11/05/2024
Feels like everyone's a reactivity expert these days
But no one's talking about how not every reaction a dog has means they are "reactive"
Dogs bark.
Dogs correct each other.
Dogs get nervous & insecure.
But what do non-reactive dogs do that reactive dogs don't?
They have impulse control around routine, daily triggers, and become neutral to them fast with exposure therapy, clear communication, and accountability to the pack
If a dog sees dogs all the time and can't stop barking or growling at them, even with the right "stuff" going on BTS at home and on-leash
that's a reactive dog 💯
If a dog sees dogs all the time and only barks or corrects a dog when another dog disrespectfully charges into its space
Thats extremely reasonable... what I'd call "fair"
Dogs get corrected for these reactions whether reasonable or not so they don't become patterns of problem behavior or turn into "REACTIVITY"...
But it's worth discussing especially as we work together and we subject your dog to increased stress, exposure therapy around triggers, and set up training scenarios that may or may not trigger them depending on their respective level of "reactivity"
Reactive dogs react to REASONABLE stress and triggers/pressure
Non-reactive dogs only react to UNREASONABLE stress/triggers/pressure