What Is a Reactive Dog? A Comprehensive Guide

Do you have a reactive dog or suspect you may have one? You’re not alone!

Reactivity is common in dogs. Your dog barking, growling, lunging, or otherwise acting “out of control” on walks or out in public can feel embarrassing — but it’s important to remember that your pup is having a hard time, not trying to give you a hard time.

Sniffspot is committed to providing reactive dog guardians with safe spaces for off-leash exercise as well as up-to-date, trustworthy resources on how to help your sensitive dog feel better about the world around them (and therefore act better, too, in a way that enables you to enjoy more experiences together).

In this guide, we’ll go over what dog reactivity is and isn’t (and what normal dog behavior is), what causes reactivity, and what to do if your dog is showing signs of reactivity.

What is reactivity in a pet dog?

Reactivity generally encompasses a range of undesirable aggressive or defensive behaviors (barking, growling, lunging, jumping, pulling, and so on) in situations that typically don’t warrant them in our minds (triggers are behaving normally in a non threatening way) but that are overwhelming or scary to our dogs.

Reactivity is very common: Our own research shows that 75% of dog owners say they have a dog that shows some signs of reactivity.

What causes dog reactivity?

Nature and nurture both play a role in dog reactivity

For example, if a dog is born to a mother who is reactive to certain stimuli, he will likely become reactive to the same stimuli. However, it’s difficult to say whether this is straightforward genetics, or whether the dog learned this behavior as a puppy by watching his mother. In a puppy’s early life, especially the first twelve weeks, socialization is critical. If a dog is not properly socialized during this time and is observing a parent with reactive behavior, she might become reactive.

Applied animal behaviorist and author Patricia McConnell writes that dog reactivity can be caused by caused by psychological trauma and compares reactivity to soldiers with PTSD: “Just as a veteran soldier with PTSD can react to a loud noise by throwing herself to the ground, dogs with their alarm systems fixed on HIGH are usually quick to startle to an abrupt noise, or panic when unfamiliar dogs appear.”

The general consensus is that genetics may play a part in dog reactivity — and it’s also likely a conditioned behavioral response. In pet dogs, aggressive behavior on leash can usually be identified as either fear-based leash reactivity or frustration-based leash reactivity.

Fear-based dog reactivity

You can read more about fear aggression in this guide.

Frustration-based leash reactivity

This is common in social dogs who regularly visit dog parks or attend daycare. They love other pets and get frustrated when they aren’t allowed to greet them! That frustration (especially when being held back on a leash) can quickly build into a reactive display. If your dog’s reactivity is limited to when they’re tethered, this article talks about fixing leash reactivity or leash aggression specifically.

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Are certain breeds or types of dogs more likely to be reactive?

In addition, over the years, different dog breeds have been maligned for alleged tendencies toward reactivity or aggression (think of all the negative press about Pit Bulls, an umbrella term used for an entire group of different breeds, over the last couple of decades). However, there is no scientific evidence that suggests this is true the way mainstream media often portrays it.

Let’s take a deeper look into dog breed and reactivity.

Some breeds have innate instincts that can be linked to reactivity

Other dogs are just prone to overarousal, independent of breed

Any dog breed can become fearful or frustrated

In an article about leash reactivity (dogs who are reactive while they are on a leash), Sue Brown, MNM, CDBC, CPDT-KA, states “you cannot predict which dogs will be reactive simply by looking at their breed.” She adds that she is not aware of any studies that look at this question.

While more research is needed, it is likely that a dog’s environment and socialization, not breed, are the key factors in reactivity.

What is not dog reactivity?

Basically: Your puppy who woofs once or twice when startled? They wouldn’t be diagnosed with reactivity. One who barks, growls, and lunges at every other dog they see out on a walk, on the other hand? They would be considered reactive.

Below are a few behaviors that are not reactivity but are commonly confused with it.

Rough play

Puppy nipping

What’s more: Remember that puppyhood can be a tumultuous time. Most trainers would not consider any puppy to be properly reactive until they were several months of age and showing more consistent responses to the world around them.

Resource guarding

However, resource guarding is considered a normal behavior for dogs. It absolutely needs to be managed so that it does not escalate to aggression toward the people living in the house with the dog — there are ways to work through it! — but protecting possessions is a normal canine instinct. In general, resource guarding is not considered a reactive behavior.

Barking or whining when separated from you

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How do I know if my dog is reactive?

Look for signs of reactivity

Vocalizations

Body language

Notice if your dog shows any signs of anxiety or stress. Some clear indicators could be trying to flee from a stimulus or deciding to charge and lunge at the trigger in hopes of making it go away.

A dog who exhibits stress signals is not automatically a reactive dog — it depends on the exact circumstances. This can be a tricky distinction, but try to determine if the reaction seems like “too much” for the situation. More on this below!

Intensity of reaction

What’s important to think about is if your dog’s reaction seems to match the situation at hand or if it seems over the top. If you try to keep your dog from ever barking again, you’re setting yourself up to fail. It’s a natural canine behavior!

If your dog is continually set off by “small” or common things in the environment, though, then it’s definitely worth considering if they have a form of reactivity and how you can help them feel better about the world.

For example: If your dog exhibits stressed body language when cornered by a wild animal, or if they bark a few times when startled by a small child sprinting at them, that reaction is proportional. If your dog is cowering in fear when the cat walks by, though, or freaking out at the mere sight of a stranger down the street, your dog might be reactive. They are having an intense reaction to something that is not actually a danger to them.

