05/07/2024
Brilliant article ! !
Thinkdog with Lewis Nicholls
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**** WHY ARE DOGS SEEMINGLY SO MUCH MORE REACTIVE THESE DAYS ****
There are probably more reasons that I could list over a life time but it's something that I've thought about a lot recently. So, I've compiled a list of thoughts as to why this is an issue and some possible solutions. I don't think any one individual is to blame and I think it is a joint effort to help mitigate this rising issue. Here are 5 of what I think are the main challenges.
1 - Terrible breeding practices. The fact that tomorrow I could make a start on my own breeding programme crossing dogs like Malinois' with Pit Bulls and then sell them to first time dog owners is mental! I know this may not be common practice but I guarentee someone out there right now is doing something very similar that doesn't have much of an idea about genetics and hereditary behaviour and health (myself included hence why I won't be breeding any dogs). Maybe a solution would be to create a 'pet' dog that is solely based on health and temperament. This probably isn't the most popular idea for breed purists but I can't see how it could be a bad idea. A 'working' dog that has been purposefully bred to 'work' and function as a pet.
2 - Wrong breed choice. Lots of breeds of dogs won't do very well in a suburban area getting one or two walks a day. So many reactive dogs are acting up due to unfulfilled biological needs and drives. You can't even start training a dog if their environment and lifestyle aren't compatible with their needs and desires. If you want an active dog and decide on a pastoral breed or herding breed because you want a hiking buddy that gets a big hike at the weekend but street walks during the week this might not be the best option for you or the dog. Yes, lots of breeds are very active and need lots of physical exercise but we have to remember that they have also been designed to notice anything out of the ordinary or sudden changes and to react immediately. Hence why we get a lot of bike or car chasers. If we get an enquiry about a border collie, 9 times out of 10 it's going to be because they want to chase cars, cyclists or are 'herding' the young kids. I'm not saying these dogs can't make great pets, they can but you really need to put in the work to mitigate lots of potential issues. And sometimes even when you do all the work, they still want to chase everything and anything.
3 - Inadequate or ineffective training practices. Training your dog isn't something that you should start doing when problems arise. It's their education. They need to start as soon as possible and it needs to carry on their whole lives, especially if you want them to be able to cope. And if they can sit and wait for their food, that's great. It's just the most useless thing to teach nearly any dog. Dog trainers really haven't helped here. We've created such a divide that owners will receive contradicting advice all the time. If you're just being nice to dogs because you've put yourself in a camp that lists so many things you can't do to a dog because it causes 'stress' then you're not training dogs. You're just trying to be nice. I don't care what tools anyone wants to use, good dog training is good dog training and bad dog training is bad dog training. Ethics are a personal choice. You have to decide what you are comfortable doing and what you aren't comfortable doing. If you're not sure ask someone for advice or help that might know a little more than you. If you dismiss someone based on your perceived ethics of theirs you'll be left with nobody but yourself to learn from and that's a very bad place to be.
4 - Expectations. It's not uncommon for us to get an email that's similar to 'my toddler keeps kicking our dog, pulls its tail, throws lego at its face, stamps on its head when they're sleeping, pulls its ears when they are eating and the dog is now growling. How do I stop the dog from growling? I need this nipped in the bud ASAP!' The idea that our dogs can and should tolerate as much as we throw at them has to change. If your kids is doing anything to a dog, that's not on the dog, that's on you as the parent. And if you have a dog that is petrified of people then that dog just doesn't need to go and lie down next to you when you grab a coffee. Just leave them at home.
5 - Our ever changing busy society. Sometimes certain dogs just can't cope with how we have created today's society. Similar to how a lot of people can't cope either. We've gone from having dogs that had 'jobs' to perform and the neighbourhood dogs that were able to move about freely and almost self socialise themselves to having dogs locked up in gardens barking and lunging at anything that goes past them. I'm not too sure what the solution is for this one and the rapidly changing way we live our lives is the most concerning one for our dogs I feel. I love that people are creating things like 'sensory gardens' for dogs and lots of people are moving away from dog parks and instead hiring paddocks or areas to let their dogs explore. This is possibly a good way to help these dogs cope better. And if you haven't thought about getting your dog into a 'sport' I would definitely consider that too!
Bring the joy back into dog ownership. Effective, reward based dog training for strong relationships, peaceful homes & happy dogs.
