What is reactivity... really?

The word reactive has become one of the most commonly used labels in dog training, but it's also one of the most misunderstood.

The truth is that every single dog on the planet is reactive. In fact, every living animal is reactive. Reacting to the world around us is a fundamental part of survival. If your dog hears the treat cupboard open and comes running, they've reacted. If they jump at a loud bang, they've reacted. If they wag their tail when you pick up the lead, they've reacted. If they move away from a wasp, chase a squirrel or bark when someone knocks on the door, they're simply responding to something in their environment.

Being reactive doesn't mean there's something wrong with your dog. It means your dog is alive.

So when someone says they have a "reactive dog", what do they actually mean?

In most cases, they're referring to a dog whose reaction to certain triggers is bigger, more intense or more difficult to control than we would typically expect. Rather than simply noticing another dog, a cyclist or a stranger and carrying on with their day, the dog becomes emotionally overwhelmed and responds in a way that is difficult for both them and their owner to manage.

This is an important distinction because the behaviour itself isn't the diagnosis. Barking, lunging, growling, spinning, whining or freezing are simply behaviours. They are the outward expression of whatever emotion the dog is experiencing at that moment.

This is where the term reactive can become misleading. It tells us what the dog is doing, but it tells us almost nothing about why they are doing it.

Two dogs may bark and lunge at another dog in exactly the same way, yet the emotion driving that behaviour could be completely different. One dog may be frightened and desperately trying to create distance. Another may be frustrated because they desperately want to say hello but are being held back by the lead. A third may become overwhelmed with excitement and lose all ability to regulate their emotions. Another may genuinely be displaying offensive aggression and attempting to drive the other dog away.

From the outside, these dogs can look almost identical. Internally, however, they are experiencing completely different emotional states.

This is why understanding the motivation behind the behaviour is so important. The most effective training plan isn't based on what the dog is doing, it is based on why the dog is doing it. Until we understand the underlying emotion, we risk treating the symptom rather than addressing the cause.

As trainers, our job isn't simply to stop barking or lunging. Our job is to identify what the dog is trying to communicate and then teach them healthier, more appropriate ways of coping with the world around them.