Case Study: Rex - Furry Beast or Beast of Fury?

Rex is a 3 year old Labrador; he’s neutered and is loved by his family. Rex went to obedience classes and did well; he was a little shy with the other dogs but learned quickly. As a young dog, Rex often went to the neighbourhood dog run where he seemed to enjoy himself, despite being submissive with the other dogs. A year ago, Rex started barking when he saw other dogs on his walks. Rex’s family was shocked at this unfriendly behaviour and responded with a sharp tug on the leash and a strong “NO!” each time it happened. Even with all the family’s efforts to stop Rex’s “unsociable” behaviour, his reactions continued to escalate into wild scenes of rearing up on hind legs, barking, growling and even lunging at other dogs. Rex’s family was devastated; they were stressed when out on their walks, and did everything they could to avoid seeing or crossing paths with other dogs. They just don’t understand why their beautiful gentle dog, who was so good at home, would go crazy on walks.

Rex is reactive. Does Rex sound like a dog you know, maybe even your own dog? Canine Reactivity is surprisingly common and should not be confused with aggression. Reactivity is usually an unskilled, or confused, attempt by the “reactor” to communicate with other dogs while aggression is an outwardly offensive, fear, or territorial-based hostile maneuver. What the reactive dog is trying to say will vary but includes: “I want to play with you,” “go away,” “I’m afraid of you, who are you?,” “what are you doing here.” Although undeniably stressful to live with, canine reactivity is very manageable.

To prevent the development of reactivity in your puppy or dog, pay attention to your dog’s confident and calm social behaviours. If your puppy is submissive, praise him for being brave and self-assured, encouraging him to stand on his feet around other dogs. If your dog is a bit of a bully, praise him for being gentle with other dogs. Don’t ignore or punish bad behaviours if they are escalating – interrupt and turn them into opportunities for praise. Dogs live in the moment, so make sure the moment you are engaged in is one you want to reinforce. Talking, touching, and making eye contact with a stressed dog increases the probability of future stress episodes.

In their lifetime, most dogs will have a moment of reactivity and how you respond can make the difference between an isolated incident and an escalating problem. If your dog reacts the best thing you can do is laugh. Yes, laugh out loud and keep moving! The less attention that you pay to the misbehavior, the less likely it is to grow. If you can’t laugh, just keep walking. Do not punish your dog or become tense at the site of other dogs, RELAX. Do not avoid contact with other dogs. In fact, go out of your way to see them from a distance and then praise and reward your dog for not reacting.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it - that’s what the professionals are here for. Most important, enjoy and have fun with your dog!