Reactive Dog Training 101: How to Train A Reactive Dog

A reactive dog can be a huge burden for even the most seasoned pet parents. Having suffered the consequences first hand, I can tell you there is no upside to letting your pet’s reactivity stand no matter how challenging it seems to break that pattern and desensitize them to triggers. Based on my experience of working with my rescued GSD, Prince, who reacted with aggression to everything from the doorbell to the humble broomstick, and of course, strangers and other animals, I’ve put together this guide on how to train a reactive dog. 

Let me start by saying that managing dog reactivity becomes a lot easier when you recognize that these behaviors—excessive barking, lunging, aggression—are symptoms of an underlying problem and not the core issue itself. My rescue dog, for instance, was abused and abandoned, which made him wary of almost everyone and everything.

At first, things were so bad that if someone rang the doorbell, there was no way they could walk through our door without the risk of being ripped apart. Trainers tried and gave up. And we worried how to deal with his aggression (a worry compounded by the fact that we had a toddler at home who we could not leave unattended around our pet even for a couple of minutes) until a seasoned canine behaviorist made us realize that it was not aggression but reactivity we were dealing with. 

From there, the journey of managing dog reactivity became progressively easy. It was all about understanding triggers for dog reactivity and desensitizing him to it. Now, when I say easy, I certainly don’t mean that we started seeing changes instantly. Reactive dog training can take anywhere from a few weeks to months to take effect. But if you approach it right, you can spot small wins along the way. And what does the right approach look like? Let’s find out.   

Understanding Dog Reactivity

To figure out how to manage a reactive dog’s behavior, you first need to understand where this behavior is stemming from. As I’ve already mentioned, reactivity is not the same as aggression, and its triggers are different as well. More often than not, reactivity in dogs is an overreaction to certain stimuli. These typically include other dogs, people, or noises. 

A reactive dog may lunge, bark excessively, display aggression, or exhibit anxious behavior when faced with these triggers. This behavior can be a result of fear, past trauma, frustration, or excitement. Understanding which of these factors is responsible for your dog’s misplaced reactions can go a long way in helping you zero-in on the best methods for training a reactive dog. 

Dr. Karen Overall, a well-known canine behaviorist, explains: “Reactivity is often a fear-based behavior that is exacerbated by stress or anxiety. Dogs react aggressively because they believe the behavior will make the thing that scares them go away.” 

Basic Principles of Reactive Dog Training

The next step after understanding triggers for dog reactivity, is getting the basics of the training process right. The end goal of reactive dog training should be making your pet feel more comfortable and confident in situations that would normally trigger a reaction. This requires patience, consistency, lots of positive reinforcements, and the right training environment. Here are a few things to be mindful of when you’re trying to ascertain how to train a reactive dog to be calmer: 

1. The right threshold

Even the most effective techniques for reducing dog reactivity won’t work if your pet is already triggered. That’s why you need to understand how close to a stimulus your dog reacts. Stressing on the importance of gauging the reactivity threshold, dog trainer Patricia McConnell says, “You can’t expect a dog to learn when it’s over its threshold. The key is to work in the ‘learning zone,’ where the dog is aware of the trigger but not so aroused that it can’t focus.”

2. Desensitization training for dogs

Desensitization training for dogs is key to reducing reactivity. Desensitization means gradually exposing your dog to its trigger from a distance that the dog feels safe at. Then, working toward decreasing the distance over time without inciting a reaction. 

3. Counter-conditioning

Counter-conditioning is also an important part of desensitization training for dogs. The idea here is to remove the element of threat or fear by making positive associations with the trigger. Positive reinforcement through treats or praise or a combination of both can help change your  dog’s emotional response to the trigger.

