reactive to other dogs

Sighthound Reactivity. Too Much Exercise and Ball Chasing

Can too much exercise and ball chasing actually make a dog more reactive?

Suki runs.

She is a super-fit Whippet Saluki mix who loves to chase a ball on walks. She runs beside the man’s bike.

runs with a bike

Like many Sighthounds, Suki likes to be covered

They used to live in London. She was accustomed to all the city noise, lots of people and plenty of other dogs. 

They then moved to a small, quiet town near myself.  She encounters far fewer people or dogs and is gradually becoming reactive to other dogs.

On lead, she may now growl, lunge or snap at them if they come too close. When off lead she’s fine. She merely puts a comfortable distance between them. She’s not trapped. If she wishes, she runs. (more…)

By Theo Stewart, ago

Punishing a Fearful Dog Made His Anxiety Worse

Something has frightened him badly either in his past life or as the result of someone demonstrating how they should ‘cure’ his barking at the hoover. They tell me this person threw spoons on the floor in front of him – or it may have been training discs specifically manufactured for ‘scaring’ a dog out of doing something.

Why would anyone think to punish fear is a good idea?

By Theo Stewart, ago

Impulse Control Comes First

She became increasingly frustrated by not getting what she wanted – attention under her own terms. Her methods, not addressed when she was a puppy and now harder to undo, are jumping on people. She’s very big. Leaping onto their chair behind them, mouthing, nipping and grabbing – and then yipping and barking endlessly

By Theo Stewart, ago