Reactive Dog

[frisky]

I recently adopted a new to me coonhound. He’s super sweet but 100% reactive on a leash. To be fair, he’s overwhelmed with his new life walking on a sidewalk with a leash, in a city. And of course, he’s adjusting to the trauma of losing his original family. I understand this. I also want to give him the best shot of a happy, fulfilling life. It’s also pretty overwhelming for me, to be honest.

Many years ago, I had a reactive dog. I did the best I could, but I’d like to do better this time. Please share with me any resources on dog reactivity and also educate me on what kinds of things I should look for in dog training. Anything online? People I should follow or specific training methods?

Also, does anyone have any positive experiences to share?! I really wanted a chill dog that I could take anywhere and everywhere.

[SaddleUp158]

When my newest dog came to me she hadn’t had any exposure to life outside of her breeder’s home so she was totally overwhelmed and terrified of even neighbors coming over to talk with me. I started off just sitting on the front porch with her, letting her take everything in. Eventually walking her in the front yard, and then progressing to going around the block. For her it was all about exposure. She likely isn’t what one would call a truly reactive dog, but she was at first out of fear.

My other girl I have had since a pup. She is a barky breed and would bark at anyone she could see. We worked a lot on exposure, and also going through different “tricks” or “commands” that she was really good at when I would see someone or something that she was going to react to. If I was able to get ahead of her I could ward off the overreaction. We also walked the neighborhood with a pocket of treats and would meet people who would then give her some of those treats. She eventually learned to enjoy meeting new people instead of being scared and defensive.

[Dr_Doolittle]

Counter conditioning is the only thing that really works for this – I always recommend the extremely helpful book “Feisty Fido” to my dog students who have reactive dogs.

It’s written by the wonderful Patricia McConnell (trainer and behaviorist of over 40 years’ experience, all of her training is reward based), and it’s a steal at $7.99 on Amazon. About 45 pages long, it describes counter-conditioning protocols in a clear, step by step way that’s simple to implement, and you should see results in a month or two; it really does work as long as you are consistent and patient! Best of luck.

[colorfan]

Reactive in what way? Is this a country dog new to the city? Is his reaction like he is nervous, uncertain, maybe scared or barking and eager to chase reactive?
I would also do as Saddleup suggested for an insecure overwhelmed reaction.

For my Rough Colllie, she was just eager to go meet and play so distracting her with something she already knew how to do, sit-treat, change direction-treat, worked fairly well. but she had been with me for a few months before I took her off property so she knew me.

[frisky]

Yes, reactive in the dog new to the city, all the sounds and movement. I’ve had him less than a week. He is very nervous and scared and barking when he sees other dogs. Maybe eager to chase. But it’s mostly out of being overwhelmed and insecure. I’ve been able to see some positive change.

I can’t tell if or what he thinks of other dogs. Unfortunately, I don’t have another dog to really gauge his behavior. He barks at all the dogs that he sees. We have been quickly turning and moving away from the dogs. Yesterday, he did not bark at a couple of dogs in the distance, a win. And he’s started to realize he is with me, so he’s toned down the lunging a bit. Sometimes now, he will bark on a loose rein walking beside me as we head in the other direction, a change for the better.

The original owners said that he was mellow and sweet to other animals- dogs, cats, and chickens. I’m guessing that he might have been a farm dog with little interaction with outside adventures.

[Lizrd]

I have a reactive Boxer. I agree that counter conditioning is really what is needed. There are some interesting training theories out there. Two things really helped me help my dog.

1. I read a quote that said something to the effect of, “Your reactive dog thinks it is doing the right thing.” That changed my entire outlook on his barking and going ballistic at leaves that move. He THINKS he is doing the right thing. Me correcting or getting frustrated with his behavior didn’t help. When I reframed my own thinking to consider that he thinks he’s doing a good job to guard me from UPS and Amazon that helped me respond with a relaxed approach.
2. I adjusted my expectations for this dog. Would I love a “go the the ballgame” or “sit at a cafe” dog? Yes, I would like that. That would not serve this dog well at all. He’s not into going to the cafe. He’s not into going through the drive through for a pup cup. He guards the car. He gets stressed out going places. For him to live his best life I make sure he has an enriching environment at home and in safe settings. That is what makes his life complete. It is not about me.

