Reactive Is Not The Same As Aggressive

Reactivity looks alarming: barking, spinning, lunging, hackles up. But look at what the dog is asking for. Almost always it is distance. A dog who wanted a fight would move quietly and quickly.

That is why punishment backfires. If your dog is already frightened and you add a correction, you have simply added one more scary thing to the moment. The barking may stop for a walk or two, and then it comes back louder.

Instead, we work at the distance where your dog can still think. That might be across the street, or it might be across a parking lot. We pay attention, we feed generously, and we leave before the meltdown. Over weeks, that distance shrinks on its own.

Owners get homework too, because your body is part of the picture. Loose leash hand, slow breathing, and a plan for what you do when a loose dog appears. Confidence in the human end of the leash is not a cliché — dogs read it immediately.