Reactivity & Impulse Control
Reactivity isn’t defiance — it’s emotional overflow. This hub helps you understand your dog’s triggers, rebuild confidence, and teach impulse control through calm communication.
What Is Reactivity?
A reactive dog responds to triggers—dogs, people, noises—with outsized emotion. It’s often fear-based, not dominance. The barking and lunging are coping mechanisms for uncertainty. Reactivity is a stress response, not a personality flaw.
Common Triggers
- Strangers approaching or sudden movement.
- Other dogs on leash or behind fences.
- Loud or unpredictable sounds.
- Feeling restrained (leash tension, small spaces).
Trainer Insight:
Every reactive outburst starts with a *spark* — a microsecond before the explosion. Learn to spot the body language (stiffness, stare, lip lick, ear pivot) and intervene early with space and calm voice cues.
Building Impulse Control
- Pattern Games: Predictable mini-games like “Look at That” and “Find It” teach focus under stress.
- Distance Rewards: When your dog looks at a trigger calmly, reward and retreat — calm earns space.
- Threshold Training: Keep under emotional limit; never train at meltdown level.
- Calm Leash Handling: Relax your grip, lower your energy, and breathe through tension — dogs mirror it instantly.