This is a complicated subject with a complicated answer!
What Causes Dog Reactivity? Why are dogs reactive?
Can one event cause a dog to suddenly be reactive to other dogs? YES. This is called one instant learning. And, it’s not always obvious to humans when this occurs. Both dogs and humans suffer from Negativity Bias. This means that even though 7.5 hours of your day was nondescript, or even GOOD, the one negative interaction you had that day, or even that week, sticks in your craw. You continue to focus on it even though the rest of your day or week was great. This is a survival mechanism. We instinctually focus on the bad things, so that our brain is wired and ready to avoid situations that will cause us harm. So, that one negative interaction your dog had at daycare or at the dog park, real or perceived, is now causing a long term issue for you. It may have been being chased too long, or too hard. It may be that during one moment of wrestling, one dog got too rough or painful. It may have been a dog that was being threatening and the humans didn’t recognize it in time, or didn’t step in at all. In any case, it’s how your dog felt in that moment, and survival mode kicked in, making a lasting impression.
Of course, if ONE interaction can cause your dog to suddenly become reactive, imagine what many seemingly ‘small’ events can do. One dog gets snarky with the other, and that dog retaliates. Maybe they even had a brief fight but no one was injured. Maybe another time a dog surprised your dog while it was on leash, and it barked and lunged, getting that other dog to leave, or it’s owner pulled it away. Guess what? Your dog just learned that violence is a viable option when threatened. Why not be proactive? Your dog starts to bark and lunge when the threat appears, from further and further away.
Injury is also a factor. Did you know that dogs with rear-end lameness are more likely to be reactive to other dogs? They know they have a weak point (a sore knee, a sore hip, or sore back). They understand that another dog is likely to greet them by sniffing this area, and maybe initiate play. When their body is compromised, they are naturally defensive. Hiding an injury is also a survival instinct. Just because your dog isn’t limping, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have an issue. If your dog is suddenly reactive to other dogs, injury is worth investigation via a full veterinary checkup.
Most of the time, the only thing two dog trainers can agree on is what the third is doing wrong. In the case of tight leashes, the consensus among dog trainers is: Tight leashes are bad for social dog behavior! Does your dog walk well on leash? Do you use a harness? Do you use a Flexi-leash? Does your dog pull on the leash? Restraint is a big culprit in creating dog reactivity. There is a behavioral term called Opposition Reflex (another that is applicable to humans). It means that whenever force is applied, it naturally induces the opposite reaction. For example, if I were to suddenly pull on your shirt, you would use your muscles to oppose that force to prevent you from falling down. So when you apply consistent pressure on your leash, your dog is naturally going to use their muscles to do the same. How does that create dog reactivity? Well, in the moments leading up to meeting another dog on leash, does your dog pull? If so, a couple of problems are happening. The first is the inability to get to the other dog builds frustration. Now your dog is emotionally overstimulated. The body language is more intense. The other dog feels it too, and they emotionally intensify. Tight leashes are the fuse leading up to the dynamite. The more intense the dog is at the start, the more likely the interaction is going to lead to aggressive behavior. If your dog is on a tight leash, you are setting it up for an explosive reaction.
Leashes also prevent your dog from leaving the situation. They are aware that they are trapped. When faced with a moment where fight or flight may feel necessary to your dog, you have taken the flight option away. If your dog is not prepared or receptive to the interaction, they will lash out to defend themselves.
Signs of a Reactive Dog
The obvious signs of a reactive dog are, classically, barking and lunging at other dogs, but I can guarantee there were earlier indicators that maybe the humans didn’t notice. Happy dogs have loose, floppy body language. They usually have an open mouth, and soft ears and eyes. There is a fluid quality to their movement. They make eye contact with others, but quickly look away, avoiding too much of a ‘stare’. Dogs who are concerned have stiff qualities to their movement. Their muscles are tense. Their ears are fixed (prick-eared dogs will tune their ears towards the threat like radar dishes). The dog stands tall, and they usually close their mouth. Their tail is stiff, maybe even high above their body. Their eyes are intense. They stare at they subject that is bothering them. THIS IS THE MOMENT TO INTERVENE. When you see your dog moving in a more assertive, stiff way, it’s time to redirect them into a task. If they begin to pull on the leash, you are already in a bad space. Barking and lunging? You are way too late!
