Working through a dog’s reactivity goes so much deeper than you might think. We have to set up very clear expectations for behavior. We have to teach them how to achieve a calm mindset. We have to teach them to look to us for guidance. And we have to do that in so many environments until it becomes second nature.
Scout has shown some reactivity toward cars, and will try to run away from loud noises. So we’re tackling both of those issues in this session by simply teaching her to exist in a highly stressful environment for her. By teaching her to look to me for guidance rather than react to all of the scary noises, we’re teaching her appropriate behavior in this environment. With practice, she’ll be able to calmly handle anything that comes her way. But it starts here. Actually, it started a week ago by teaching her the expectations inside around limited distractions. It starts small, and then you can add on that solid foundation to open up her world to new experiences.