300 yards, there was a lot to change, including how I reacted to her behavior. However, the changes were incremental and observable within a few weeks. 

Practice counterconditioning as often as possible and stay consistent. Don't beat yourself up if you have a bad day and get frustrated with your dog. You're changing your behavior, too. 

As you gradually shape your dog's behavior into calmer responses, you will notice your bond developing into working as a coherent partnership. Honestly, there is nothing like that moment when you realize your dog is looking to you for support and guidance instead of trying to figure out everything alone. 

Counterconditioning can be life-changing for you and your reactive dog and a lot of fun.

For more like this, take a look at behaviorist Jan Barley’s other articles including, ‘5 mistakes I made with my reactive dog that you’ll want to avoid’. 

When it comes to thinking about training, we often focus on puppies – or rescue dogs that maybe haven’t had the best start in life. But all dogs can benefit from training, including those adolescent dogs who are making the transition from being a puppy to being an adult dog. 

It’s easy to make mistakes when training teenage dogs – after all, none of us are the perfect pet parents all the time! The good news is, there's plenty of great advice out there to get you started on your training journey with your adolescent pup.

So, grab some of the best dog treats and then take a look at the advice professional dog trainer and behavioral consultant Amelia Steele, or Amelia the Dog Trainer, recently shared on Instagram.

“One of the biggest mistakes that people make with teenage dogs is just focusing on tricks and basic behaviors,” Steele begins, “When actually, what you should really be focusing on is bringing them out into public places where they can get used to seeing dogs, people, and just getting used to chilling out and doing things that you do.”

She explains that when your dog is in their adolescent phase it’s a great time to set your dog up for the rest of their lives, with reactivity prevention being one of her favorite things to work on. Doing so might reduce the chances of you wondering how to deal with a badly behaved dog in the future. 

Steele continues, “It’s helpful to look to the future and understand what skills or experiences they need to be set up for. If your dog is super distracted as a teenager, we can work on that right now to help prevent reactivity from developing in the future!”

In the video, she’s training an adolescent dog, Nori, to “hang out” in public. They’re inside, and it’s not too busy but there are a few people around – something that could be quite distracting. So, it’s the ideal setting to help train her. 

When you have an adolescent dog, you’ve got a dog who’s no longer quite a puppy but not a ‘proper’ adult yet, so it’s the ideal opportunity to put the groundwork in to make them better equipped for the rest of their lives. The age at which a dog might be in the teenage phase can differ from breed to breed, with some entering the stage from just six months old but others still being adolescents until they’re around two. 

So, you might be able to reap the benefits of the right training when your dog is an adolescent for a decade or longer!

Does your dog struggle to settle when you're at home? Do you find that they come back from a walk even more excited than when they set off? Are they prone to displaying anxious, nervous or reactive behaviors? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you're not alone.

When we welcome a canine companion into our family, we often spend a lot of time researching the best long lasting dog chews to feed them and what toys we should buy to provide them with that all important physical and mental enrichment. But what we often don't bargain on is our dog being reactive.

And who knew that the daily walk we take them on could be making things worse rather than better? Certainly not us!

But according to Piper Novick, founder and head trainer at Happy Dogs Training, that's exactly what can happen if we don't think through those daily walks carefully. 

To help you do just that, Novick has shared a helpful post to Instagram in which she talks us through the importance of decompression walks — and we're definitely going to give these a try!

When it comes to walks, Novick says they can be split into two kinds: Airport-style walks or nature-based walks. 

"Airports are huge! You could easily walk 3-4 miles there. But how would you feel afterwards?," Novick asks. "Perhaps drained, overwhelmed or overstimulated? If you're walking with your partner or family, you might start to get cranky and lash out. You'd be desperate to get out of there.

Now, think about walking 3-4 miles on a quiet nature trail. You might encounter a few other hikers, but for the most part, it's just you. You move at your own pace and listen to birds and the wind. After your walk you might feel fulfilled, content and ready to resume your day."

Now....we know what you're thinking "but I don't walk my dog at the airport!" and yes, that's likely very true. But walking around suburban or city streets simulates that same sort of busy, noisy, chaotic environment.

When we're in built-up areas, we tend to keep our dogs on a short leash and they typically have to move at our pace as opposed to walking at their own. Along the way, they'll encounter a lot of people, traffic, and other dogs barking, all of which can irritate their senses.

If you're wanting to know how to calm a reactive dog, one of the best things you can do is to provide them with access to more nature.

"Walks in nature on a long-line allow your dog to engage in species-specific behaviors, like sniffing," Novick explains. "Nature walks allow your dog to be a dog and relax into their natural rhythm."

We understand that not everyone has access to a lot of wide open spaces or the time to spend hours in nature with their dog — and that's okay. Any decompression walks you can offer can have hugely positive results.

Perhaps you drive to a forest, beach or your favorite hiking trail once or twice a week and let your dog have a calm few hours walking and sniffing. Or maybe you take them to a quiet area of your local park each day where they can have 20 minutes to decompress. Even creating sniff spots in your garden can be hugely beneficial.

Owning a reactive dog is hard, but with time, patience and consistency, you can start to see huge positive changes in your pup's behavior. 

And remember, you don't have to go it alone. We highly recommend reaching out to a professional trainer if you feel you and your dog would benefit from some extra support. 

If you have a reactive dog, then you might find their behavior a little challenging to deal with at times - especially when it comes to walks or interacting with other dogs. 

When you're just getting started on your training journey, you'll want to stock up on the best dog treats to reward your pooch's good behavior with. Our feature on positive reinforcement for dogs is also a good place to start. 

You might feel worried about your dog's reactive behavior and a little stuck on how to move forward. But, be assured that it's a very common problem that many pet parents face. There are lots of solutions out there and you're not alone in finding the one that works best for you.

If you want to nail the basics of reactivity training, dog behaviorist Amelia Steele shared three brilliant tips in her recent Instagram video. The advice came from her reactivity program and are definitely worth a go. Here's what she had to say:  

1. Understand your dog

Amelia says that if you want to train a reactive dog, then it's important to understand why they're reactive.

She says: "Remember that training is always best when we’re coming from a position of empathy rather than frustration."

Some things you might want to consider include: are they in pain? Are they feeling anxious? What's their environment like? Reactivity can also be a result of your dog's genetics and their past experiences. Amelia says that once you have an insight into how their brain works, it will help you with training.

If you're unsure what breed your dog is, then you can use the best dog DNA test to find out. This can help you to identify common traits and whether this is linked to their reactive behavior. Or if you think your pooch is in physical discomfort, here are 10 signs a dog is in pain. 

2. Have a good management system

Amelia explains that you need to have a good management system to train a reactive dog.

She says: "This means that you need to be able to prevent reactions before they happen, understand how to bring your dog out of a reaction and how to bounce back again if your dog does react something which is always going to happen."

To prevent reactive behavior, it's important to think ahead and try to avoid their triggers. This depends on the individual dog, which is another reason why tip #1 is so important. If you want to learn more about how to calm a reactive dog, this feature has some good advice. 

3. Setting goals

Amelia says that you need to understand how to set goals and that it's key to track your progress. Otherwise, it can be "really difficult to move forwards".

You might think that your goals should be about your dog, but Amelia says it should actually be the other way round. She explains that by setting goals for yourself, it makes training feel more achievable as it's something that you can actually action (in contrast to your dog's behavior which isn't something you can always control). 

Want more training tips like this? Check out these features from a real owner: My reactive dog impacted my entire household, here's what I did about it and owning a reactive dog is hard. Here's how I navigated the social challenges with my pooch.

There's no doubt about it, one of the most challenging issues you can encounter as an owner is reactivity in dogs. It can leave you feeling incredibly isolated and alone, but please know that with time, patience and consistency, change is possible. 

While many pet parents turn to the best dog treats to try to distract their dog, reactivity is a complex issue and while rewards can certainly help when it comes to training, it's important to first get to the root cause.

What causes reactivity in dogs isn't an exact science, but most trainers agree that anxiety, improper socialization and a lack of education surrounding dog walking etiquette are top of the list. 

And you'll be relieved to learn that even the experts struggle with these things. Renee Rhoades, a highly trained behaviorist with a masters in animal welfare science, has shared three errors she made with her reactive dog in a recent Instagram post — and she hopes they'll help you on your own journey.

1. Not avoiding triggers sooner: "Where I live it is near impossible to avoid off leash dogs or guardians who are not actively involved in what their dogs are doing, so I decided that our previous walking areas were iffy and walks in my neighborhood were an immediate no. Instead I focused on activities that we could do without the threat of other dogs. Most often this was at home," explains Rhoades.

2. Not teaching my dog how to rest: "As a guardian of a high drive, working dog I got sucked into the idea that if I didn't physically drain my GSD's energy I would regret it," says Rhoades. And yet what she discovered was that the opposite was true — rest was crucial when it came to learning how to calm a reactive dog.

"The more I did to move his body the less he rested. Instead I focused on raising his physical activity during peak, natural times and then lowering his arousal with calming activities to help him learn how to self-regulate."

3. Staying resentful: "It wasn't that I was angry with my dog, I was annoyed with the situation," Rhoades explains. "I was angry with others who didn't see the signs that their dogs were uncomfortable with my dog. That they got to continue leaving their dogs off leash. That their dog's insecurities resulted in my dog's reactivity. 

Being resentful is natural, but I knew I had to let the feelings go because they were not doing anyone any good. So, instead, I chose to focus on the now. How I could help my dog now. What I could do to make our lives the best now."

