Prevention

Author: Denise Partlow

Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas

One of the best ways to prevent your dog from becoming dog-reactive is to not allow a strange dog to greet him when on leash. But more importantly, you NEVER allow another dog to run up to or jump on him when on leash.

Why?

When another dog is off leash and charges your dog, even if his intentions are good, it is still a very rude and threatening way to greet, and most dogs will not welcome it; so instead they will either choose fight or flight BUT when attached to a leash flight is no longer an option: so fight becomes their reaction of choice by barking, lunging or even biting.

If your dog is successful in making the other dog back down or walk away, your dog has now learned that this is what works to get dogs out of his space.

Over time, many will even experiment with reacting from a distance-thinking, “might as well take care of this now before the dog approaches.”

So in order to help your dog know that you will handle those situations you will need to first teach strong obedience, engagement and focus (so your dog can focus on you and not the other dog) and then be brave and advocate for your dog.

Do whatever you need to (that is within reasonable limits) to stop an approaching dog.

This may be by speaking up and telling the owner they can’t approach, it could be if you know the dog is safe, returning the dog to the owner, or even just putting your dog behind you and standing in front to block.

Help your dog to see you as the one he can rely on to take control of these situations, so he doesn’t have to.

*if your dog is already reactive, these are also some great steps to take to begin recovering from it or prevent further altercations.