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Steps to Train a Reactive Dog

Managing dog reactivity is often a slow, long-drawn out process, and you have to be prepared to approach it with baby steps instead of taking giant leaps and expecting quick results. After all, it’s not a fun training exercise like teaching your dog basic commands or training them to play fetch. Here you’ve have to make them unlearn certain behaviors, feel safe in a situation/environment they find triggering, and alter their response to it. That, as you can imagine, can be a tall order to meet for both you and your dog. And follow these expert-recommended steps on how to manage a reactive dog’s behavior:

1. Identify Triggers

As I’ve said before, one of the most basic dog reactivity training tips is to understand where this behavior is stemming from. Start by observing and noting what stimuli—other dogs, animals, vehicles, noises—trigger your dog to react. The more aware you’re of your pet’s specific triggers, the easier it becomes to desensitize them. It can also help to maintain a log of your pet’s triggers and track their reactions through the course of training to see how well you’re doing at managing dog reactivity. 

Suggested Reading: Do Dogs have Emotions?

2. Start from a safe distance

Once you’ve identified your dog’s threshold—a distance where they’re aware of the trigger but not reactive toward it—use it to start your training process. This could mean being across the street from another dog or strangers, or observing vehicles from the yard/balcony. 

At this juncture, use high-value treats to reinforce calm behavior. For instance, if your dog sees another dog across the street but doesn’t lunge or bark and instead follows your command to “sit and stay” or “leave it”, reward them with treats and praise. 

3. Desensitize

Once your dog is non-reactive to known triggers from their threshold, it’s time to start desensitization training for dogs. This means moving closer to the trigger while rewarding calm behavior. Remember, this process must be gradual and through it, you need to watch for subtle signs of stress, such as stiff posture, staring, or lip licking, which can signal that your dog is triggered.

At any point, if your dog resorts to reactive behavior—barking, lunging, whining, or aggression—move back to the distance where your dog was last calm and focused.

4. Counter-condition with positive reinforcement

Along with desensitization, it’s vital to counter-condition your pet to associate their triggers with positive outcomes. This is where positive reinforcement is crucial. Trainer and behaviorist Victoria Stilwell says, “Positive reinforcement is key to training a reactive dog because it builds trust and reinforces good behavior without adding fear or punishment.”

The reward can be anything from treats to toys, or praise, depending on what your pet responds to the best. Whatever reward you choose must be high-value—something your dog absolutely loves and cannot resist. Only then will this approach help in building a strong positive association.

5. Use the “Look at That” technique

Popularized by trainer Leslie McDevitt, this is one of the most effective techniques for reducing dog reactivity. It involves teaching the dog to look at the trigger and then back at you for a treat. Over time, your pet learns that looking at the trigger leads to rewards, which helps reduce reactivity. 

For it to be effective, this technique must be used in conjunction with other dog reactivity training tips. So, start incorporating the “Look at That” cue when you start reactive dog training from the threshold and keep it up as you work toward reducing the distance between your pet and their triggers. 

Suggested Reading: How To Train A Dog To Listen: 8 Steps

Watch this video for a visual demonstration:

Leash Training for Reactive Dogs

If you’re dealing with reactivity, chances are your dog will display this behavior while on a leash as well, especially when they’re near or approaching a trigger. Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Nicholas Dodman explains, “Leash reactivity is often about frustration or fear. The dog feels restricted and, in response, overreacts. Teaching calm behavior on a leash helps mitigate that stress.”

It’s important to stay calm yourself as well as teach calm behavior while your dog is leashed. The key here, too, is combining behavior correction with counter-conditioning and positive reinforcement. These steps to train a leash-reactive dog can help:

1. Loose leash walking

A leash-reactive dog is likely to pull or drag their walker because of a mix of tension and restriction. Therefore, one of the first steps to train a leash-reactive dog is training them to walk on a loose leash without pulling. To do this, you need to stop walking every time your dog pulls and resume only when the leash is loose. Also, reward and praise your dog for walking on a loose leash at regular intervals.  

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2. Teach focus commands

One of the most effective techniques for reducing dog reactivity on a leash is to teach them a focus command, like “watch me” or “look,” encouraging them to focus on you rather than the trigger. This can be helpful when walking in areas where the trigger might be present. Of course, the process of training your dog to respond to the focus command must take place in low-stress environments. Only once you’re confident that your dog has mastered it should you try it on walks.