Get in touch with a trainer

What should I do if my dog is showing signs of reactivity?

Try to remain calm

As we stated above, many people live with reactive dogs. You can live a full life with a reactive dog — and your reactive dog can have a full life, too.

Figure out what causes your dog’s reactivity

Understand your dog’s triggers and emotions

Questions to ask yourself about your dog’s reactivity

• In what situations is your dog most likely to react? Does a trigger have to be moving in a certain way (directly approaching versus passing on the other side of the street, for example)?


• How close does a trigger need to be before your dog barks, lunges, growls, or otherwise reacts at it? This is referred to as their threshold distance. If the trigger is farther away than this limit, they’re under threshold and able to take treats normally, sniff the environment, and respond to you with loose body language. Once it breaks their “bubble,” they go into a panicked fight-or-flight mode.


• Is your dog’s reactivity limited to when they’re on a leash, or does it happen regardless of where they are (loose in the yard, in your home, etc)?


• Is your dog a social butterfly with their triggers outside of a certain context, or do they always react?


• Does your dog seem afraid or merely over aroused?

Pay attention to your dog’s body language

You might never have clear answers about what causes your dog’s reactivity

Meet your dog’s basic needs and keep tabs on their health

Physical health problems can exacerbate reactivity

Provide enrichment to help fulfill your dog

You can read more in our Comprehensive Guide to Canine Enrichment article. Get their brains going!

Take care of yourself as your dog’s guardian, too

Take time to practice self care. You have to fill your own cup before you’re able to give your dog what they need! There will inevitably be setbacks in training your reactive dog — but together you can create more positive associations, as long as you show yourself grace.

Use management strategies to prevent reactive behavior while you work on training your dog

Once you know your dog’s triggers, the good news is that you can manage them (to some degree). Take note of everything in and around your home that you can control. Get creative with your dog’s environment to minimize what triggers them.

Just a few management examples to minimize your dog’s exposure to triggers:

• Carefully consider when you go to an environment and whether it will be too busy for your reactive dog to feel comfortable. It's smart to avoid places with many off-leash dogs, young kids, or other common triggers, especially early on in your reactivity training plan.


• Put on white noise for dogs who bark when they hear a car or person outside.


• Cover your windows with film or close the blinds to prevent your dog from barking at triggers outside your living room or office windows throughout the day. You can also use household objects as visual barriers.


• Drive to a quieter walking route rather than trying to stay in your immediate neighborhood if it’s too overwhelming.


• Don’t feel guilty about turning around when you see a trigger if you aren’t prepared to train through it. Remember management is your friend!

When management fails, get out of the situation

The important things to remember are that you want to get away from the trigger safely and you do not want to punish your dog (more on that below).

If your dog does react, remember it can take a long time for their nervous system to completely recover. Take it easy for the next few days and up your management game!

Start tackling specific reactivity scenarios

We’ve compiled a full list in this reactivity training article with comprehensive steps to follow, but below are two key concepts to understand.

Desensitization

According to the VCA, desensitization means “the gradual exposure to situations or stimuli that would bring on the undesirable behavior, but at a level so low that there is no negative response.” Desensitization and counterconditioning go hand in hand. 

Counterconditioning

Counter conditioning is the process of pairing something scary or overwhelming (your reactive dog’s triggers) with something positive (like their favorite treats or toys) to ultimately change their conditioned emotional response over time. CC can be incredibly helpful when working with reactive dogs — but it’s important to be aware of your timing! If you feed your dog before they notice their trigger, you might accidentally teach them that “good things predict scary things” instead of the other way around. You also have to keep up CC consistently or undesirable emotions (and their associated behaviors) can return. 

What counter conditioning might look like in practice

An example: perhaps you’re out on a walk with a dog who is reactive to skateboards. You hear a skateboard in the distance, and see your dog’s ears prick up, observing the sound. Now is a great time to reward the dog with the high value treats. The goal here is to change the dog’s association from “skateboarders = bad and scary” to “skateboarders = treats are coming.” 

The process will look different depending on the dog’s triggers, but that is the basic idea. It is very important to start small and go slowly. As with any training process, counterconditioning is likely to take a while, and you will have to do it multiple times across many different sessions. Be patient and celebrate victories, even if they seem small!

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What not to do if you have a reactive dog

Though it can be difficult to resist the urge to punish in the moment, keep in mind that positive reinforcement is a much more effective strategy. Punishment will only degrade your relationship with your dog.

Further reading and learning

Sniffspot blogs on canine reactivity

Here are a few specific articles:

• How to Train a Reactive Dog: A Beginner’s Guide for everything you need to know to get started implementing a training program for your reactive dog


• How to Socialize Your Reactive Dog for help on how to give your fearful, frustrated, or otherwise reactive dog positive experiences with other dogs and people


• Dog Reactivity Chart for help understanding the current level of reactivity your dog shows in different moments

Other training resources on dog reactivity

• Trainer Patricia McConnell’s guide to how to handle reactive dogs


• CARE For Reactive Dogs is a whole website dedicated to methods and gear for dealing with a reactive dog


• Suzanne Clothier reactive dog training scenario set up


• Trainer Alice Tong’s engage-disengage game (specific to leash reactivity, but can be applied to other types of reactivity as well)


• The VCA’s guide to counterconditioning and desensitization 

Trainer Review of this Article

This is the trainer that reviewed this article:

Shannon Finch
AnimalKind Training
M.Ed. Humane Education
Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner
Certified Tellington TTouch and TTEAM Practitioner

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