What Should I Do When My Dog Reacts?

If your dog barks or lunges at people, other dogs, or noises, don’t panic. That reaction is usually based in fear, frustration, or excitement, not because they’re being “bad.” Your job is to teach them what to do instead.

We use operant conditioning to guide behaviour. That means we clearly show the dog when a choice is good (and reward it) and when it's not (and redirect or mark it). For example, if your dog sees another dog and stays calm - no barking or pulling - that's what we call a “clean rep.” You should mark that moment clearly and reward it. Dogs learn best from these simple, repeated successes.

Be careful with corrections, what you may think will be aversive to your dog, they might see it in a different way. They may see it as encouraging or even rewarding. 

We also use *existential feeding, *letting the dog earn their meals through work. Instead of giving food for free, we use it to build focus and communication. Every meal becomes part of your training plan, making the lessons stick faster.

📩 Want help creating calm, reliable behaviour on walks? Reach out, we’re ready to help you and your dog succeed.