As you likely already know from being the owner of a reactive dog, dealing with issues like barking and lunging aren't easy. But by avoiding common mistakes that can derail your dog's progress and working with a qualified trainer or behaviorist, your dog can take positive steps towards a calmer and more relaxed life.

If you're keen to learn more from those who have been where you are, we highly recommend checking out the following pieces: 'Owning a reactive dog is hard. Here's how I navigated the social challenges with my pooch' and 'These are the five most useful things I’ve learned as the owner of a reactive dog'.

There's no getting around it — life with a reactive dog can be incredibly challenging. Whether it's barking every time the doorbell goes or lunging at people when they're on the leash, there are days when you can feel at your wits end with it all.

While there's no quick fix when it comes to figuring out how to calm a reactive dog, there are things that when paired with time, patience and consistency can make a huge difference in improving your dog's reactivity over the long term.

"Resolving reactivity is an intricate process, but understanding a few fundamentals can result in a smoother, speedier approach," explains expert trainer and behaviorist, Renee Rhoades in a recent Instagram post.

To help pet parents deal with this issue effectively, Rhoades has shared the seven-step process she uses with her clients to help address and overcome reactivity — and it goes way beyond simply dishing out a long lasting dog chew. Read on to find out more...

1. Enrichment: According to Rhoades, dogs need enrichment outlets that are breed-specific. "That might include food toys," she says, "but it's more likely to include social, sensory and cognitive experiences for mental and physical fulfillment."

2. Rest: "Sleep is the primary way of allowing the body to decompress," Rhoades explains. "It also underpins every other system in the body, so without adequate rest, an animal cannot feel secure, process or hold onto memories (learn)."

3. Avoidance: Rhoades says that when it comes to working on reactivity recovery, strict avoidance of reactions is essential. "Early on, it helps to prevent continued emotional dysregulation. In the interim, it prevents rehearsal and regression."

4. Management: For your dog to be successful at overcoming their reactivity to certain triggers, a successful management strategy (both for inside and outside the home) is key. Rhoades explains that this aids relaxation and sleep, and prevents the rehearsal of unhelpful reactions. "Passive and active management makes avoidance easier," she says.

5. Critical thinking: "We can make many assumptions about why our dogs do things that can lead to harmful misinterpretations. Taking a step back to assess and apply critical thinking skills helps to provide reassurance and results," says Rhoades.

6. Health: When it comes to reactivity, there are various health factors that you need to consider to ensure your dog is set up for success. "Pain, illness, disease, daily stress load and diet all play a part in how your dog is able to progress," Rhoades explains. 

7. Motivation: "Understanding the value your dog puts into reinforcers being offered a make or break your reactivity therapy," says Rhoades. "It is also critical to understand the motivation behind your dog's emotions in order to help modify them."

While it's really helpful to be aware of the seven-step process Rhoades uses when working to resolve reactivity, it's also important to understand that helping your dog become less reactive is a marathon, not a sprint.

Be kind and gentle with yourself and your dog as you work to overcome this issue. And remember, help is available if you need extra support. Check out our guide to how to spot dog trainer red flags if you're considering working with a professional trainer. 

Taking one reactive dog for a walk can be challenging - let alone two.

Some owners find that their dogs amp each other up and encourage more unwanted behavior when out they’re together, making it even harder to follow dog walking etiquette. 

If you can relate, then you might feel like you have to take them out one by one. Not only is this less time effective for you, but your dogs will also miss out on playing and bonding together. And if you have one of the most playful dog breeds, they’d probably appreciate a walk-time companion.

So, how do you fix this problem? Aaron Rogers, an expert dog trainer, has revealed what you should do in Southend Dog Training’s latest Instagram video. Here’s what he had to say: 

Before you take your dogs out together, you need to make sure that they both understand the pressure and release concept. If you’re not sure what that is, it’s where you release the pressure on the lead whenever your dog behaves well. You then mark it and reward them. 

Aaron recommends putting your dog in a slip lead for this exercise, instead of your regular harness, which will give you extra control.

To deter your dog from pulling, put pressure in the opposite direction that you want them in, and once the lead goes slack, give them a reward. 

Aaron wrote in the video: “Teaching the dog what the lead means allows us to provide clear direction and create a more relaxed mind.[...] Most leash reactivity can be reduced tenfold just by fixing the lead walking.”

Practice this exercise with your dogs separately, and once they’ve mastered the technique, you can try walking them together. You’ll be able to enjoy the best dog walks in the US worry-free in no time.  

If you want more advice on how to stop a dog from pulling on a leash, this guide will help. Stuck on which leash to buy? Here are the best dog leashes to choose from.

My reactive dog Poppy was a large Weimaraner cross. She pulled me over several times, once cracking several ribs after an epic face plant when she lunged at another dog.

After I trained as a dog behaviorist, I used these games daily. They will help you teach your dog to focus on you and improve your relationship.

1. Look at Me Game

This game made a significant difference in Poppy's behavior. It's a fabulous "get me out of trouble" game when your reactive dog gets triggered.

1. Have the best dog treats close by
2. Sit with a few treats in your closed hand and let your dog sniff them (at first, your dog may paw your hand and whine but wait for them to be calm)
3. If your dog sits and stops showing impulsive behavior, say "Yes!" and treat him
4. Wait until your dog makes eye contact
5. Say "Yes!" and give him the treat
6. When your dog consistently makes eye contact, add the verbal cue, "Look

Start practicing in different environments so “Look” becomes an ingrained behavior even when there are distractions.

2. Sit and Look Game

This game was Poppy's favorite and a great one to try after you've established game 1 with your dog. You'll follow the steps and add a 'sit' cue.

1. Practice in a quiet place without distractions. Walk with your dog and then use a verbal cue like "Poppy, look" and halt
2. When your dog sits and makes eye contact, say "Yes!" or use a clicker and reward him
3. My secret weapon was squirty cheese. Poppy absolutely adored it, and it was a great "emergency" treat if a dog suddenly appeared

With time and repetition, your dog will love this game. You can walk anywhere, and your dog will sit when you stop. Sitting is a calming protocol, so it's a fabulous way to help your dog manage their emotions.

3. Look at That Game

Leslie McDevitt developed this game, and she wrote a fantastic book called "Control Unleashed."

The game teaches your dog to disengage with the "trigger", whatever sets off the reactive behavior. And triggers aren't just other dogs either as this game works well for all triggers.

1. Use high-value bite-sized treats, such as fishy sprats
2. Work in a controlled environment so you can control the distance
3. When you see a dog in the distance, wait for your dog to look, say "Yes!" and give him a treat. If your dog lunges or barks, you are too close, so move further away
4. When your dog looks at triggers in the distance without reacting, add a verbal cue, such as "Look at that!" and reward if the dog is calm
5. The concept is that your dog learns that he gets a reward when he looks and doesn't react
6. Even a glance at the trigger without a reaction deserves a treat
7. Once your dog can do this at a distance, gradually start inching closer to the trigger

This game helped Poppy's confidence, and I was able to decrease the trigger distance surprisingly quickly. That made our lives much easier and walks more pleasant. Plus, I stopped getting pulled over!

4. Find the Treats Game

According to PetMD, Dr. Michael T. Nappier, DVM, DABVP, of the Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, said, "They have up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, versus only about 6 million for us. And the part of their brain dedicated to interpreting these is about 40 times larger than ours."

Scent games are popular with dogs as a fun activity. It helps your dog focus and engage with something without a reactive response, and it's mentally quite tiring (see what happened when one owner tried making a 45-minute "sniffari" for her border collie.

1. Gather small tasty treats and place a few in a room in your house, with your dog present
2. Your dog may start sniffing the air because he can smell something yummy
3. In an excited voice, say something like, "Find it, Poppy
4. When he finds the treat, praise him
5. Do this exercise a few times until your dog responds to "Find it
6. The next step is to hide the treats in other places without your dog present

Gradually make the game more challenging by playing the game in different secure environments. If your dog enjoyed that, also check out this Kong hack for tiring out your dog.

5. Find the Correct Toy Game

This game follows on from game #4.

1. Start with two toys and use one with a cue name, such as "Froggy"
2. Add a verbal cue, like "Find Froggy"
3. When your dog consistently finds the first toy, bring out the other one, put it nearby, and give the verbal cue
4. Reward when your dog chooses "Froggy"
5. Practice with the second toy once your dog consistently selects the first named toy
6. Name the toy and practice the new verbal cue
7. Put the two toys out in the same room
8. Try a verbal cue, such as "Find Froggy
9. Praise and reward when your dog gets the correct toy
10. If he fails, ignore and try again

With repetition, you can practice between multiple toys. This game can be challenging for some dogs and easy for dogs like Border Collies. It's a fabulous game for tiring your reactive dog.

6. Tug of War Game

Most dogs enjoy playing tug, and it's a great game to burn mental energy.

1. Purchase a good quality tug toy, and choose somewhere you have plenty of space
2. Encourage your dog to grab the tug toy. Use a verbal cue, such as "let's play."
3. Hold the tug and let your dog pull it
4. Occasionally, let your dog win. He will love that, and it prevents him from fixating on the tug
5. After the game, put the tug toy away

If your dog resource guards food or toys, the tug-of-war game might not be the best option, so choose one of the other games.

7. Hide and Seek Game

I love the hide-and-seek game because it teaches your dog to watch you out on walks.

1. Have treats in your hand and allow your dog to sniff them.
2. You will need an assistant to hold your dog while you hide (unless they have a strong "stay" command)
3. Find somewhere to hide
4. Once you've hidden, call your dog and reward him when he finds you.

You can practice this exercise while walking in a safe place, like a dog-proof field.

