No, you should not punish a reactive dog. Punishment can make the problem worse, and may even lead to aggression. When a dog is reactive, it may be overwhelmed by emotions that it can’t control. Punishing a dog can add stress to its emotions, and can damage its quality of life.
What is a Reactive Dog?
When a dog overreacts to certain situations such as people, objects, dogs or other stimuli. Dogs can become reactive for many reasons, from over stimulation to previous bad experiences.
Why are they Reacting?
This is the tricky part of owning a reactive dog, figuring out why and what they are reacting to. Some reactions are happy such as jumping on people, happy barking and fence running. Although not the best to encourage these are better then the fearful and anxious reactors who deep bark and lunge. This is a reaction to an outside stimulus so reshaping the relationship they have with you and the stimulus will help in the long run,
How to Help?
- Stay calm
- Block the trigger: You can try blocking the dog’s line of sight or turning around and walking away.
- Reward calm behavior: You can try rewarding your dog for looking away from the trigger, or for behaving calmly.
- Redirect to a positive activity: You can try redirecting your dog to a positive activity and rewarding it.
- Use routine to create stability and safety
- Hire a professional dog trainer who specializes in reactivity
- Learn your dogs triggers and thresholds
You can also try creating a lifestyle program for your dog that helps manage its behavior and reduce stress. This can help your dog learn to trust you and build a working relationship with you. Contact me today or try our eBook on Reactivity.