Good luck. There are also some “Rover” play yards that specialize in reactive dogs. That may be an intermediary step for learning what your new dog is all about. He can be off leash but in a safe, controlled environment.

It also helps me to remember, I am not alone in living with a reactive dog…

[Marla_000]

Agree with @ Dr. Doolittle above.
Get the booklet, Feisty Fido.
If you follow the procedures, about 95 percent of the problem will extinguish and be gone.

[frisky]

One thing I have realized is that I have much more compassion and empathy and kindness for this dog and for myself than I had with my first reactive dog. This is the important message that I want to always have in mind at all times. Thanks for providing perspective and more things to think about. It will help me take a step back and slow down. He’s a super kind dog and I enjoy being with him.

[Dr_Doolittle]

It helps to remember this: “your reactive dog is not giving you a hard time, he is having a hard time.” It’s very easy to get frustrated with this behavior, but in the case of most dogs it’s a combination of anxiety, frustration, and believing that “the best defense is a good offense”; people misinterpret it as a desire to play with other dogs, but unless it’s a puppy - that is usually not the driver of the behavior.

ETA that I have counter conditioned my Whippet to squirrels, so I know it works!

[luvmyhackney]

I used counter conditioning and Trazadone for my reactive heeler mix. It worked, I can walk her anywhere with no reaction. Took about 4 months, mainly cause I’m not a great dog trainer and it was hard finding good situations to build her confidence with people that would ignore her completely.

I used some of the TTouch wraps to help as well.

[OzarksRider]

Can you enroll him in an obedience training class with other dogs? This would engage his brain, give him confidence, and help socialize him to other dogs and people. I’ve done this with dogs that have come to me as strays, and I can’t say enough about how valuable it has been. My current dog is a former stray (a hound mix) that trusted no one, and she was terrified to ride in cars. I took her to obedience training and she earned her AKC canine good citizen certificate. Now she thinks all the people and dogs she meets are her new best friends, and she loves to ride in the car. She also loves to tag along when I ride my horse.

When your dog has had a little more time to settle in and knows basic commands, start taking him with you to places that allow dogs. He’ll learn that these outings are fun, and the exposure to new experiences will be good for him.

Most of all, be patient. Your dog’s life has been turned upside down, and it will take a little time for him to adjust to you and his new environment.

[SlabSided]

I have a reactive dog and yours sounds just like him those first few weeks. EVERYTHING overwhelmed him. Routine goes a long way to helping him settle in. I found a reactive dog class where I learned a lot of tips for distracting him and how to understand his triggers and slowly reduce the distance he needs to be from other dogs and help him learn to, as I say, keep his shit together. He’s very food motivated and can ignore just about anything for a good treat. The sad thing is, he really, really likes other dogs and is so good with them once he’s slowly introduced. I’m not sure if it’s just how he is or if his previous life, which I know wasn’t the greatest, messed him up. Like others have said, he will never be a dog I can take anyplace with a lot of external stimuli.

I don’t think I would take a truly reactive dog to an obedience class - it would overload his system and not really be fair to the other people in the class. Your vet or SPCA (where I found my reactive dog classes) can probably recommend something. Also pack hikes where he can be around other dogs at a respectful distance were great for my guy.

Good luck.

[frisky]

I am thinking about taking the reactive rover class, which is about 6 weeks, at the humane society. I figured I’d give him a bit of time to settle in first and maybe form a relationship. He also just seems to be getting over the kennel cough.

I appreciate all the replies and plan to get the FFbook. Thanks so much.

[clipclop12]

If I read correctly, you’ve had him a week? He could just be getting used to this new city life. I’ve tried to follow the 3 3 3 rule for adopted dogs. 3 days to just decompress. 3 weeks to started feeling a bit comfortable. 3 months before the pup is fully adjusted. So, it could be partially just being new.

Is he only leash reactive or reactive no matter? I’ve seen dogs that do NOT like to be leashed around other dogs and thus reactive while leashed. They could have been attacked while on leash and/or they feel trapped and can’t defend themselves or run away. But off the leash, love other dogs. It might help to narrow down the triggers.

I’ve heard of something called Sniffspot. It’s an app that basically allows you to rent someone’s backyard or field, etc. The idea is that it allows a dog space to run/train/see new places in a more private setting. Some places are fully fenced, some not. I believe the app creator did it as an alternative for dog parks, especially for reactive dogs. I’ve personally never used it so I can’t say it’s good/bad.