Other tips for playing games

Always supervise your dog during games and keep sessions short, around five minutes at a time. With practice, you will begin noticing significant improvements in your furry friend's reactive behavior, and having fun together will help deepen your bond.

Read next: what to pack in your reactivity training kit

If you have a reactive dog, I know how stressful it can be – especially when you have no experience managing this challenging behavior. Don't worry; you can learn about the worst mistakes I made with my reactive dog before I trained as a dog behaviorist.

I rescued Jessie, a border collie, when she was four months old. The rescue shelter didn't know much about her background, and she met with my two dogs without issues, so we bought her home. 

Although this story dates back to early 2010, I'm still embarrassed and ashamed of how I dealt with Jessie's behavior. The only positive was that my experience with Jessie led me to train as a dog behaviorist (and hopefully, others can learn from it too). 

I was determined not to make the same mistakes when I rescued Poppy, a highly reactive Weimaraner cross, in 2011.

Dogs had shared my life for fifty years and were all friendly and well-adjusted. Coping with a reactive dog was a shock because I believed I was a good dog trainer, but Jessie showed me how little I knew. 

During the 18 months that Jessie was with us, she attacked several dogs and bit three people. I made many mistakes, but the following are the ones that impacted my dog the most.

Mistakes I made with my reactive dog

1. Exposing my reactive dog to her fears

My first mistake was not understanding dog fear periods, which, according to the National Library of Medicine, are critical development periods when young dogs may become more fearful of stimuli. 

Jessie was just over six months old when we took her to a busy canicross event (running with dogs). Up to this point, her behavior had been "normal." However, when we got her out of the car, Jessie began barking and lunging at other dogs. 

Instead of taking Jessie to a quieter place in the field or back to the car, I took her to the busy start line. 

I'm crying as I write these words because I now know what I did that day was utterly terrifying for Jessie. At the start line of the race, the noise level was crazy. Dogs were hyper-excited and barking, and music was playing loudly.

I understand now that what I did is called 'flooding' : exposing a dog to their fears. Now, I know that flooding is never the answer to any behavior. Imagine someone you love forcing you to confront your worst fear. 

2. Not managing my emotions

I was embarrassed by Jessie's behavior because it made me feel inadequate as a dog trainer. People were quick to judge us, and I got angry with Jessie in public because I wanted to show people I disapproved of her behavior. Honestly, I had no idea how to cope, and the more emotional I became, the more Jessie's reactivity escalated.  

2. Walking Jessie with my other dogs

At the time, we had three other crossbreed dogs. They were all well-behaved, but Ellie, a Labrador cross collie, eventually began reacting to Jessie's behavior, telling her off and lunging at dogs when she did. 

My elderly whippet cross stopped wanting to walk with us. Poppy, the newly acquired Weimaraner cross, began showing reactive behavior, escalating over six months, and becoming another problem to manage. 

Walking separately from your other dogs is best if you have a reactive dog. It enables you to focus on a training session without distraction. It also stops your other dogs from experiencing the stress of your responses and the reactive dog's heightened emotions.

4. Mistaking fear reactivity for aggression

Everyone told us that Jessie was aggressive, even dog trainers. I attended one training class that insisted we sit on a stage in the hall away from the other dogs, and they shuffled us out a back door when we left. 

If Jessie were off-leash and saw a dog on the far horizon, she would run away from us and attack the dog. I kept her on the lead unless I could see a reasonable distance ahead, but sometimes, I got caught out. 

Her nemesis was a Jack Russell named Rhubarb, whose owner walked through my horse's field. The dogs had several spats, and it was always "Jessie's fault", even though this man did nothing to help our situation by entering the field and not shouting to tell me he was there. 

One thing you may have noticed with your reactive dog is how people label your dog as aggressive, and if dog trainers do the same, you eventually believe dog aggression is the problem. 

When Jessie bit my fiancé's adult daughter out of the blue, it further confirmed my assessment that her behavior was aggression. Poor Jessie had nobody in her corner, and I'm still ashamed I didn't know how to help her. 

5. Constantly trying to control reactive behavior instead of seeking education

I cut myself a little slack for this mistake because how can you know what you don't know? I worked with three dog trainers, who all labeled Jessie aggressive. They were all judgemental and gave me no tools or advice for managing or improving her behavior. 

It wasn't until Poppy began showing reactive behavior that I considered training as a dog behaviorist. Poppy was a big dog and pulled me over several times. I'd had enough and couldn't cope with two dogs presenting challenging behavior.

After qualifying as a dog behaviorist, I understood that managing a reactive dog's environment is the first step to rehabilitation. The second step is to learn to manage our emotions and responses regarding the behavior. 

Jessie's story had a happy ending. Sadly, it didn't end with me. My dog trainer, Nicki, fell in love with Jessie during classes. Jessie was delighted when Nicki took her off me in class when I sometimes burst into tears because I couldn't cope with her reactive outbursts. 

Nicki offered to give Jessie a home with her nine dogs, and after a three-week trial, Jessie never came home. 

Giving up my dog was heartbreaking, but seeing her happy in Nicki's many photographs and videos assured me I'd made the right decision for her. 

Jessie was the first and last dog I "messed up" because I lacked knowledge. 

Sharing my life with her led me to become a better person and dog trainer. The experience with Jessie helped me to develop a deep bond with Poppy and transform her into a well-balanced and happy dog. 

My final words are to say don't struggle alone. Find a dog behaviorist who specializes in reactivity and someone who uses positive training methods. It's absolutely possible to rehabilitate a reactive dog with proper guidance. 

You might also want to read: Five useful things I've learned as the owner of a reactive dog and how I navigate the social challenges of owning a reactive dog.

Edited by Megan Milstead.

Unless specifically stated, any expert comments quoted in this news piece have been taken directly from the Instagram post cited below.

We often think of dogs as being reactive away from the home – perhaps on walks, at the vet, or at the dog park. But, what if your pup is reactive at home? Perhaps they bark when there’s a knock on the door, or if they hear footsteps or voices?

It can be frustrating for you and the people you live with to have your dog being so reactive, but it’s not much fun for them either! 

Dogs don’t enjoy being hyperactive – even if you might imagine they do – as it can leave them stressed and unable to relax, or even enjoy playing with some of the best dog toys. 

Fortunately, however, there are ways to help reduce reactivity at home, and Calm Canine Academy have discussed them in a recent Instagram post.

They suggest an exposure management plan that involves shielding them from triggers they aren’t quite able to handle. 

“Environmental arrangements like window film, or sound buffering, can help set up your dog for success,” they explain. You can’t stop people from walking across the road by your house, and you can’t expect people to be silent all the time, but you can make changes inside your home to mitigate external factors. 

Likewise, you might decide to keep your dog away from noisy, chaotic parts of the house. If your canine friend barks when the house is hectic, consider keeping them away from the kitchen when everyone’s getting ready for work and school, for example. 

Calm Canine Academy also suggest putting in place a ‘Reaction Protocol’, so that you know what to do when your dog reacts to something. “We use a ‘Thank You’ protocol to soothe and redirect,” they say. 

Avoiding triggers is helpful, but in the long term, you may need to try other strategies with your pup too, like counter-conditioning or desensitization. 

But what is desensitization for dogs? Well, for example, you may decide to keep treats on hand and reward your dog whenever a trigger appears, be it somebody at the door or just loud noises. 

Give your pup the treat while the trigger passes by, or is ongoing. Gradually, your dog should start to make positive associations with the trigger, and eventually they might look at you for a treat as soon as the trigger appears. As well as treats, you can use toys and praise, too. 

Remember, reactive dogs are just uncomfortable with the situation and the reason why can vary – here are three causes for reactivity in dogs. 

Unless specifically stated, any expert comments quoted in this news piece have been taken directly from the Instagram post cited below.

Do you struggle to help your nervous or reactive dog stay calm when you're out and about? If so, you're not alone.

Reactive dogs have an overreaction to common stimuli in their environment. It could be the doorbell that triggers excessive barking or a passerby that causes them to want to lunge and growl. 

It can be a challenging issue to deal with, which is why knowing how to calm a reactive dog and make life less stressful for them (and you!) is so important. 

To help make passing other dogs while you're out on a walk that much easier, Piper Novick from Happy Dogs Training has put together a useful Instagram video in which she reveals one of her favorite simple tips.

"Nothing is better than exploring in nature with your dog," says Novick, "but it's likely you'll run into other hikers with dogs too.

"It's critical that you have a protocol to handle these moments, especially if your dog is shy or anxious."

In the video, Novick is filming her fellow trainer, Benah, as she takes two dogs out for a walk. 

"Benah notices a dog approaching and gives her dogs a trained turn cue, letting them know that they're stepping off the trail," she explains.

Climbing up onto a dirt mound with the two dogs to create some distance, Benah scatters a few of the best dog treats on the ground.

"Once they're off the trail, Benah gives a scatter cue and her dogs anticipate foraging for treats in the brush. While the other dog passes, Benah continues delivering scatters for each dog."

You'll notice in the video that while Benah does turn around to say hello to the hiker and dog that are passing by, the majority of her attention remains on her two dogs.

When her dogs finish their scatters and the other dog has fully passed, Benah releases her pups and the walk continues. 

"Not only does this protocol keep you and your dog safe, but it also teaches your dog that unfamiliar dogs are a cue to check in with you," explains Novick.

One of the most common loose leash walking mistakes you can make with your dog is not putting in the correct foundations — which is why Novick's tip is so brilliant.

For further advice and support when it comes to working with your reactive or nervous dog, we recommend reaching out to a professional trainer. 

Disclaimer: Unless specifically stated, any expert comments quoted in this news piece have been taken directly from the video cited below.