Humans can exacerbate this problem by forcing the dog into interactions they are uncomfortable with. If your dog has body language that clearly shows concern, you are not going to overcome their fear or concern by pressing forward. For some reason, humans believe that ‘how to fix dog reactivity to other dogs’ is by creating more opportunity for bad social interactions to occur (ie, “he just needs to meet more dogs!)” and that eventually the dog will come to the conclusion that it is not a problem. They think their dog simply needs more exposure to other dogs. But, of course, that is not the way that dogs think or rationalize.
Can reactive dogs go to daycare?
We are often asked, “Does dog daycare help with reactivity?” Let’s examine the evidence so far:
Dog reactivity is cause by individual events, real or perceived, that causes a dog discomfort emotionally or physically.
Dog reactivity is caused by reoccurring ‘small’ infractions where humans don’t step in and correct the bad behavior.
Dog reactivity is cause by overly stimulated dogs with bad body language.
Now let’s examine doggy daycare and dog parks. How many people are consistently aware of their dog’s body language? How many people are assigned to how many dogs? Is it reasonable to assume every interaction is managed, and if needed, the human is intervening with the correct timing? Most doggy daycares have one teenager assigned to 8 dogs or MORE. Doggy daycare is exactly the kind of dog aggression creating melting pot your dog does not need!
How to Fix Dog Reactivity to Other Dogs
The complex problem requires a complex solution. The surest way to make sure your dog is not reactive, is to attend dog training programs that emphasize obedience over socialization. This gives the owner the opportunity to learn about proper socialization from a professional dog trainer, and make sure they are creating opportunities for success.
If it’s too late for that, Doggy Bootcamp may be in order. Your dog needs a complete reset of its habits, and that may be difficult to accomplish on your own because it is imperative that you avoid your dogs reactivity triggers during the learning or reset phase. Boarding and training may be a great option for that reset. During the dog training, your trainer will have the facility and ability to remove the dog from its ‘triggers’ during the reset phase. Too often the dog owner puts the dogs in situations where it is likely to rehearse the old (undesirable) behavior. And the process is slow going, or no progress is made at all.
It’s also important to note that dogs do become less social as they age, just as humans do. Sociability is on a spectrum in dogs and humans alike; think about how many friends you’ve made as an adult, versus how many you made as a child. Social circles close, and we tend to become more selective. But even within age groups, human sociability ranges from extremely introverted to extremely extroverted. So while it is normal behavior to not want to attend college parties in your 30’s, it doesn’t mean we should act irrationally around strangers. The goal of a dog training program is to help your dog learn to be as neutral as possible around new dogs, not to physically interact with them. Keeping our expectations realistic will help set you and your dog up for success.
We must accept the possibility that dog reactivity — and especially dog-to-dog aggression — cannot be fixed entirely. Let say you were driving and you stop at an intersection. You stop at the sign, look both ways, and start to drive forward. At that moment, you are t-boned by a distracted driver. What would be the consequences emotionally and physically?
Even though you did everything right, you will be forever changed by that event. You will always be cautious and concerned about driving, ESPECIALLY at intersections. You may even become amplified and upset, when you notice distracted drivers in the future, maybe to the point of irrational behavior. You have the right to be upset! Maybe your back is still compromised from the last accident, and you are very worried about the possibility of being hurt again. So now, when you see someone who may not be paying attention behind the wheel, you HONK at them!
Your dog can also have lasting trauma, and they may never fully trust that other dogs will treat them with kindness, or that humans will protect them when they should. In these cases we must accept our dogs limitations, and move on to the best version of our lives. Giving up the random dog greetings, and doggy daycare and dog parks is not the worst thing in the world. It’s driving safely!
Reactivity can be a long, challenging road to recovery. If you are struggling with reactive behavior (lunging, barking, whining, pulling at other dogs or people), find a professional to help you. If you are located in the Denver, Colorado or Columbus, Ohio metro areas, we have professional dog trainers who will help you help your dog. Give us a call and let’s chat.
