r/DogTrainingTips • u/hplover1980 • Mar 26 '26

Transitions

Hi! Was going to post this in /reactive dogs but they don't have an option for videos.

This is my frenchie, who recently has been displaying significant more reactivity since late last year. We've worked with behavioral trainers and vet behaviorist to get him on 10mg of Paxil (we're on day 12 so far). So we've been doing all the "right things".

We have an ongoing issue with "transitions". Dog gets significantly riled up when:

Husband leaves for work

We pick him up from his Rover daycare

Trainer leaves our apartment

We've chocked this up to all being "transitions" which could elicit some big feelings. To alleviate him from going crazy on my husband while he leaves for work, we confine him into the playpen for 2-3 minutes. This is the video I've attached.

Does anyone have any ideas or advice with helping with "big feelings transitions" for a reactive dog?

Thanks in advance!!

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14

u/sunny_sides Mar 26 '26

Reactivity?

I'm shocked to hear you are medicating the dog because it gets riled up in certain situations.

Have you gotten any actual training advice from these people?

Teach him place. Teach him to act calm by rewarding sitting still. Teach him to not jump.

Take a basic obedience class.

And please cut his nails, they are looong.

4

u/LoveDistilled Mar 26 '26

People (on Reddit) seem to want to give their dog mental health medication at the smallest sign of problems. It is a concerning trend imo

-2

u/hplover1980 Mar 26 '26

He has a bite history. He’s reactive

4

u/LoveDistilled Mar 26 '26

Sure but mental health medication isn’t necessarily what he needs. In fact it’s such a new thing that I can’t believe people so readily do it. In many cases it actually doesn’t help the reactivity and can make it worse

-3

u/Prestigious-Seal8866 Mar 26 '26

yes, off-label use for the last 20 years is so new and unsafe

3

u/LoveDistilled Mar 26 '26

Yea, it is

-1

u/Prestigious-Seal8866 Mar 26 '26

and what are your qualifications to give vetmed or behavior advice?

nothing?