We've all been there. One minute you're enjoying a relaxed walk with your canine companion and the next minute they spot something that causes them to start barking, growling, or lunging.

When you find yourself stuck in this kind of sticky situation, knowing how to calm a reactive dog is vital. 

Thankfully, Alex Sessa, an expert trainer and founder of Peach on a Leash, has shared a super helpful video to Instagram in which she reveals a very simple thing you can do if your dog gets triggered on a walk.

Read on to find out what it is...

"If you have a fearful or reactive dog and get stuck in a situation your dog isn't ready for...for example, dogs are coming from every direction and you can't get the distance your dog needs...simply scatter a handful of food so your dog's head is turned away from the passersby," advises Sessa.

This dog treat scatter tip is incredibly effective because what it does is keep your dog busy sniffing out the treats until the trigger has passed, preventing an explosive reaction and keeping your training on track.

"Try to have your dog’s head and body positioned as far away from the approaching passerby as possible, and keep food flowing until they have passed," says Sessa.

"The goal of this little trick isn’t to modify reactivity. It’s to prevent the rehearsal of the behavior you don’t want (barking, lunging) in a situation where your dog may otherwise explode."

Sessa says this method is intended to be used when you find your dog is completely trapped by a trigger and there's no way to avoid it, you feel your dog is going to be stuck in a situation they're not ready for, or the approaching situation is likely to be one that overwhelms them.

Reactivity can be one of the most challenging issues to deal with. For tailored support that can help your dog learn to stay calm around triggers, we recommend working with a professional trainer. 

Disclaimer: Unless specifically stated, any expert comments quoted in this news piece have been taken directly from the Instagram post cited below.

Are you the owner of a reactive dog? If so, the chances are that there are a lot of moments in day-to-day life that prove to be really challenging — particularly those daily walks with your canine companion.

Reactive dogs become easily triggered and overwhelmed by common stimuli, and this can be especially evident when they're being walked. 

That's why learning how to calm a reactive dog is so important. 

Behaviors like barking, lunging, jumping up, and growling, can make walking your dog incredibly stressful. Thankfully, expert trainer Adam Spivey says there is a solution.

In a video posted to Instagram, Spivey revealed the simple thing you can do to help your reactive dog stay relaxed when they're on a leash — and it's a real game-changer.

Read on to find out what to do...

Most of us make a very common mistake when it comes to walking our reactive dogs, and that's letting them walk in front of us.

To demonstrate why this is so problematic, Spivey uses a real life training situation where a woman begins to walk her reactive dog, letting him remain out in front.

When the dog spots a trigger, he immediately begins to bare his teeth, growl, bark, and lunge — all well known behaviors associated with reactivity.

"Ask him to sit," Spivey instructs his client, who does this before stepping in front of her dog.

The trigger (in this case a stranger) is brought back in and while the dog does begin to growl again, a simple and firm 'enough' is now all it takes to get him to stop and seconds later, to lie down and relax.

"In front, your dog has to deal with everything first," Spivey explains.

"The threat gets closer, they react. You getting your dog to sit and taking one step forward shows your dog that you've got this.

"Don't leave your nervous dog to have to control the situation. Always advocate for your dog."

Reactivity is one of the hardest issues to deal with as a pet parent, so please do consult a qualified trainer if you feel you and your pup would benefit from some extra support in this area.

Disclaimer: Unless specifically stated, any expert comments quoted in this news piece have been taken directly from the Instagram post cited below.

If you have a reactive dog, it's likely that your daily walks together are more stress-inducing than stress-relieving.

And while many of us spend our time trying desperately to avoid triggers when we're out and about with our dogs, what do you do when encountering a trigger is unavoidable?

Well, one of the best places to start is learning how to calm a reactive dog so that you can either prevent a reaction from occurring in the first place, or swiftly de-escalate the situation so that your fur friend can relax.

Luckily, expert trainer Alex Sessa has some tips on some simple things you can do when your dog starts barking or lunging. 

Read on to find out more...

When you're out walking and notice a potential trigger in the distance, you want to get your dog to focus on you by dishing out the best dog treats. 

Keep your dog's eyes on you and keep those treats coming until the trigger has passed.

However, if your dog does start to bark and lunge, Sessa recommends the following:

1. Don't say anything: "There isn’t a specific word or hand signal that will help your dog in this moment," says Sessa. "Sometimes a kissy sound or “happy talking” will help move them along."

2. Keep the leash loose and move away: "As much as possible, try to avoid tightening up on the leash," Sessa advises. If your dog begins to bark and lunge, she recommends swiftly and calmly putting as much distance between your dog and their trigger as you can. 

3. End the walk if necessary: "If your dog has had repeated struggles on a walk and they’re having a hard time calming down, it’s a good idea to end the walk, decompress for a day or two, then try again. It’s okay! Setbacks are going to happen."

4. Use visual barriers: "For highly reactive dogs, you may need a visual barrier like a car to help them calm back down," Sessa explains. "You can also try letting them sniff and/or scatter some food on the ground."

If your dog does react to a trigger, Sessa says it's important to remember that it isn't the end of the world. Instead, it provides you with valuable information about where your dog is currently at and how much they're able to tolerate. 

Overcoming reactivity takes time, patience and consistency. For additional support and advice, we recommend speaking with a qualified trainer. 

Disclaimer: Unless specifically stated, any expert comments quoted in this news piece have been taken directly from the video cited below.

A lot of pet parents struggle with their nervous or anxious dog's behavior, which is why understanding how to calm a reactive dog is so important.

Particularly challenging is leash reactivity, which can cause normally relaxed dogs to bark or lunge whenever they encounter a trigger.

While leash reactivity can make daily walks with your pup both stressful and exhausting, there is a solution.

Alex Sessa, founder and head trainer at Peach on a Leash, believes you can successfully modify leash reactivity by following three simple steps.

Keep reading as we reveal the top tips she shared in an Instagram video...

1. Understand that your dog's progress won't be linear: Don’t look at your training as Point A to Point B," advises Sessa. "Reactivity exists on a spectrum and there simply isn’t a quick fix. This is an emotion-driven behavior, meaning that we need to change the way your dog FEELS in the presence of a trigger in order to create positive change."

2. Prioritize distance: "You’re going to see the absolute best success if you’re able to work under your dog’s threshold - meaning, they’re able to work with you without rehearsing the barking and lunging we don’t want. This might mean changing where you walk (at first) and always being prepared with high-value food."

3. Start with what your dog can handle right now: "For highly reactive dogs, you will be working at a VERY large distance, likely using a fake dog and/or a planned human helper to help you minimize surprises," explains Sessa.

"Remember, your dog needs some successes under their belt to be able to build up to harder and more realistic situations! You will start by marking “yes!” and rewarding your dog each time they notice the trigger. If they bark, lunge; or ignore you, add distance and try again."

Reactivity — whether on or off the leash — can be challenging to deal with. If you feel you and your pup would benefit from some extra support with this issue, we recommend reaching out to a professional trainer.

While there's a lot of information out there about reactivity, one thing that often isn't discussed is what to do if your dog gets 'trapped' by a trigger when you're out on a walk.

Getting trapped by a trigger can happen in many different ways. A great example is having another person or dog coming toward you and not having enough space or time to move your reactive pup out of the way.

That's where knowing how to calm a reactive dog in these sorts of situations can come in really handy.

Thankfully Lyz Knight, the founder of Rover Rehab Dog Training, has shared a post to Instagram in which she's revealing her top tips for dealing with getting trapped by triggers.

Knight is a highly trained specialist in the field of reactivity and has worked with many fearful and anxious pups. Read on to find out how she copes when out on a walk...

1. Treat scatters: "Tossing some snacks on the ground or the grass helps keep my dog occupied until the trigger has passed," explains Knight. "Treat scatters also encourage "nose to the ground & sniffing" instead of "staring at what is approaching and worrying about it."

2. Magnet hand: "I use a fistful of treats right at my dog's nose to move her as far from a trigger as possible and to keep her close to me if we don't have good options for moving away. Keeping a stream of tasty snacks also helps to continue pairing scary stuff with good/delicious things, even if the scenario isn't ideal."

3. Conditioned harness hold: Knight says she often pairs the magnet hand with holding onto the back of her dog's harness. "This is something we've practiced regularly so that she's comfortable with it, and it gives me a backup safety option to keep her close to me if needed."

4. Using my voice: "Talking to my dog helps her feel safe and also helps ME get through stressful moments. Saying things like "I know that was scary, you're doing great" can also help people passy understand that your dog is having a hard time!," says Knight.

5. Triage vs training: Knight reminds us in her post that not every moment is a training moment, and that's okay. "Getting trapped while on a walk is often a triage situation - we avoid it whenever possible, but if it happens we just through it as quickly and with the least amount of stress possible."

While all dogs are unique, Knight's tips above are well worth trying if you find yourself caught in a situation where your dog is trapped by a trigger. 

For more targeted, one-to-one support, we recommend working with a qualified trainer. 

Disclaimer: Unless specifically stated, any expert comments quoted in this news piece have been taken directly from the video cited below.

Being a pet parent to a reactive dog can feel like a tough gig some days. Whether it's incessant barking when the doorbell goes or leash pulling on walks when they spot another dog, reactivity is one of the most challenging issues dog owners face.

Thankfully, learning how to calm a reactive dog can go a long way in helping your canine companion feel relaxed around common triggers. 

And according to expert trainer Adam Spivey, founder of Southend Dog Training, one of the easiest ways you can do this is to teach your dog to use their nose.

Turning your walk into a sniffari isn't just beneficial when it comes to tiring your dog out, it can also help them to feel less anxious. 

