Obviously, this is easier when the other dog is on leash. These are all reasonable, supportive measures that can be taken in an effort to quickly increase distance between yourselves and another dog. Similar tactics include ducking behind parked cars, heading up a driveway, crossing the street, or abruptly changing directions. Both tactics serve to reduce unwanted dog encounters, especially when you aren’t prepared to train your way through the situation. In densely populated areas, this often requires taking neighborhood walks during off-hours, or skipping the neighborhood altogether in favor of a shorter walk in a nearby shopping center. This means going to great lengths to avoid putting the dog in situations where he feels so overwhelmed that he exhibits an emotional outburst. When helping a dog recover from a reactivity issue, it’s important to keep your dog sub-threshold. His solution? Don’t bend my elbow!” Avoidance is not without its merits. Like the joke goes, “I told my doctor it hurts when I bend my elbow. Here are things you can do to get the stress monkey off your backs: 1. Chronic distress can also hasten the aging process, decrease cognitive function, and weaken the immune system, delaying wound healing and making the dog more susceptible to disease and infections (such as urinary tract infections). Reusche adds that dogs who live with chronic distress are more likely to experience chronic health issues such as allergies and gastrointestinal disturbances. This is especially challenging for dogs who react to stimuli (other dogs, kids, skateboards, etc.) while on daily walks, as it’s unlikely their cortisol and related hormone levels ever have a chance to return to normal. This altered brain state can leave your dog susceptible to triggers he might not otherwise react to, which is why many dogs can seem “edgy” for some time following a particularly stressful event.Īccording to Sara Reusche, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KSA, CVT, of Paws Abilities Dog Training in Rochester, Minnesota, while the initial adrenaline spike begins to subside after about 15 minutes, it can take between two to six days for glucocorticoids, like cortisol, to return to baseline levels, provided no other stressors occur. It takes a long time for the body to recover from the jolt of hormones that happens during a distressful event. Reactive outbursts are the product of distress, and distress is serious business. A recent Facebook post (author unknown) sums it up beautifully: “Your dog isn’t giving you a hard time he’s having one!” Yes!īeyond the human hang-ups and logistical challenges associated with a dog who now displays reactive behavior in the presence of other dogs, we must consider the impact on the dog.

Owners are often embarrassed by their dog’s outbursts, not understanding that the unwanted behavior is rooted in an emotional issue (fear) and is not a display of disobedience. While your dog might look like he’s trying to be a “tough guy,” what he’s really saying is, “HELP! I’m very frightened of that dog.

And with good reason! In many dogs, this well-founded fear presents as an aggressive front after all, the best defense is a strong offense.

In either case, it’s very possible the experience has left your dog leery of other dogs. Or maybe the potentially personality-altering offense was more obvious – like a blatant attack by another dog while on a walk. Maybe it was after the time your mild-mannered Maltese puppy was dramatically barrel-rolled by the fun-loving Labrador during a critical developmental period.

Barrier reactive dog