23/03/2025
So many of you struggling with reactivity issues need to do two things:
1/ Digest and process this simple formula, memorize it, and do not attempt to make it more complicated than it is.
2/ Stop allowing your reactive dog to look at other dogs.
Owners, once you truly *get* number one, and you see the clear sequence that takes you from relaxed/neutral dog to exploding dog, you are now empowered to solve the problem.
Of course the training universe will attempt to make reactivity into something profoundly complex â which will cause you to hesitate and second guess⊠which will cause you to fail. Itâs not complex â not when it comes to how the reactivity escalation sequence works. Donât let the multitude of online experts mislead you. Keep it simple, and youâll succeed.
As for number two, this is also simple. Truly reactive dogs are unable to look at other dogs without moving â within milliseconds â onto the âlockâ, and once locked on the âloadâ and âlaunchâ come wildly fast and are often impossible to stop.
But because owners think: âMaybe he/she wonât do it this time.â, or âI donât want to create a negative association.â, or âI want my dog to enjoy the sight of other dogs and make friends.â, or prior to this post you simply didnât fully understand that looking was the gateway to the explosion⊠you allow the look.
Instead of doing what all the other owners who are struggling with reactivity are doing, do something different. Understand the reactivity escalation sequence, and knowing how it works, simply correct your reactive dog for attempting to get the sequence rolling by looking at prospective targets.
Yes, initially, we teach seriously reactive dogs not to look at other dogs â because they donât know how to do so in a healthy fashion. And no, it doesnât create a negative association â it begins to disarm the already existing negative association and gives you the chance to help your dog see other dogs from an emotionally neutral, and thus healthy standpoint. Over time, as your dog becomes more and more neutral (naturally counter-conditioning themselves) around dogs, you can slowly, incrementally, organically start to explore your dogâs limits and abilities. Perhaps, in a few months, your dog will be able to look at other dogs without escalation. Perhaps it will take more time. And perhaps youâve got a very serious customer (a 1%er) who even after great amounts of time and effort still canât look at dogs without racing through the R.E.S. Happily, these dogs are extremely rare â and thus why theyâre called 1%ers. đ
PS, please for the love of all that is holy in actually successful dog training: donât use food to try to redirect your reactive dog. Correct the looking behavior firmly and give your dog clear guidance/information about what is and isnât desired/allowed. Because, if your dog is truly reactive, they wonât care what high-value food item youâre waiving in front of them â they will just continue to stare, and now youâre screwed.
PPS, sorry to say, if your reactive dog will take food, and disengage from the trigger/target, then you donât have a reactive dog. True reactivity will ignore food every time, or will take it and go right back to the stare â and if they will take it, congratulations, now youâre training your dog to be reactive.