Check out Spivey's Instagram video below where he explains how you can use sniffing to lessen your dog's reactivity, or read on for a summary...

"One thing that reactive dogs struggle to do is sniff when they're in the vicinity of something that makes them uncomfortable," Spivey explains. "They just fixate on what makes them uncomfortable and they react."

In order to help your reactive dog relax, Spivey says it's vital that they learn to use their nose.

"One of the things we do with these dogs is we teach what's called the sniff command. 

"What we do is we say 'sniff' and we throw some of their treats on the floor. We do this in the garden, we do this on walks when there's no dogs around, so that the dog starts to understand that 'sniff' means they need to start to search for something."

Spivey explains that you can then use the 'sniff' command to your advantage when you see other dogs approaching.

"Before the dog gets to the stage of reacting we can say 'sniff' and we can throw some treats on the floor.

But what about dogs that aren't food or treat motivated we hear you ask? Well, according to Spivey this is a myth.

"All dogs are food motivated, most dogs are simply full because you feed them from a bowl twice a day. Stop using a bowl, put that food in a treat pouch and make them work for that," he advises. "Very quickly their food drive will come out."

While every dog is unique, if your pup tends to struggle with reactivity, Spivey's sniffing tip is well worth trying out.

And as always, if you feel your dog would benefit from some extra support, we recommend reaching out to a professional trainer. 

Reactive dogs, they’ll cower away or bark and lunge at anything that stirs their attention, and be a real challenge to their owners. The causes for reactivity in dogs vary, from fear and anxiety to past traumas or simple overstimulation. 

These outbursts can be embarrassing and stressful for dog owners, especially on walks or in social situations where you don’t have distractions like one of the longest lasting dog chews. 

So, what can be done to help our furry friends become calmer and less reactive? Carolyn from Good Dog Training, with her fourteen years of professional dog training experience, has shared some expert insights with her Instagram followers.

In an Instagram video, she emphasizes that rewarding two specific behaviors is key to achieving better results. Her method revolves around rewarding the following 1) Calmly looking at other dogs and 2) Looking away from them and back at her.

For Carolyn, these two behaviors hold the key to managing reactivity in dogs effectively. She uses steak and pork chops with Oak, the German Shepherd puppy, she works with in the video but any of your pup's favorite snacks will work as a reward, like squeezy cheese or some of the best dog treats.

But it's not just about the treats. Carolyn also highlights the importance of the way you use your voice, tone and body language when working with a reactive dog. Keeping both calm and relaxed is essential during these training sessions. Dogs are experts at picking up on our emotions, so maintaining a positive and soothing demeanor helps create a safe and non-threatening environment for them.

Now, let's delve deeper into why these two behaviors are so crucial when addressing reactivity in dogs.

1) Calmly looking at other dogs: Rewarding your dog for calmly looking at other dogs teaches them an alternative response to their usual reactive behavior. Instead of immediately reacting with barking and lunging, they learn that simply observing another dog is a positive action, one that leads to reward.

2) Looking away and back at you: This behavior is equally important. When your dog shifts their attention away from the triggering stimulus and back to you, it signifies their trust in you as their owner. It also demonstrates their willingness to follow your cues, making them more receptive to your guidance during stressful situations.

Remember, reactivity can be a complex issue, and if you are getting anywhere with training at home it's a good idea to work with a professional trainer or behaviorist when addressing it.

Not only is reactivity a seriously stressful state for your dog to be in, as you're probably already well aware, it's not a lot of fun for you to live with either. 

How to calm a reactive dog is one of the most common questions expert trainers and behaviorists get asked, and thankfully, certified award-winning trainer Lisa Burton has plenty of answers.

"Extreme reactivity doesn't have to last forever," she says. "Once you understand why your dog is reacting and the factors that influence his reaction, you are on your way to transforming your daily dog walks for the better."

In order to help you manage your dog's reactivity, Burton has shared a helpful post to Instagram in which she reveals the three key components you'll want to include in your reactivity training plan to supercharge your success rates.

Keep reading to find out what they are...

1. Master arousal

"Stress in dogs has such a monumental effect on every aspect of your dog training, and yet it is so often overlooked by owners when it comes to trying to deal with problem behaviors," explains Burton. 

"Getting to grips with your dog's arousal level is critical to success when working with reactivity. Dogs who spend a lot of time in high arousal are more prone to react and unable to think as effectively as dogs who are calm."

2. Grow optimism

"Your dog's reactive outbursts are his method of providing reinforcement for himself  when faced with what he perceives to be a negative situation," explains Burton.

"Build your dog's confidence and optimism in the face of reactivity triggers, so that a previously negative association (that required the dog to regulate with reactivity) can over time become a neutral or positive association, and delivers reinforcement for the dog without reactive behavior."

3. Your management toolkit

"What gets rehearsed, gets repeated. To tackle reactivity it's important to limit the rehearsal of any unwanted behaviors or responses your dog currently chooses upon exposure to triggers," Burton advises.

"Training clever transition and distraction cues will enable you to do this in real-life scenarios, whilst you work on growing optimism in controlled training sessions."

Reactivity can be incredibly challenging to deal with, but with time, patience, and consistency, it can be overcome.

If you feel that you and your pup would benefit from some extra advice and guidance around this issue, we recommend reaching out to a qualified trainer for support. 

Helping a reactive dog navigate the world can be a challenge for both the dog and their owner. Reactivity in dogs can manifest in various behaviors, from barking and lunging to anxious trembling, making outings a stressful experience. 

But there's hope for learning how to calm down a reactive dog so that you and your pet can live a less stressful life. Professional dog trainer Jenna Pellerito has shared with Instagram her top three reactivity management exercises that can work wonders in keeping your dog calm and happy. The bonus is you'll only need a healthy supply of the best dog treats to try them on your own pooch.

Reactive dogs often find themselves overwhelmed by their triggers, whether it's other dogs, strangers, or unfamiliar environments. These situations can lead to intense reactions, making walks a struggle and causing anxiety for both the dog and owner. 

Reactivity management, as emphasized by Pellerito, plays a crucial role in helping dogs feel better about their triggers by preventing reactions from occurring. 

Watch how this expert dog trainer demonstrate three ways you can help your dog with their reactivity and make activities like walks much more fun together…

 Three reactivity management exercises:

1) Treat Scatter: Have you ever tried turning your dog's walk into a treasure hunt?Pellerito suggests tossing high-value treats into the grass or on the street, encouraging your dog to use their nose to sniff out the hidden goodies. This fun activity helps shift their focus from the trigger to the tasty task of finding food rewards, allowing them to remain calm and engaged until the trigger has passed.

2) Treat Magnet: In this exercise, you'll place a handful of treats on your dog's nose or use a squeeze tube filled with food. By keeping the food near their nose and leading them forward, you create a connection between the treat and the direction of movement. This not only redirects your dog's attention away from the trigger but also reinforces the idea that moving calmly forward is rewarding.

3) 123 Pattern Game: This engaging game, borrowed from fellow dog trainer, Leslie McDevitt’s, Control Unleashed series, is about conditioning your dog to anticipate treats when they hear a specific countdown. 

Start by saying "three!" and immediately give your dog a treat. Repeat this step several times before progressing to "two...three!" and then "one...two...three!" Each time your dog hears the countdown, they'll eagerly anticipate a treat. This exercise helps your pup stay focused and relaxed, even in challenging situations.

To get the most out of these reactivity management exercises, introduce them in a low-distraction area like your home. Once your dog understands the concept, gradually transition to practicing these exercises outdoors, away from their triggers. Consistent daily practice indoors and outdoors will ensure your dog becomes confident with these techniques.

As your dog becomes more skilled at these exercises, you can confidently incorporate them into your walks and outings.

Remember that reactivity management is a gradual process that requires patience and consistency. Always prioritize your dog's comfort and well-being, gradually increasing the level of distraction as they become more proficient. 

Does your dog struggle with reactivity? If so, you're not alone.

While a lot of pet parents assume that they're in minority when it comes to their dogs fear-related behavior problems, a recent study published in Scientific American reveals these issues are widespread.

In fact, when researchers surveyed more than 13,000 dogs, they found a staggering 72% displayed reactive behaviors. 

The good news is that while learning how to calm a reactive dog takes time, patience, and consistency, it can be done, and expert trainers like Piper Novick are here to show you how.

In a recent video posted to Instagram, Novick deals with one of the most common triggers for reactivity in dogs - being on their leash.

You can can check out the clip below or read on for a summary of her top tip on how to deal with this issue...

"A common misconception is that your dog needs to be close to a trigger in order for the exposure to have a therapeutic effect," explains Novick, "however, distance can be powerful."

In the video, Novick can be seen walking two dogs, one of whom is very reactive. 

She lets him observe another dog off in the distance and shows how he is able to watch the trigger before disengaging and moving on.

"Any positive exposure to a trigger is therapeutic, no matter how far away you are from the trigger," Novick says.

When working with this sort of leash reactivity, you'll want to make sure you're armed with plenty of the best dog treats that you can use as a way of capturing your dog's focus. 

From there, we recommend using the Engage/Disengage game for training around specific triggers.

Start at a safe distance away from the trigger where your dog isn't reacting and wait for them to notice the trigger on their own.

At the precise moment your dog engages with the trigger, use your clicker to issue a single click and when your dog turns their head toward you after the click, reward them with a treat.

If your dog reacts to the trigger or won't respond to you when you issue the click, simply move slightly further away and repeat the process at a safer distance.

Novick says it's important to help your dog cultivate peace and security around triggers, and the above game is a great way to do that.

