What is ‘reactivity’?
“Reactivity” in dogs refers to an excessive or overly emotional response to a specific trigger or situation. Most commonly, it is other dogs and/or people. By definition, ‘react’ is to act in response to something; respond in a particular way. It’s important to stress the importance of not using labels to describe dog behaviour, as it can be misleading. To quote Susan Friedman, “Behaviour is not who you are – it’s what you do.”
Why does my dog react or ‘go crazy’ when he sees other dogs on walks?
Behaviour itself is made up of many things including genetics, the environment, previous learning and experiences. It is shaped by individual personalities, breed characteristics, and past interactions. Dog reactivity can be caused by these and often a combination of things.
The emotions a dog experiences can range from excitement and frustration to nervousness and fear. In many cases, the dog has learnt to show this behaviour because it will result in them getting what they want. For example, if your dog is allowed to greet other dogs after pulling towards them, they have learnt that this behaviour works to greet other dogs. It may look like your dog is ‘desperate’ to get to other dogs and super frustrated if they can’t. The frustration may be expressed by barking/whining. On the other hand, if your dog is fearful or uncomfortable being around other dogs, and they bark, pull and lunge at other dogs to make the other dog go away, your dog learns that these behaviours can work to get other dogs to move away from them.
Why is my dog fine with dogs off leash but reactive to dogs on leash?
Being on a lead can limit your dog’s ability to show natural body language, move freely (especially if the leash is tight) and it inhibits their flight response (running away from danger). As a result of that you often see ‘fight’ behaviours like lunging, whining, barking, pulling on the leash, which can be interpreted by other dogs as threatening behaviour.
Can I accidentally make my dog’s reactivity it worse?
It is possible to exacerbate these behaviours. When your dog reacts, actions like tight leashes, jerks on the lead, harsh words and exclamations/shouting can be enough to cause your dog to make an unwanted association with other dogs (and with you). In addition, if you are nervous or worried about how your dog may react to another dog, it’s normal to become tense and tighten up the leash. Your dog may link your actions with the presence of other dogs, which can result in more exaggerated behaviours when they see other dogs in the future.
However, it’s important to note that your dog’s behaviour is not your fault. Canine behaviour is complex, and everyone is doing their best with the knowledge and skills they have.
What is the first step in changing my dog’s reactivity?
Firstly, if you don’t like the behaviours your dog is displaying when they see other dogs/triggers, it’s best to not let your dog continually practice them. Unfortunately, the more a dog practices a behaviour, the better they get at it! Just as it works when practicing sitting for their dinner and they get really good at it, practicing something unwanted also makes them better at that. So, avoid walking your dog until you are at an appropriate place in your training plan.
You can replace walks with lots of alternative activities and an enrichment program, plus learning the skills required for your training program at home first. At best, find times of the day or areas you can walk/explore where there are no dogs/triggers around.
Then we encourage you to get guidance from a qualified positive reinforcement based trainer to teach you the skills to start to take your dog out and about and enjoy your walks.