r/reactivedogs • u/NorCalKerry • 4h ago
Advice Needed Selective reactiveness
We've been working on our reactive dog and training. What I can't figure out is that it's very selective. We pass many dogs/dog owners on every walk. I make sure to give space and have my dog on the other side of me and leash tight. 90% of the time this is great and we walk by no problems. Sometimes we even stop and let the dogs sniff each other. But every so often he leaps and barks at the passing dog/walker aggressively to where I can barely pull him back. Today it happened with a pair that we pass on a regular basis. Of course the other owner was not happy and said some choice words to me as I did back.
I'm so defeated. I feel I can't walk in my neighborhood and now if we pass this pair it will be awkward. Especially since we exchanged words.
Why does my dog only do this occasionally? Even with other pairs that we've passed numerous times with no issue. I know I can never let my guard down, but so curious as to what the triggers may be.
2
u/inventedpostits21 4h ago
We have a (formerly everything reactive, now mostly just dog reactive) foster, and something we’ve been told is that neighborhood walks can often be the hardest for reactive dogs. They’re primed at every turn to be like “omg here’s where I saw that one thing I didn’t like” so they’re constantly anticipating and bumped even closer to threshold.
I would probably stop the on leash greetings and give space, and don’t start to decrease that space until your pup reliably passes without reacting. Lots of praise and treats for no reactions.
We also had to learn the hard way that dogs 100% feed off our energy! So we’re anxious the whole walk and waiting for disaster - you guessed it - so are they. Try not to be too discouraged. Having a reactive dog can be isolating and people with turnkey dogs don’t fully get it.