Reactivity is a tough issue to deal with and it can leave you feeling frustrated, isolated, and alone.

If you find your dog isn't making the positive progress you'd hoped for, we recommend reaching out to a professional trainer for some 1:1 support.

Our guide to how to spot dog trainer red flags will ensure you find a qualified and reputable professional who uses positive training methods. 

Of all the potential issues that you could face as a dog owner, dealing with reactivity in dogs is one of the most challenging. 

Owning a reactive dog can be extremely overwhelming and stressful at times, and if they're leash-reactive, then walking them can feel especially daunting.

While learning how to calm a reactive dog is a useful skill to have in your toolbox, doing what you can to reduce the chances of them becoming reactive in the first place is also helpful. 

With that in mind, expert trainer and behaviorist Nikki Mather has shared a useful post to Instagram in which she reveals her top eight tips for walking your reactive dog. Here's what she had to say...

1. Avoiding their triggers: "Continually exposing your dog to their triggers will establish their reactive behavior," explains Mather. "Change your routine to avoid their triggers, for example, avoid street walks/busy parks/certain times of day."

2. Stay vigilant: "The more you’re aware of your surroundings, the more prepared you are to avoid bad situations early. Train an emergency turn to get your dog out of tricky situations calmly," Mather advises.

3. Keep the leash loose: When it comes to the most common loose leash walking mistakes, keeping your pup on a tight leash is right up there. While it may seem like the right thing to do when you have a fearful dog, it can actually create more problems. 

"Tension in the lead can make your dog feel even more restricted, adding to their frustration and insecurity, therefore potentially worsening their reactivity," says Mather. 

4. Remain calm before a walk: "As daunting as it can be, you can end up accentuating the problem if your dog picks up on your anxiety before you’ve even left the house," Mather explains. "Take some time beforehand to de-stress."

5. Use a harness: "Using two points of attachment makes it easier for you to contain your dog and control their body under extreme circumstances." For more on harnesses, check out our guide to harness vs collar where our expert vet outlines the benefits of each. 

6. Allow them to sniff: "Sniffing is a self-calming behaviour known to reduce stress and anxiety in dogs. Help your dog stay calm by allowing plenty of opportunity to sniff," Mather advises. 

Also, as an added benefit, taking your dog on a 45-minute sniffari may just tire them out more than a two-hour walk. So if you're looking to shorten the time you're out and about with your reactive pup but still provide them with plenty of mental and physical stimulation, a walk focused on sniffing is a great way to do that.

7. Stay positive: "Keep your interactions with your dog fun and engaging as this makes it much easier for you and your dog to adopt a calm, positive approach to training."

8. Get help: Mather says that seeking outside help is really important when you have a reactive dog. "Don’t struggle alone. Enlist the help of a certified, force-free behaviorist to set you on the right path and support your journey."

Check out our guide to how to spot dog trainer red flags to help you find a suitably qualified professional.

If you're anything like most pet parents who have a nervous or fearful canine companion, you've likely read up on all the tips and tricks for how to calm a reactive dog. 

Reactivity can be incredibly challenging to deal with, particularly when you're out and about and your dog has a strong reaction to certain stimuli in the environment. 

Whether it's barking, lunging, or growling, reactive dogs become so preoccupied with whatever is triggering them that they can be difficult to control.

However, according to expert trainer and behaviorist Nikki Mather, training a reactive dog to feel calmer and more confident is entirely possible and it all starts with training them away from other pups to begin with.

Before your dog is ready to be trained around other dogs, they first need to learn a set of skills that will set them up for success.

Keen to find out what they are? Read on as Mather reveals all!

1. Engagement skills: "You want to show your dog how great it is to check in with you," explains Mather. "For reactive pups, this focus training can then be used when we begin the desensitization process, with an engage/disengage game."

2. A sniffing game: "Sniffing is a great way for dogs to calm down and reduce stress levels, which is vital for reactive pups," Mather says. "It’s really helpful if you can get your dog sniffing on cue with a ‘go find’ game, it can also be used as a really great distraction tool when you get caught out and are not in an ideal training situation. Distraction is better than a reaction!"

3. Emergency turn: "This skill is so helpful to get yourselves out of tricky situations," explains Mather. "If you teach your dog how fun it is to move away with you, you can utilize this skill if you bump into triggers whilst out on walks, rather then putting tension in your dogs lead to pull them away."

As with training any new skill, Mather recommends you teach your dog out of context first (so away from their trigger) and in a quiet environment, so they are more likely to be successful. 

And if you'd like some extra support with training your reactive dog, we recommend you check out our guide to how to spot dog trainer red flags before reaching out to a qualified professional. 

If you've been struggling to train your reactive dog, rest assured you're not alone. Reactivity is one of the biggest challenges dog owners face and it can leave you feeling trapped in your own home.

Learning how to calm a reactive dog is one of the most important skills you can learn if you have a canine companion who gets easily triggered by certain stimuli in their environment.

However, if you're anything like us, you may not be aware that training shouldn't be the first port of call with a reactive dog. Instead, we need to look at the bigger picture so that we can understand our dogs a little better.

To help you do just that, expert trainer and behaviorist Nikki Mather has come to the rescue with a handy Instagram post in which she shares five things all pet parents need to be aware of before training their reactive dog. Let's take a look...

1. Triggers: "Anything that causes your dog to feel stress, arousal (can be excitement too), pain or fear. Triggers can be both good and bad! A good trigger may be the tennis ball, whilst a bad trigger may be other dogs. Make sure you understand your dogs biggest triggers, so that you understand what you’re working with," explains Mather.

2. Coping threshold: "How much can your dog tolerate before they reach ‘breaking point’, meaning they can no longer cope with the level of stress/fear etc. We must know this threshold so that we can avoid putting our dogs into situations they cannot handle, therefore preventing them from entering fight/flight/freeze mode and rehearsing unwanted behavior," Mather advises.

3. Stress relief: "Are they getting enough outlets for stress relief, such as sleep, sniffing opportunities, decompression walks, chewing, exercise, mental activities etc," says Mather. It's important to learn how to play with a dog so that you can be sure you're giving them all the mental and physical enrichment they need to thrive. Taking your dog on a sniffari can also be a great way to help relieve stress and tire them out. 

4. Emotional needs: "Before any type of training, we have to prioritize our dog’s emotional well-being," explains Mather. "This can include stress management, daily exercise, medical wellbeing, quality diet, breed-specific needs, social opportunities etc."

5. Lifestyle: "For both you and your dog, what do your daily routines look like?," Mather asks. "Consider sleep patterns, walks, type of walks, exercise level, diet, feeding times, social interaction, enriching activities etc."

Remember, when it comes to reactivity, your dog needs you to advocate on their behalf and to support them to feel calmer and more confident in triggering situations.

It can be a challenging issue to deal with, so if you feel you and your pup would benefit from some extra support, we recommend reaching out to a professional trainer.

Reactivity can be challenging to deal with at the best of times, but leash reactivity is especially complex.

An involuntary emotional state that overwhelms your dog and triggers their flight or fight response, leash reactivity causes your dog to overreact to certain stimuli and may result in behaviors such as excessive barking, lunging, or growling.

Learning how to calm a reactive dog is key if you want to be able to enjoy stress-free strolls with your canine companion. 

And while it can be easy to think that simply dishing out the best dog treats is enough to shift your dog's focus, food isn't always the solution.

In fact, according to expert trainer Adam Spivey the secret to managing reactivity when you're out and about comes down to correctly positioning the leash.

In a short video shared to Instagram which you can view above, Spivey says the one thing pet parents must stop doing if they have a reactive dog is wrapping the leash tightly around their hand.

"You are literally telling your dog to get on guard," Spivey explains. "This is the message that travels to your dog and your dog will often react as a result."

Instead of holding the leash tightly, Spivey says it's important to work on keeping your dog's leash nice and relaxed down by your side.

"The only time tension should hit that lead is if the dog goes forward. That's when you pull up. If the dog lunges, that's when you pull up."

Spivey explains that all dogs have a threshold. "Recognising that moment in time and then creating some space before your dog explodes will help you massively."

Reactivity can be incredibly difficult to deal with and what works for one dog may not work for another.

If you're struggling with your pup's leash reactivity we highly recommend reaching out to a professional trainer for some 1:1 support.

Check out our guide to how to spot dog trainer red flags to ensure you're working with someone who is appropriately qualified and has experience dealing with this issue.

If you've ever found yourself wondering why your four-legged companion barks like crazy or tugs on the leash whenever they spot another dog or stranger, you're not alone.

Unless you have mastered how to calm a reactive dog then the problem with reactivity is twofold. Not only can it lead to unpleasant experiences for both the dog and the owner, but it can also trigger a cycle of anxiety in dogs. When a reactive dog encounters a trigger, their heightened state of alertness can potentially escalate the situation, making them more likely to react negatively in the future. 

Additionally, negative behaviors associated with reactivity can take a toll on your relationship with them and limit your dog's exposure to different environments, hindering their overall quality of life.

In light of these challenges, Vanessa Charbonneau, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer at Sit Pretty Behavior and Training, offers valuable insights into managing reactivity in dogs. Drawing from her expertise, Charbonneau identifies three common mistakes dog owners often make when dealing with reactive behavior.

1. Proximity to Triggers

Charbonneau highlights that many owners inadvertently worsen reactive behavior by attempting training too close to a trigger. She explains, "In this situation the dog is likely struggling to respond to cues or even accept food, because they are too worried about the intensity of the trigger."

What's her solution to this? "Get more space! Distance is your reactive dog's best friend! We want to train in an environment where your dog can perceive the trigger but is comfortable, relaxed, and easily able to work!" says Charbonneau.

