Reactivity

Reactivity describes an intense, often disproportionate response to a specific trigger, such as other dogs, people, cars, or cyclists. This might look like barking, lunging, growling, or pulling hard towards or away from the trigger. It's usually rooted in fear or frustration rather than genuine aggression, though the two can look similar from the outside.

Reactive dogs aren't necessarily aggressive dogs. Many reactive dogs would never actually make contact if they reached what they were reacting to, since the behaviour is often about creating distance or releasing built-up tension rather than a genuine intent to harm.

Managing distance from the trigger, staying under the dog's threshold, is usually the starting point. A dog who reacts at 5 metres but stays calm at 20 metres is trained at whatever distance keeps them under threshold, gradually reducing that distance as the dog builds confidence.

Counter-conditioning and desensitisation are commonly used alongside distance management, pairing the trigger with something positive while keeping exposure at a manageable level. Many owners also work on a solid redirection cue, such as a hand target, so there's a clear alternative behaviour ready the moment a trigger appears.

Pushing a reactive dog too close to a trigger too soon, or too often, tends to make the behaviour worse rather than better, since each over-threshold reaction reinforces the pattern. Punishing the reactive outburst itself, rather than addressing what's driving it, often increases anxiety around the trigger instead of reducing it.