Hi everyone!
A client of mine recently expressed that they felt hurt and judged when being frowned at by a fellow dog owner in town. My client's dog was barking and lunging on the leash at the time. It has happened to me as well, both when I am with clients and when I have been with my own reactive dogs. If you have a couple minutes, I would love it if you kept an open heart (and mind) while I talk about dog behaviour and explain dog reactivity.
What is reactivity? What is a reactive dog?
Reactivity is basically a set of behaviours that a reactive dog turns to in the heat of the moment when they are triggered by something in their environment. Reactivity comes out as lunging on leash, barking, raising their hackles, and sometimes aggressive behaviour like growling, snarling, etc. A reactive dog is a dog that displays these behaviours in response to a certain stimulus. Most often, it is another dog, however, I have seen reactive dogs be triggered by a cat, wildlife, bicycles, scooters, wheelchairs, strollers, etc. even loud vehicles!
Although unpleasant at times to be around, dog reactivity is almost always within the realm of normal dog behaviour. It happens. It's workable. It's okay.
Why are some dogs reactive? Dogs are reactive for different reasons. Usually it's just a lack of socialization and training/exposure to the stimulus. MANY “pandemic puppies” grew up to be reactive. During the early days of covid, no one was able to socialize themselves, let alone their dogs. There were lock downs, so there were likely no training classes available during the puppy's crucial socialization age.
Some dogs are reactive due to physical pain, serious illness like cancer or dementia, or anxiety during major life stressors such as a big move or family separation. Sometimes, reactive dogs are not aggressive, but actually just frustrated that they can't get over there and make friends! Other dogs are reactive due to lack of socialization and/or negative past experiences with that stimulus. For example, some will be reactive to other dogs because they have been attacked by other dogs. Or will be reactive to loud trucks because they scared that dog in the past. When a dog is actively reacting- they are already over their threshold for learning and often also for listening. They may be past the point of being able to use any obedience related skills they may have. A very anxiously or aggressively reactive dog quite literally cannot “listen”, they will likely reject treats- they are in fight or flight mode. It's full on amygdala hijacking in the brain. All the owner can do is ride it out and try to get them away ASAP to settle them down. Most reactive dog owners try to walk at off peak times (like early morning and late at night), but run ins are still likely in such a small area with such a high dog population. It happens!
How can you be a kind neighbour to the owner of a reactive dog?
• Is your dog off leash? Get control of them ASAP! It unfortunately won't matter if your dog is friendly. That will not calm the other dog down and if your dog charges ahead to greet, however well-intentioned it may be, your dog may escalate the situation.
• Make space! If you're able, cross the street or try taking a detour. No, you don't have to, your dog has every right to be out and about- however, so does the reactive dog. If you give them space, it will give the owner time to get their dog out of sight and settle him down. If you continue walking forward and there is nowhere for the owner to escape to, you risk causing a dog fight on the sidewalk, making them trespass up people's properties, or pushing them into traffic with your presence. No bueno, neighbourino! ;)
• Keep your dog focused on you (if possible) and just move away quickly as soon as you can.
• Smile at the owner so they know that you understand and you hope they have a good walk. You see, having a reactive dog is actually incredibly embarrassing for most people. They don't like it any more than you do, and they are sorry it is happening. A smile and wave can go a really long way to lessening the owner's embarrassment or frustration in the moment, which also quiets their dog down a lot quicker.
• If you have treats, get your dog to put their head down by placing treats on the sidewalk or holding your hand down as you move away. Your dog putting their head down is a calming signal for fellow dogs in dog-speak.
• Avoid frowning, staring, or making comments or suggestions in the moment. We don't know what they have already tried. We don't know how far the dog has already come in their training progress- this could just be a little setback. We don't know the dog's history. We don't know the whole situation- so we should try to refrain from making judgment. And making rude comments is basically holding an animal to a higher standard of behaviour than ourselves. Are you a reactive dog owner? Guess what? You're a good owner. Your dog is a good dog. You are capable of helping your dog through this. Setbacks happen, progress is not linear. You are allowed to politely advocate for your dog and yourself. Please know this post was well intended, and I hope for it to be educational and raise awareness among the dog community. Feel free to ask me questions. I hope you have an awesome day!
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