2. Ignoring Stress Management

Another key point Charbonneau raises is the importance of stress management. She notes that even the most well-structured training plans can flop if a dog is stressed. Prioritizing stress reduction through various activities like licking, chewing, and sniffing can significantly enhance a dog's ability to learn and respond positively to training. 

3) Reactive vs. Proactive Approaches

Charbonneau's third insight focuses on the difference between reactive and proactive approaches. "Don't wait for your dog to screw up to then implement consequences for this unwanted behavior. Instead, re-arrange the environment to prevent your dog from making mistakes in the first place. Training without management is going to be an uphill climb."

By avoiding these common mistakes, owners can create a positive and supportive environment that aids in reducing reactive behaviors and helps build a healthier relationship between dogs and their human companions. 

Reactivity can be a hard one to tackle so don't be disheartened if you aren't seeing any progress with your training. Reaching out for some 1:1 help from a professional trainer or behaviorist can be beneficial and lift some weight from your shoulders. Be sure to read our guide on how to spot dog trainer red flags before settling on one.

Even if your dog is a dream at staying focused when you’re inside, getting them to focus outside can be a different matter entirely. 

There are so many distractions and smells, from people to other animals to potential snacks on the ground that it can be difficult for even the most well-behaved dog to stay focused when out of the house. Walking in public around other humans and animals can be a big trigger for reactivity in dogs.

However, Ruben Montes, owner and dog trainer at Kindred Dog PDX in Portland, Oregon, has shared some advice that can come in useful – and it involves where you give your dog their food - whether that be the best dry dog food or the best wet dog food.

“I think one of the most common problems that we hear when it comes to owners and their dogs is they tell us that their dogs have an inability to focus when they’re outside,” begins Montes in an Instagram video. 

“They’re just too distracted by everything else that is going on … Really, when it comes down to it, it’s like you have to teach your dog how to focus on you outside."

He explains that your pup is more likely to focus indoors, or in the backyard, where they’re in a confined space and there isn’t as much stimulation. So, it’s worth starting by making sure your dog is focused in the house and then in the backyard, if they aren’t already.

Then, you can move to the front yard, “if you want more focus outside,” says Montes. “You have got to train outside”. 

It’s something that will help with a number of behavioral problems, like reactivity and pulling towards things, because ultimately they all come down to your dog losing focus. 

He outlines the steps to take in order to help your dog be more focused when outside. First, he recommends working your dog for their meals. He suggests starting inside the house, then in the backyard, and then in the front yard. He says, “Incrementally challenge your dog with harder areas”. 

He adds another tip, “If they don’t eat in the area you are in, don’t go feed them inside. Dogs are smart, they know when they can hold out because the food will show up eventually”.

Finally, he says not to train your dog with some of the best dog treats until they can demonstrate focus outside with their meals: “Oftentimes, dogs can say no to treats because they already had their meal”. 

If you feel like your pup needs extra help with maintaining focus while out on walks then it's never too late to consult a professional trainer or behavior for some 1:1 help.

Is your dog leash reactive? A common issue for a lot of pet parents, leash reactivity occurs when a dog barks, growls, lunges, or attempts to jump up when confronted by particular stimuli in their environment.

While leash reactivity is an involuntary emotional state that overwhelms your dog, dealing with it can be both embarrassing and stressful. 

Learning how to calm a reactive dog can be hugely beneficial if your pup struggles with reactivity in most situations and environments.

However, if their reactive behavior is largely confined to when they're on a leash, there's a lot you can do to prevent it from occurring in the first place. 

Many of us make several common loose leash walking mistakes without realizing it, and these mistakes can end up making reactive behavior more likely.

To help you avoid these and maximize your chances of being able to enjoy a stress-free stroll with your dog, expert trainer Amelia Steele has a few tricks up her sleeve that are well worth trying out.

Read on to find out how you can improve your dog's behavior when you're out walking...

1. Put your dog back on the leash: "I like to shorten the leash just in case but keep it nice and loose so that it doesn't add tension to your dog," Steele advises. "Remember, not everybody's dog is friendly and allowing your dog to approach other unknown dogs can cause major issues in the long run."

2. Bring your dog to the outside of you: "If the other dog is approaching to your left, then you want to bring your dog over to the right-hand side of you. This just puts more distance between the dogs and it makes everything much easier."

3. Maintain engagement with your dog: According to Steele, doing this as you pass other dogs will prevent your dog from fixating. "Fixating can not only trigger a reaction in the other dog, but it can also create reactivity in your dog in the long run, so it really helps to keep your dog's focus on you as you're passing another dog."

Reactivity can be incredibly challenging to deal with, but with time, patience, and consistency, you can make huge positive progress with your dog's reactive behavior. 

If you find this isn't happening after several months of working with your dog on their leash reactivity, we recommend reaching out to a professional trainer who will be able to work with your dog 1:1. 

There's no denying it — dog training is no easy feat. But it can be particularly challenging if you have a dog that's nervous or fearful. 

Learning how to calm a reactive dog is important as this will help prevent behaviors such as barking and lunging. However, sometimes we pet parents inadvertently do things that can cause our dog's reactivity to worsen.

Certified trainer and behaviorist Nikki Mather says that are several common places we can go wrong when it comes to training a reactive dog.

To find out what these are, you can check out her Instagram video below, or keep reading for a summary...

1. Not meeting all of their needs first: "Whether it’s physical, mental, social, emotional or breed-specific, if we aren’t meeting our dog’s basic requirements, training will be extremely challenging and sometimes unsuccessful," explains Mather.

2. Disregarding their emotional state: "If you’re exposing your dog to their triggers in situations that they cannot handle, they will immediately be sent over their threshold and therefore unable to listen and learn. We must consider our dog’s emotional state when we undergo any behavior modification plan."

3. Your criteria is too difficult: "You’re asking your dog to do something that they just cannot yet do. Whether that’s because we haven’t taught the skill or we’re asking them to perform the skill in too difficult an environment. We must break down the training criteria into easy steps," Mather explains.

4. Not addressing underlying medical concerns: "Just because you cannot visibly see a medical issue does not mean it isn’t there," says Mather. "Before we can purely treat an issue an behavioral, we must rule out medical ailments, both physical and mental."

Even with all the training knowledge in the world and armed with the very best dog treats, working with a reactive dog isn't easy.

If you feel you and your dog would benefit from some extra support, we recommend reaching out to a professional trainer for help. 

It takes a lot of time, patience, and consistency to learn how to calm a reactive dog and help them feel more comfortable around their particular set of triggers.

As a pet parent, dealing with reactivity can feel incredibly challenging — particularly when you and your canine companion are out and about. 

Whether it's lunging at people or barking at other dogs, encounters with unfamiliar people and animals can feel very threatening if your dog struggles with anxiety. 

It's something that accredited and certified dog trainer, Lyz Knight, has struggled with in her own life with her dog Molly. 

"My dog Molly can be fearful or reactive when she encounters unfamiliar people, especially if those unfamiliar people are also carrying strange items or making a lot of noise," she explains.

After recently moving to a new neighborhood with a lot of new people that Molly was suspicious of, Knight decided to play a game with her to help her relax.

"The Engage-Disengage game has two levels," Knight explains. Level 1 is Engage, where I mark and reward Molly for engaging in some way with something in her environment."

This could be something as simple as your dog looking towards a person or object that's captured their attention, or flicking their ear towards a weird sound.

"Level 2 is Disengage, where I mark and reward her for disengaging from that thing and turning to check in with me instead," says Knight.

When doing this with your own dog, you can switch between the two levels depending on the intensity of a distraction or how close something is.

For example, your dog may need to be further away from their trigger in order to be able to give you their attention and be successful at the game. 

"In Molly's case, she was able to move from Engage to Disengage within just a few repetitions of the game — the trigger of "unfamiliar person moving patio furniture" started to turn into a cue to check in with me!," says Knight.

When it comes to the Engage-Disengage game, Knight explains that this is one of many strategies we might use when helping nervous, fearful, or reactive dogs to develop more positive feelings around triggers.

Reactivity takes time, patience, and consistency to deal with. If you feel you and your pup would benefit from some extra support, we recommend reaching out to a qualified dog trainer for help.

Are you struggling with your dog's reactivity? If so, you're not alone. Behaviors such as barking, lunging, and leash pulling can all be incredibly challenging to deal with, but there is a solution.

While learning how to calm a reactive dog or how to stop a dog from jumping up are skills well worth having in your toolbox, your daily walk with your pup is a wonderful place to teach basic foundation behaviors. 

According to expert trainer Julianna DeWillems, who is also the founder of JW Dog Training & Behavior, foundation behaviors have a huge impact on your ability to support your reactive dog.

Being able to get your dog's attention when you're out walking and communicate effectively with them, can help them feel calmer and more confident, reducing their anxiety and reactivity.

"You'll want to teach these behaviors at home before trying to use them on a walk," DeWillems stresses, "and of course, you always want to use tasty dog treats."

Ready to find out what they are? Let's take a look...

1. Automatic attention: "You teach this behavior by rewarding your dog any time they choose to look up at you unprompted," explains DeWillems. 

2. Responding to their name: "It's important to be able to get your dog's attention, so giving a tasty treat any time they look at you when you say their name will reinforce this behavior."

3. Feeding treats while walking: "This one may surprise you, but it's really important," DeWillems says. "Feeding your dog treats while still walking allows your walk to be fluid even when you're doing a lot of training, and prevents you from having to stop all the time."