Suggested Reading: 30 Dog Training Commands: Basic, Essential Advanced

3. Create distance

One of the simplest dog reactivity training tips is to increase the distance between your dog and the trigger if they become reactive. Creating space can help your dog feel safer. Once that has happened, you can reinforce calm behavior. Remember to never punish or scold your dog for reacting. 

4. Turn and retreat

Managing dog reactivity is all about finding the right approach to deal with your dog’s reaction, as per the situation. If a trigger suddenly appears and your dog reacts, calmly turn and walk in the opposite direction. When your dog follows you instead of reacting to or engaging with the trigger, reward them. This not only helps avoid escalation but also lets your pet reset. 

Advanced Dog Reactivity Training Tips

Once you’ve had some breakthrough in your endeavor toward how to train a reactive dog and your pet has mastered the basics, you can graduate to more advanced techniques to weed out this behavior. Canine behaviorist Jean Donaldson says, “Advanced training for reactive dogs requires consistency, patience, and continuing to build trust. The key is to reinforce calm behavior, even in increasingly difficult situations.” And how do you achieve all of this? With the following advanced dog reactivity training tips:

1. Gradual exposure in high-distraction environments

Once your dog learns to stay calm in the presence of triggers, slowly introduce them to more challenging environments where triggers are more frequent. This could include dog parks or busy streets. 

Start by assessing your dog’s threshold and slowly reduce the distance as long as your dog remains calm. Return to a less challenging environment if your pet regresses.

2. Use of neutral dogs for desensitization

If your dog is reactive toward other dogs, try introducing them to calm, non-reactive dogs in a controlled environment. This can be extremely helpful in desensitization training for dogs, as it allows your pet to learn that other dogs aren’t a threat. 

3. Relaxation techniques

The basic commands like “sit” or “stay” can be potent tools in reactive dog training. Use these in the presence of triggers to give your dog something positive and familiar to focus on. This may, in turn, reduce their reactivity. Of course, you need to teach these commands in a neutral setting first and then incorporate them in your reactivity training in more challenging environments. 

Suggested Reading: Dog Training Toolkit: 18 Essentials

FAQs 

1. How does desensitization work in reactive dog training?

Desensitization in reactive dog training involves gradually exposing your dog to a trigger but from a distance where the dog remains calm. Over time, the exposure is increased in a controlled way, allowing the dog to build tolerance without becoming overwhelmed. This approach is paired with positive reinforcement, like treats or praise, to help the dog associate the trigger with something positive. The process is gradual, and requires repetition and patience.

2. What is counter-conditioning, and how is it used?

Counter-conditioning is a training technique used to change a dog’s emotional response to a trigger from negative (fear, aggression) to positive or neutral. It involves pairing the presence of a trigger (like another dog or a loud noise) with something the dog loves, such as treats, toys, or praise. 

Over time, the dog begins to associate the previously upsetting trigger with positive outcomes. For example, if a dog is fearful of strangers, every time a stranger appears, the dog is rewarded with treats. This helps shift the dog’s emotional response from fear to anticipation of a reward.

3. How can I manage my dog’s environment to reduce reactivity?

To manage your dog’s environment and reduce reactivity, start by minimizing exposure to triggers that cause stress or overreaction. This can include avoiding crowded places or high-traffic areas with other dogs. Gradually, start with controlled exposure to triggers from a safe distance, rewarding calm behavior to build positive associations. 

4. When should I seek professional help for my reactive dog?

You should seek professional help for your reactive dog if their behavior becomes unmanageable, poses a risk to others or themselves, or shows no improvement despite consistent reactive dog training efforts. Or, if your dog shows signs of heightened anxiety or stress that you’ve been able to manage, working with a professional can help address the root cause.

Takeaway

A reactive dog is not an ill-mannered, spoiled, or aggressive dog, but one that is fearful, anxious and stressed. That’s why you need a firm yet kind and loving approach to managing dog reactivity. As long as you follow all the steps on how to train a reactive dog and approach the process with patience and consistency, your reactive pet can improve their behavior and feel more secure in their environment.