4 Ways To Avoid Your Reactive Dog’s Triggers
Working with reactive dogs in intense urban environments is pretty much our bread and butter at Calm Canine Academy. Of all our tricks - and trust me there are many - avoidance techniques are probably our most useful tool for behavior change. Here’s why.
Leash Reactivity Foundations
If you have a reactive dog you have probably been given a bunch of conflicting advice. So let’s start at the beginning and get you acquainted with the basics of leash reactivity.
Understanding Leash Reactivity
Understand the common triggers and behaviors associated with leash reactivity.
A Training Plan For Leash Reactivity
Behavior change is possible! understand the path to better behavior on leash.
Should You Avoid Your Reactive Dog’s Triggers
Understand why avoiding triggers is a necessary part of the behavior change process
In short…
You'r dog’s loosing their shit when they see their triggers
Managment (avoiding them rehearsing the unwanted behavior) is necessary for behavior change
We’re going to have to work bloody hard to avoid your dog’s trigger
Avoiding Triggers Is Hard!
Now for most reactive dogs the urban environment is basically a war zone.
At any point their triggers (whether they be dogs, people, skateboards etc) could pop out of nowhere and push them past their panic point .
Avoiding triggers can be extremely difficult and sometimes impossible and that’s where managment skills come in.
Enter… Managment Skills!!
Any reactivity training plan starts with pre-rehearsing defensive maneuvers that’ll help you get your reactive dog out of a sticky situation and build distance from triggers.
Remember the goal is NOT to get your dog’s to walk close by their triggers.
These skills should be used to shield our dogs from stimulus they are not ready to handle at full intensity yet.
These are practiced inside first, then inside with distractions.
Slowly, we take them out into the world at a distance from triggers and build up to being able to use them at closer proximities.
We call this building up a ‘bank account’ for these different behaviors.
Over time you’ll be able to use them in a pinch, when surprised by an unexpected trigger to either move your dog away, or distract them while the trigger moves away.
“These skills should be used to shield our dogs from stimulus they are not ready to handle at full intensity yet”
U-Turn
The U-Turn is a pre-rehearsed flight behavior that cues you and your dog to turn 180 degrees and move quickly in the opposite direction.
This cue is particularly useful when surprised by a fast moving trigger, or by one suddenly turning around a corner.
Emergency U-Turn For Reactive Dogs
2. Treat Magnet
Treat magnets keep your dogs nose glued to your hand and their attention firmly on the task of chomping the treats
This cue can be a life saver when you need to distract your dog or move your dog quickly away from a trigger.
3. Find It’s
Sniffing our treats on the floor lowers a dog’s heart rate, and has the added benefit of keeping a dog’s attention firmly glued on searching.
Teaching dog’s that when they hear the cue ‘Find It’ they should get their nose down and start searching can distract and help move your dog around triggers.
4. Leash Pressure
In a pinch you may need to use leash pressure to move your dog away. This is not idea, but sometimes unavoidable.
Rehearsing communication through leash pressure can help lower stress and improve responsiveness in a triggering situation.
Got A Reactive Dog? Work With Us!
Learn more about FEISTY FIDO - our effective digital coaching program for dogs with Separation Anxiety
Learn more about our private reactivity coaching services here
