Fixing the Reactive Dog

Does your dog bark, growl, or lunge when they see another dog?

Do you walk at odd hours just to avoid running into other dog walkers?

If this sounds familiar, you may be living with a reactive dog.

Reactive dogs commonly display aggressive-type behaviours when exposed to a specific trigger. That trigger may be other dogs, unfamiliar people, or sometimes both.

The dog training world is saturated with theories, opinions and self-proclaimed experts on this subject. A quick Google search will turn up countless articles promising a simple, universal solution to reactivity.

With all this information available, one might assume that dog reactivity would be easy to fix—that any motivated owner or halfway decent trainer could resolve it. So why is this problem so widespread? Why do we see owners becoming increasingly frustrated, isolating their dogs, turning to psychotropic medications, or even considering euthanasia?

The answer is simple: most mainstream dog training approaches are not equipped to handle true reactivity.

It’s one thing to read about behaviour modification. It’s another thing entirely to produce consistent, real-world results with reactive or aggressive dogs.

Enough preamble. Let’s get to the meat of the issue.

Below is our approach to addressing the reactive dog.

Understanding the “Why”

In roughly 99% of reactivity cases, the behaviour is rooted in fear. Reactive dogs are typically insecure dogs, regardless of how intense or intimidating their displays may appear.

The goal of the aggressive display is simple: make the threat go away. Barking, lunging and growling are learned strategies that have worked for the dog in the past. Understanding this is critical.

Stop Forcing Social Interaction

One of the most common mistakes reactive dog owners make is attempting to force social exposure.

They drag their dog into repeated interactions with the very thing the dog fears, hoping the dog will eventually ‘get used to it.’

This rarely works.

In fact, repeated forced exposure often reinforces the dog’s belief that other dogs or people are dangerous—no matter how many treats are involved.

Flooding a fearful dog does not create confidence, it creates more stress.

Set Reasonable Goals

Many owners want their dog to be like the carefree dog they grew up with or the neighbour’s happy-go-lucky Goldendoodle. That’s understandable—but often unrealistic.

The goal is not to make anti-social dogs, sociable. The goal is for you to live a normal life with your dog. That means hikes, car rides, walks and public outings where your dog can exist calmly around other people and dogs.

Your dog does not need to greet, play with, or interact with strangers to live a full life. In many cases, neutrality is the real win.

That said, many dogs do eventually become socially accepting. But that is a by-product—not the primary objective.

Forget the Past. Focus on the Present

Owners often carry a story about why their dog is reactive: a rough start in life, a past attack, or a traumatic experience.

While reactivity can be influenced by experience, genetics often play an equal role. We’ve seen dogs show reactive tendencies as early as eight weeks old.

At some point, the “why” stops mattering. Your dog has a problem now. Fix the problem instead of justifying it.

Obedience, Obedience and More Obedience

Ask yourself honestly: is your dog truly obedient? Not “sometimes.” Not only when food is present. Not only when wearing special equipment.

Can your dog reliably come, heel, sit and down—on and off leash—regardless of distractions?

We have yet to see a genuinely reactive dog that meets this standard.

Most reactive dogs leave the house already scanning the environment for triggers. A reliably obedient dog, on the other hand, is focused on the handler and the task at hand.

If your dog is in a correct heel, they cannot simultaneously be lunging at another dog. It’s one or the other.

Reliable obedience is built through a balanced training approach, where dogs experience both positive and negative consequences for their choices. A truly obedient dog responds regardless of distractions—not because the dog is social, but because the dog is accountable.

Introducing the Trigger

Once obedience is reliable, it’s time to reintroduce the trigger in a controlled way.

This is done incrementally. Begin at a distance where the dog can remain in obedience while the trigger is present. The dog is asked to perform known behaviours—heel, down, or sit.

If the dog breaks obedience to react, there is a consequence—not for the aggression itself, but for failing to maintain the requested behaviour.

The dog learns that the presence of the trigger does not change expectations. Attention remains on the handler, not the environment.

As the dog improves, the distance to the trigger is gradually decreased.

Contingent Punishment

At this stage, the dog is consistently corrected for choosing to react.

Through repetition, the dog learns exactly which behaviour causes the correction and which behaviour avoids it.

This is where many handlers go wrong. Poorly timed or poorly delivered punishment creates confusion, stress and sometimes worsens the problem. This is why working with experienced professionals matters.

It’s preferable to anchor corrections to obedience failures rather than waiting for full reactive explosions. Reactive dogs need structure and mental engagement. Obedience provides a clear alternative behaviour—and a clear path to success.

Avoid Bribery

Another common mistake is constant food delivery whenever a trigger appears. The idea is that food will replace fear with positive association.

In reality, this often turns into bribery.

Positive reinforcement is effective when the dog is offering desirable behaviour—such as holding a heel while another dog passes. But if your dog only behaves when food is present, the training is incomplete.

A properly trained dog should offer obedience with or without visible rewards.

Repetition and Consistency

With all components in place, the process becomes simple: repeat and maintain.

That means:

• Ongoing obedience

• Consistent consequences for poor choices

• Variable reinforcement for correct behaviour

Praise your dog. Reward occasionally with food or toys. Keep the dog motivated—but accountable.

Don’t Fall for Emotional Blackmail

There is a persistent narrative in dog training that any use of punishment is abusive. This ideology is especially common in rescues and online communities.

The reality is that punishment—when applied correctly—has repeatedly been shown to be the most effective way to eliminate unwanted behaviour. It is a necessary part of learning.

Effective training is clear and efficient because the dog understands the consequences of its choices. Without contrast, learning has no meaning.

Summary

Reactivity is best addressed through a multi-pronged approach:

• Reliable obedience

• Contingent punishment

• Reinforcement

• Consistency

• Repetition

When done correctly, meaningful behaviour change should occur in months—not years. Clear communication leads to fast learning.

Your dog doesn’t need to be social. Your dog needs to be stable, controllable and confident.

And that is entirely achievable.

Dawn & Phil 🐾