03/09/2026
When “aggression” isn’t aggression…
I worked with a rescue dog recently who looked aggressive on walks.
Barking. Lunging. Reacting to other dogs.
But instead of asking, “How do we stop this?”
I asked, “Why is this happening?”
We looked at the triggers, distance, body language, environment and what was happening immediately before each reaction.
Because a dog who is barking and lunging may not be trying to attack.
They may be frightened.
Overwhelmed.
Frustrated.
Or simply trying to create distance.
The behaviour is the message.
Our job isn't just to stop the message.
It’s to understand what the dog is trying to tell us.
Especially with rescue and reactive dogs, understanding comes before changing behaviour.
