If you've got a reactive dog on your hands, then one of their triggers might be other dogs. This can make things tricky when it comes to walk time, as it's pretty much impossible to avoid other pooches in the park.
Even if you've clipped them onto one of the best dog leashes, walks might be a stressful situation for the pair of you. This is especially true when other dog walkers don't understand your pup's needs and come towards you.
If you're wondering how to calm a reactive dog and haven't had much luck, then we've found a method that might just help you. Adam Spivey, an expert dog trainer and the founder of Southend Dog Training, shared this tip in a recent Instagram video - and we think it's genius!
When your dog spots another dog on a walk, Adam recommends doing these two things instantly: leading them back towards you and giving them one of the best dog treats. In the video, he explains that this will teach your dog that the sight of another dog means food.
He says: "Get that reward in at the second she looks at the dog. What she's learnt is: sight, get stiff (tail gets stiff/body gets stiff), and then I react."
He explains that it's important to do this before your dog explodes. This is because it allows you to quickly alter their emotional response in a positive way.
Practice makes perfect and you might need to repeat this a few times for them to fully get the hang of it.
If your dog isn't interested in food, then you can try moving backwards to get them to come towards you instead. Alternatively, Adam recommends giving them one of the best dog toys, praising them or trying to build up their food drive.
To begin with, Adam suggests practicing the movement with no other dogs around to give them a chance to get used to it. It's also a good idea to try it somewhere where there its lots of space. This will help you both to feel more prepared when you pass a dog for real.
Enjoyed this? You might also find these features useful: My reactive dog impacted my entire household, here's what I did about it and how to tackle dog aggression: 5 dog behavior problems solved.