DeWillems goes on to say that all of the above are important foundation skills when trying to walk your reactive dog and can help make those daily strolls more fun for both you and your fur friend. 

You can check out exactly how she applies each of the skills in her training video above. 

And remember, if you're struggling with your dog's reactivity, we recommend consulting with a qualified professional who will be able to offer you the appropriate support and guidance. 

If you have an anxious or reactive dog, then you may find walking them to be a challenging experience. Insecure dogs may bark or lunge at other dogs or passersby, which can make those daily walks more stress-inducing than stress-relieving.

While learning how to calm a reactive dog or how to stop a dog from jumping up are both worthwhile skills to have in your toolbox, there's a common mistake you may be making on your walk that could be escalating your dog's reactivity.

Expert trainer Andrea Isabell, who has a background in dog psychology and is the founder of Canyons Canine Training, has shared an incredibly helpful video to Instagram that really took us by surprise.

In it, she explains that letting your nervous dog mark everything when you're out walking can actually increase their insecurity and make them more reactive, nervous, or pushy. Read on to find out more...

Isabell says if you have a reactive dog, her top piece of advice would be this: "Don't allow them to dictate the walk.

"Don't allow them to mark on every bush, every tree, drag you to every little thing to sniff and pee on.

"What this does is it allows them to express this insecurity, this anxious feeling where they're kind of swirling around mentally, anxiously wanting to pee on everything," she explains.

Isabell says that for pushy dogs, it's a pushy behavior that allows them to dominate the walk. For reactive or insecure dogs, letting them mark whenever they want allows them to practice that state of mind.

"The best thing to do is to practice leadership on the walk, just by guiding them. Having them follow alongside you or slightly behind you lets you practice direction, you're practicing showing them safety and that being by you is the place to be."

Just changing that one thing on the walk can lead to huge leaps forward in your dog's confidence.

And when it comes to sniffing and eliminating, let your dog do this in a spot that you've designated for them, not in one that they've chosen.

While Isabell's tip above is well worth trying, dealing with a reactive dog is no easy feat. If you're struggling with this right now, we also recommend you reach out to a professional trainer for some extra support. 

Walking a reactive canine can be very unpredictable, as various triggers can send them into a state of agitation or can cause anxiety in dogs. 

Knowing how to calm a reactive dog is a great skill to have in the bank, but another one is knowing how to handle reactivity in the moment when your dog is responding to a distracting trigger. Thankfully, Piper Novick, certified professional dog trainer and owner of  Happy Dogs Training, has shared two simple techniques that can make a world of difference. 

Novick knows all too well that there can be various causes for reactivity in dogs, such as loud noises, other dogs, unfamiliar people, or even passing vehicles. These triggers can cause dogs to exhibit unwanted behaviors like barking, lunging, or pulling on the leash. This is why Novick emphasizes the importance of distraction as a key element in managing reactivity and preventing undesirable responses.

In a video shared on Instagram, she shows two distraction based games that she recommends using when a reactive dog is near a trigger. You can watch her demonstrate the games with a client’s dog below before reading on.

Just a heads up, both methods require food rewards, so make sure you are stocked up on the best dog treats to keep your pooch engaged during your training!

One technique that Piper suggests is the 'Cookie Magnet' method. This approach involves switching your dog to the opposite side of the passing trigger, creating the necessary distance for your dog to remain calm and composed. With a generous handful of treats held directly in front of your dog's mouth, you allow them to continuously eat from your hand as you pass the trigger. "We want your dog to be magnetized to your hand as you pass the trigger," explains Novick.

Alternatively, Piper recommends the 'Cookie Scatter' technique. Similar to the first method, you switch your dog to the opposite side of the passing trigger and maintain the required distance. Instead of holding treats in your hand, you scatter a handful of treats on the ground for your dog to discover.

Novick notes, "If you have a scatter cue, like ‘find it’ or ‘search’, this is the time to use it!". By engaging your dog in the exciting task of finding scattered treats, you redirect their attention and help them associate triggers with positive experiences.

Before attempting these techniques outdoors, Piper advises practicing them indoors in a low-distraction environment. By doing so, you can ensure that focusing on you becomes the obvious choice for your dog. 

As your dog becomes familiar with these actions, gradually introduce them to outdoor settings and eventually practice them around triggering stimuli. Remember to use high-value reinforcement, such as tasty treats, and maintain calm, deliberate, and gentle movements during the training process.

For many dogs, changes in their environment can trigger big feelings. Whether it's new people or other dogs, the extra stimulation can feel overwhelming — which can cause nervous dogs to become reactive.

While learning how to calm a reactive dog can be helpful, a lot of pet parents find it easier to lessen the chance of this behavior occurring in the first place, rather than trying to manage it when it arises. 

And that's where expert trainer Piper Novick comes in. According to Novick, playing a really simple game with your dog when you're out walking can come in useful. 

The game will help you avoid some of the most common loose leash walking mistakes and prevent leash pulling around triggers. You can take a look at Novick explaining the game in the Instagram video below, or keep reading as we reveal everything you need to know...

Novick says that one of the best games for helping to put a stop to leash reactivity is the engage/disengage game. 

"This is a pattern game that reinforces the dog for engaging with the trigger from a distance at which they feel comfortable. The game aims to neutralize the trigger," explains Novick. 

To play the game, allow your dog to observe the trigger, and then when they look away, mark and reward. Repeat this until your dog is able to relax in the environment with the trigger present.

"Be sure to only play this game if your dog is under threshold, which means that your dog is not barking, growling, lunging, or displaying lots of stress signals like yawning and lip licking," Novick says. "If your dog is doing any of those behaviors, create more distance and then try again."

If you have a reactive dog, this is such a fun and easy way to help break their fixation with certain triggers and assist them in feeling calm and comfortable when you're out and about. 

For leash reactivity that persists or worsens, we recommend reaching out to a professional trainer for support. You'll also find a wealth of useful information in our guide to how to stop a dog pulling on a leash.

Being able to enjoy stress-free strolls with your dog is one of the biggest perks of being a pet parent, boosting both your physical health and your mental wellbeing. But what happens when those daily walkies end up causing stress rather than relieving it?

It's a situation faced by a lot of dog owners, so if you're experiencing this right now with your own canine companion, rest assured, you're not alone. There are many causes for reactivity in dogs, with distractions in a dogs environment being high on the list. With a potential smorgasbord of new sights, smells, people, and other pups around when you go walking, naturally nervous dogs can become highly reactive.

While learning how to calm a reactive dog can certainly be useful when dealing with this challenging issue, protecting your pup and advocating on their behalf is often the most helpful thing you can do when it comes to helping them feel safe and calm.

With that in mind, Carolyn from Good Dog Training has shared a post to Instagram in which she reveals her favorite tip for ensuring that you and your dog can enjoy your time together when you're out on a walk. Let's take a look...

According to Carolyn, the most important thing you can do on a walk is to limit your dog's engagement with other people and other dogs. 

"When you allow your dog to run over and play with every dog he sees, you're creating problems," explains Carolyn. "You're teaching your dog that other dogs are more important and more fun than you."

Carolyn goes on to say that if you let your dog interact with every dog they meet, you'll struggle to get their attention when there's other dogs around. "Your dog will likely start lunging and pulling every time they see another dog," she says.

The same goes for people. "When you allow your dog to run over and greet every person he sees, you're teaching him to ignore you and focus on everyone else. All the fun comes from other people — you're boring," Carolyn explains.

What ends up happening is that we teach our dog that pulling and lunging toward people is how they get attention and pets.

"Allowing constant interactions is a huge reason for reactivity in dogs. Learn to say no if you want a calmer dog," advises Carolyn.

And if you find you're still struggling with your dog's reactivity, we recommend contacting a professional trainer for help and support.

For more great canine content, be sure to check out our guide to how to stop a dog from jumping up. 

Whether it's barking whenever the doorbell goes, or lunging at every passerby when you're out on a walk, reactivity is one of the most commonly cited challenges amongst pet parents.

While understanding the causes for reactivity in dogs and learning how to calm a reactive dog can both be incredibly helpful, these things take time, patience, and consistency to get to the bottom of. In amongst all of the training will be times when you simply want to enjoy a walk with your canine companion without any stress.

Thankfully, doggy expert Julianna DeWillems has a really great tip to help put the enjoyment back into those daily walks with your fur friend — and it all comes down to changing up your environment. Check out her Instagram video below where she explains exactly what to do, or read on for a summary of what she had to say.

"If you have a reactive dog who struggles with regular walks, don't underestimate the power of unconventional walking spaces," says DeWillems. "I took my dog to the quiet side of a shopping center for a walk the other day and not only did we not come in contact with a single person, or dog, but she was able to sniff and explore as much as she wanted."

While we often take our dogs to busy places like parks and beaches, DeWillems advises us not to write off other walking spaces which could offer a more enriching experience for your dog and a more relaxed walk for you.

Options she suggests are places like parking lots, empty playgrounds, school grounds after hours, and quiet green spaces. DeWillems also advises considering the following before taking your dog for a walk:

1. "How busy is this space? Are there likely to be dogs or people? Checking it out before bringing your dog can be a critical step."
2. "What days/times are likely to be quieter?"
3. "Are there any rules against bringing dogs to this space?"
4. "How can I make sure my use of this space does not negatively impact anyone else? (Pick up poop, don’t let your dog dog holes, etc)."

Dealing with reactivity can be challenging, but as DeWillems has shown, there are ways for you and your dog to enjoy stress-free strolls together. If you require more help with managing your dog's reactivity, we recommend reaching out to a professional trainer for support.

For more great canine content, check out our guide to three of the most common loose leash walking mistakes (and how to fix them).