We are often asked by clients, “Why is my dog reactive?”. It can be difficult to understand why a dog develops reactivity, because there are so many different factors that can influence this. In this blog, we will discuss why a dog can develop reactivity and how we can help prevent and address these behaviors.
Reactivity is one of the most common behavioral issues that we address at Beyond the Dog. Almost every dog experiences some level of reactivity, which can range from mild to severe. Let’s start off by first explaining what reactivity is.
What is dog reactivity?
Dog reactivity occurs when a dog barks, lunges, or pulls towards another dog, person, or stimulus, often causing the other person, dog, or stimulus to move away. Now what do we mean by stimulus? A stimulus can include things like:
- People wearing hats
- Passing cars
- Children
- People wearing high vis vests or uniforms
- People wearing hoodies
- Short or tall people
- People of different ages or appearances
- Loud and unfamiliar noises
- Cats
- Squirrels
Dogs can also display reactivity in a variety of situations and environments. For example, they may:
- Bark and lunge at other dogs when on leash during walks
- Growl and bark at strangers coming up to the front door
- Bark at other dogs in a vet’s office
Fortunately, reactivity behaviors are predictable throughout a dog’s life, and through observing their body language. Reactivity behaviors can be successfully addressed through behavior modification training.
Environmental and genetic factors contribute to a dog developing reactivity. To better understand why a dog can develop reactivity, let’s discuss how the early environment can influence this behavior.
Early environment
A puppy’s early environment can significantly influence whether a dog develops reactivity behaviors. Puppies are much more susceptible to reactivity if they have been raised in isolation, such as spending much of their time in an outdoor kennel, a garage, or a barn. A puppy is less likely to develop reactivity behaviors if they are raised in a home where they can experience people coming in and out, and hearing everyday sounds such as passing cars, lawn mowers, washing machines, and vacuums.
Abuse and traumatic experiences are often blamed as one of the leading contributors of reactivity. While this can be true in certain cases, a less than ideal early environment and a lack of early socialization are some of the leading contributors to reactivity behaviors.
A common concern for owners of reactive dogs is whether this behavior improves as a dog gets older. Let’s discuss this in more detail.
Will my dog get less reactive as they get older?
Unfortunately, dogs do not get less reactive as they get older. Dogs will usually get more reactive as they get older. A good way to explain why this happens is through some examples.
Let’s say that your dog is reactive on leash towards other dogs. If your dog sees another dog, they will start barking and lunging, and nearly every time, the owner of the other dog will keep walking. In this situation, the reactive dog will learn that if they bark and lunge at another dog, the dog will go away. And the longer that the dog practices this behavior, the worse it will get.
Another example is if a dog barks at any UPS or Amazon delivery driver who comes up to the door. We understand that the delivery driver will always leave after dropping off the package, but the dog may learn that their barking will always result in that person leaving. It’s a self reinforcing behavior, that will often get worse as a dog practices this behavior.
Now, let’s discuss the difference between exposure and socialization, and how to make the most out of socialization opportunities.
Socialization should be a fun experience for your dog
It can be hard to understand why a dog has developed reactivity behaviors, when they have been taking their dog out every day to meet new people, puppies, and explore different places. To understand why, it’s important to understand the difference between socializing your dog and exposing your dog to people, pets, places and things.
A lot of people expose their puppy to new things, such as enrolling them in classes, setting up playdates with other dogs and taking them everywhere with them. This can be good for the dog, but the dog can still develop reactivity.
Just because a puppy is exposed to places, things, people, and dogs doesn’t mean they are enjoying themselves. In fact sometimes this exposure can do more harm than good, if a puppy is avoidant or forced into these situations. It is crucial that when introducing a puppy to places, things, people and dogs that a positive association is formed through proper socialization and training.
You can help develop a positive association by making socialization a fun experience. Give the puppy small treats when they are feeling uncomfortable, such as when meeting a new person or dog.
We are here to help
To better understand how to treat reactivity, we recommend checking out our blog on “How to treat reactivity”. We also recommend checking out our TikTok channel for helpful videos.
Would you like help teaching high-level obedience and manners? or to discuss any behavioral concerns that you may have? You can contact our pet behavior team for a free consultation to discuss your training goals and any questions you may have. We offer Dog Board and Train Programs nationwide. As well as virtual training programs with Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage and in person training programs in Tampa Bay, Sarasota, Houston and Dallas.
We use scientifically proven training methods, backed by over 20 years of hands-on experience. Beyond the Dog is led by our co-founders, Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage, a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), and Sean Savage, a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) and Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA).