But as others have said, counter conditioning helps. Also, obedience training or other skills (agility, scent work, tricks, etc) generally give a dog more confidence overall and can help reduce reactivity a bit.

[cilla1]

It worked with a whippet and squirrels?! I’m running to buy it! My greyhound is the sweetest goofball, until he spots a cat, I’d love to decrease this behaviour, even if I understand he’s an ex racer he goes completely nut when he sees a cat (ora a squirrels, or anything small furry and running…luckily he doesn’t chase small dogs)

[Luseride]

A coon dog is bred to bark during the hunt and has different barks for what he is doing. There is a bark for trailing something, another for treeing a coon, they can be very vocal but that is what they are meant to do.

The lunging could be as much about a new scent as anything else. Give him time as he is probably used to doing as he pleases and not be on the leash very much.

[anonevent]

I fostered for many years and have had my own reactive dogs. Some severe and some who improved dramatically.

I adopted a large 8 year old who was so reactive that the trainer I’d hired to walk her refused to continue. I found a better trainer who taught me really basic handling and positive reinforcement techniques. Over the span of about a year, that dog became not only not-reactive, but actively dog social and fostered dozens of other dogs with me.

I later adopted another as a puppy who had every resource in the world (me, trainers, veterinary behaviorists etc) who never improved much. One of the many things I learned from him is that what separates a good trainer from a great trainer is their flexibility.

One trainer told me “you have to do it perfectly every time or it isn’t going to work.” Another trainer did the trouble shooting to find what the dog best responded to. (ex. some dogs do well with sitting still while the trigger passes, others like to move away from the trigger) She was very systematic and scientific in her efforts to find what worked best for both of us to navigate around triggers.

If you are in the NYC area, I can recommend trainers for reactivity. Some will work through zoom, but I think you’ll want occasional in-person sessions. It’s very helpful to have an extra set of eyes.

Also, give him some time to decompress. Usually about three weeks after a major life change or scary event allows the stress hormones to dissipate.

*Also, Pat Miller at Peacable Paws in Maryland is the best resource. Any trainer who has been through her training program is a safe bet. There is a list on the Peacable Paws website.

[Dr_Doolittle]

Yes - though I did initially offer two options: Pull after the squirrel and you have to do a down on the sidewalk for 15 seconds (alas, Greyhounds are not known for their quick “downs”), alternately - look at me and you instead get enthusiastic praise and jackpot cheese!

Dogs are always making choices, and when you counter condition, you are replacing an established behavior with a new, different behavior that is highly rewarding; eventually the dog will make the “right” choice

This does take good timing, and lots of patience and consistency.

[Dr_Doolittle]

@anonevent

One trainer told me “you have to do it perfectly every time or it isn’t going to work.” Another trainer did the trouble shooting to find what the dog best responded to. (ex. some dogs do well with sitting still while the trigger passes, others like to move away from the trigger) She was very systematic and scientific in her efforts to find what worked best for both of us to navigate around triggers.

I actually agree with both of these approaches.

Not “perfectly”, but consistently - that’s what’s actually important. Most non-trainers (or non horse people, LOL!) don’t have very good timing until/unless they have practiced something many, many times - and timing is key to success.

That said, we also must listen to the dog and observe his/her body language; dogs are not “all the same” in terms of what works best for them, so we need to be open to experimentation and trouble shooting - and be willing to pivot to another, slightly different approach after evaluating the dog’s responses.

[chestnutmarebeware]

I don’t have any tips that haven’t already been posted, but this insight might help you understand the behavior a little better:

A behaviorist at my old vet’s office told me that insecure dogs (usually a personality trait they’re born with) know they can’t retreat from a scary situation because of the leash, so they use fear-based aggression to try to bluff their way out of it instead.

I saw this repeatedly with my late ACD I took in (a poorly bred Amish puppy mill dog). He had terrible cage aggression if someone other than me tried to reach into the cage, but if you stood back and let him come out on his own, he was fine. Likewise, when he was off leash he would just stay back from other people, but if he was leashed he acted like Cujo to bluff his way out of the threat (in his mind) from other dogs/people.

Thankfully I live in a rural area and could let Blue just be Blue, except for the times we went to the vet.