08/10/2025
I spend the majority of my time working with dogs who are highly reactive to other dogs or people. They are predominantly scared although not always but very often they will have begun a defensive strategy that has worked for many months or even years before I meet them.
Avoiding practice of the behaviour is important because if you practice something you invariably get better at it. You play golf 4 times a week you become a better golfer!
It feels good to be successful at any behaviour and the reinforcement you feel makes you repeat the behaviour. What gets rewarded gets repeated
It your dog seeks to increase distance from another dog, barks and lunges at the dog which invariably goes away, your dog will choose that as a preferred strategy.
Walking at unsociable times 11pm and 4am is a strategy many of my clients are doing when I meet them. It is about safety for their dog and others. But everyone is feeling stressed and no one, human or canine, is learning a new way to walk on or off lead in the world in which they live in.
Their heart is in their mouth when they walk their dogs, it changes how they feel about their dog and affects their relationship with their four legged family member. And of course they are deeply worried that their dog’s behaviour creates a risk to another dog but also to their own dog should that dog react back. This is especially scary for the owner if one or both dogs are off lead.
Your dog can hear your heartbeat, it knows how you feel and tightening the lead comes long after your initial increase in your own heart rate.
It is not just about the dog learning an alternative way to behave around a stimulus they find scary but supporting the human end of the lead too.
It is really important in any behavioural consultation and training program that the human end of the lead feels that there are:
*No judgements on any part of your dog’s behavioural challenge
*No asking deep judgmental based questions on what you have tried to do
*No sharing of my opinions
*No interrupting you when you share your story
*No telling you off EVER
*Just empathetic listening that gives you and your dog the individual coaching to become the team you want to be. And your dog the best version of themselves
*A behavioural plan that is individual to you and your dog
*A plan that is discussed and reviewed because it is a flexible working document that lives and breathes as you work through it
*It might involve other veterinary professionals on that journey because teamwork is crucial. No one person has all the answers
*A recognition that as the dog’s caregiver you understand and know your dog better than anyone so listening and observing is what we do
*It is an inclusive process that also trains people to understand their dog
Sandra Raw -Clinical Animal Behaviourist Full Member of the APBC
[email protected] or
sandra@Worcester Dogs - Puppy & Dog Training
