#DOG REACTIVITY CHART HOW TO#
#DOG REACTIVITY CHART PROFESSIONAL#

Not sure of the best fit? Please review thisĬhart comparing Behaviour Consult/Reactive Dog class/Arousal class/Life Skills class barking, reactivity, and/or fear) are going to prevent a dog from learning in the class environment then it will need to be addressed. Will come without their dog to their first week of class. Please note that clients taking Canine Life Skills 1 Talented instructors bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to a variety of classes, click on the class category to see what classes work with yourĬlasses recur each week at the same time on the same day of the week as indicated until the session is completed. Interested in a puppy classes for your new family member, trying a new dog sport, or advancing further in your training? Red Barn Event Centre's You will be asked to confirm you have read and agree to the policies outlined when you register for your class. Page with resources to help you prepare for your first class, as well as information on our new health and safety procedures in place. Do not leave your dog unattended outside for long periods of time.Are you a new student at the Red Barn? Please review this.Same is true if you know your dog will react do not tighten up on the leash before a person or another dog gets closer. Do not pull back on the leash when your dog is reacting.Attempting to punish or physically restrain a reactive dog may cause him to escalate his behavior and is likely to result in a bite or a severe attack. If the reactivity is motivated by fear, punishment will make your dog more fearful, and could lead to aggression. Punishment won’t help and, in fact, will make the problem worse. If in a situation where your dog is reacting and you are unable to redirect, gently lead your dog away from the situation.For instance avoid walking your dog at times of the day when you know there will be many other people and dogs out. Avoid exposing your dog to situations where he is more likely to show reactivity.Using treats and praise, reinforce appropriate and calm behaviors when your dog is around a specific stimulus and doesn’t react.The idea is to only move when your dog is not reacting at that distance. If you move closer and your dog starts to react, then you have moved too close too fast. Start training your dog at a distance he doesn’t react to the stimuli and build up to being closer to the person, dog, or object that causes him to react.Once your dog knows some of these behaviors, use them to redirect his attention when reacting. Teach your dog some redirection behaviors like target and “watch me” (see our handout: “Dog Clicker Training”).This results in them reacting to the stimuli when first seen, which often results in more tension on the leash and over time an escalation in behavior to reactivity. Learned behavior: When some dogs see a stimuli, like a person, dog, or object and proceed to approach but are met with an aversive, like being pulled back on the leash, they may begin to associate the jerk on leash to the people, dogs, or objects. Either way, as the person, dog, or object gets closer, your dog is unable to leave due to the leash, which then forces your dog to face the specific stimulus, causing reactivity. This may be the result of a specific scary experience that occurred in your dog’s life or due to the lack of socialization. Fear: Some dogs become fearful at the sight of a person, dog, or object. For example, when your dog is on leash and tries to pull towards a specific stimulus, they are met with tension from the leash, which leads to frustration and escalates the behavior to reactivity. Why Reactivity Occurs:įrustration: Some dogs, if restrained by a barrier, like a leash or fence, can become aroused or excited at the sight of a person, dog, or object.

#DOG REACTIVITY CHART HOW TO#

Phone consultations, including our Behavior Helpline can give you tips on how to manage the reactivity but to completely resolve the behavior, an animal behavior specialist is recommended (see our handout: “When the Behavior Helpline Can’t Help”).

#DOG REACTIVITY CHART PROFESSIONAL#

Because reactivity is so complex, we recommend that you get professional in-home help from an animal behavior specialist if your dog is displaying any reactive behavior. There are many different reasons for reactivity and different levels of intensity. Dogs can be reactive to a variety of different stimuli like people, other dogs, and bicycles. Many reactive dogs live well with other dogs or play well at dog parks, because reactivity is just your dog reacting to a specific stimulus. Aggression means intent to do harm and though reactivity can look aggressive in nature when your dog is barking and lunging on leash, there is no intention to do harm.

Dog reactivity chart