How to Deal with a Reactive Dog: From Chaos to Calm, Like a Boss

In simple terms, a reactive dog is a dog that overreacts at their triggers.

I’m not the only that looks at dogs at rescue sites at times right? How many of them say that the dog can’t live with other dogs or can’t be in a home with children? I feel reactive behaviour is now a major thing when it comes to rescuing dogs which is something to look out for if this isn’t something for you at the time.

The thing is yes, some dogs can be raised to be dangerous by their owners, but some dogs are born with behavioural issues and can be unstable and this can be passed through breeding.

At the time of writing this, the XL bully is being banned in the UK come February next year and a lot of people are saying that “it’s all about how you raise the dog” right? But let’s forget about those that got these amazing dogs as a sign of status, to instill fear, that had no intention of training their dogs.

Let’s think about those who have these dogs and give their dogs a life full of love, the proper training and all the bells, don’t you think they hate that phrase? I always turned my nose up to anyone who said it when Jasper would react.

Socialisation is one key factor on how to deal with a reactive dog, it is never too late to start!!! This will involve taking your dog to new places and getting comfortable with being out in public around everything. You can discover more information in my blog post on how to socialize a reactive dog.

A lot of people think socialisation is introducing their dog to people and other dogs and that’s it BUT that can cause problems down the line. In fact, constantly introducing a new dog or puppy to people and dogs can cause reactivity because as the dog grows older and you disallow the behaviour now, they will overreact to get what they want.

Socialisation should really include hanging out with your dog in new environments so they can get comfortable, letting them sniff, explore, play, relax, watch the world and just understand that the world is not a scary place.

In my opinion socialisation should be letting a dog be dependent and curious in a new environment as mentioned above but you also want to engage or play with your dog in these sessions too to show regardless of what’s going on around, you’re there with them.

Sometimes a dog has so much fear toward a trigger that it kicks their fight or flight system in. At this point in time a dog’s body releases plenty of hormones that prepares their body for a threat any time they see this and can lead to reactive behaviour.

The first thing that is always recommended when dealing with any behavioural issues is to check with the vet first for any underlying pain (this is important if you have a new dog).

Underlying pain can cause reactivity and can stem into behavioural issues too and is often overlooked by owners who end up wasting time when it’s an easy fix and can end up making things worse if allowing the dog to repeat the behaviour.

When learning how to deal with a reactive dog, many owners believe that exposing their dog to as many situations as possible is the solution. This often leads to dogs being thrown into uncomfortable situations—dog parks, busy public spaces, or forced meet-and-greets with strangers or other dogs. While this might seem like the right approach, it often exacerbates reactivity. True socialisation isn’t about flooding your dog with these high-stress encounters; it’s about creating neutral, calm experiences.

What we really want is a dog that can remain calm and neutral in various environments. Teaching your dog to simply be around other dogs, people, and different stimuli without needing to interact can do wonders for reactivity. Neutrality, not forced interaction, helps your dog build confidence and reduces the stress and fear that can trigger reactive outbursts. Socialisation is less about “getting along” and more about coexisting peacefully.

Understanding your dog’s limits is key. Many dogs thrive with structured, controlled exposure to new environments, rather than chaotic situations like dog parks. With time, patience, and consistency, your reactive dog can learn that not every new experience or individual is a threat, helping reduce the overreactions that fuel their reactivity.

This stage comes later in the training, once your dog is equipped with the tools to handle these challenges without reacting. The key is that the freedom comes after the neutrality. With time and consistent training, your dog will learn that they can enjoy these environments without the anxiety or fear that used to trigger their reactivity.

For more in-depth tips on this topic, be sure to check out my blog post on How to Socialize a Reactive Dog for additional strategies and insights, or download my reactivity starter bundle which includes my socialisation checklist, guide and so much more!

This helps rule out the probability of it being a medical issue. The last thing you want is to overlook this step and actually fester the reactivity in your dog to become something worse than it is, something worse than it needed to be.

Your vet may recommend you a trainer or a behaviourist in your area to help with the issue, they may be able to give you some advice as well, but once we’ve figured out it isn’t a medical problem, the goal is to get on a management plan as quick as possible and then into more of a training plan.

If your dog doesn’t like other dogs do they react differently to larger dogs? Small? A certain breed? Colour? On leash? Off leash?

Same thing goes for people too. Male or female? Tall? Hats? Umbrellas? Canes?

Get to know your dogs triggers and how much they’re likely going to react.

A dog may be able to deal with dog 10ft away but anywhere closer to that can cause a reaction. This can be even further than that, as mentioned above, this is an automatic response and just as long as they see the trigger, if it is in the safe zone they’ll react.

Knowing both your dogs safe zone and their triggers will ease the anxiety you feel on walks so much. Write them down, stick them on your fridge, fully understand your dog.

You can discover more about zones and reactivity warning signs with my dog reactivity chart.

This is the phase where we have to take the reigns and reduce the chances of unwanted behaviour.

Make sure to check out my reactivity freebie for 20 reactivity management tips that can help you have a better walk today PLUS my 5 day stress detox to help reduce and eliminate stress from your dog to help allow them to think clearer and make better choices!

Getting a dog trainer is always recommended, whether it be at the start of your journey, or during it. It doesn’t have to be for your whole journey, in the time I’ve had Jasper I’ve only seen a dog trainer a handful of times. A trainer can break everything down, show you how exactly you should be doing things, give you feedback and be able to see how your dog is developing.

If you want to start the process of training your dog by yourself then there is plenty of information out there from short videos to tutorials in YouTube, blogs, social media, books and courses. You have to find the right information for you and your dog and a format that appeals to you. Start by learning the four quadrants of dog training and then explore into your markers and so forth.

Looking into counter conditioning and socialising in the training phase will help your dog start to learn to associate their triggers as something positive instead of something negative.

This is a long process and one you can only move at the speed of the dog because if you move too quickly and try to progress too fast, you can push your dog too far and cause a slowdown in your progress.

You can find some more information on how to walk a reactive dog in my blog post here.

Making sure you understand counter conditioning and socialisation will help you with training your dog to over come reactivity.

Its no joke dealing with reactivity but if you do all you can to learn how to deal with a dog with reactivity it is possible to overcome the issue.

Things can get stressful with a reactive dog but if you follow a plan and find a reliable source for help you can overcome so many challenges, you and your dog will be different by the end of it.