Reactions
Dogs being reactive is a conversation I'm having more and more often. It's alarming, and it's making me wonder how long before our non reactive dogs are starting to be affected. Reactive dogs have enlarged pupils, they are often panting and have their tongue hanging out. Their digestive system is upset, they don't sleep well with deep even breaths.  There is a lack of dreams while they sleep. They lunge at the end of the leash at other dogs, cars, people and garbage. "Reactive" has become the catch all phrase that is being over used. 

Response
Trainers often respond with "tire them out". Humans are mostly frustrated, embarrassed, angry or tired. They are for sure ill equipped to handle the situation. Reactions come from the dog not being in control of their emotions, it's as simple as that. The challenge comes from the poor communication between dog and handler. We need to understand this is not an energy thing and we need to understand that we cannot train or suppress those emotions during a reaction (so shock collars or telling them "no") . What we can do is create a calm environment and wait for the storm to pass

Regulate
We as handlers need to respect the dogs reaction. We need to assume they are being honest and not creating a scene for some payback for being late. We need to respect the 3 D's of training Distance, duration and distractions. I promise you one of those (or more) are not being respected. 

Lets say you are out for a walk and your dog suddenly becomes a lunatic. There is a reason. Are they hungry? (feed them before the walk) Have they processed too many things? (walk for a shorter amount of time) Is the thing that set them off too close? (create space for them). Make notes, what's happened, how far into the walk, loud cars, more people passing, reacted yesterday (it takes 3 days for the cortisol from a reaction to calm back down in a body), weird things to sniff. 

When your dog switches to lunatic, you cannot teach in that moment. Stop talking/directing/trying to control the situation. Create space/Distance from whatever is upsetting. Once you have removed yourselves from the offending item, you can try to lower distractions by doing some basics like "sit" or simply sitting quietly with your dog or tossing some kibble for them to sniff out. Duration (length of walks) cannot be built unless you keep your dog under the reaction threshold. So it's super important to understand the reactions

I think if we name the reactions we are much less to get caught up in them ourselves. Cranky, tired, sad, scared, frustrated, over loaded, stressed, hungry, offended, angry... whatever. Try to see the feeling behind the reaction. It's there, you need to identify it. Dogs don't have ulterior motives. 

While you are off in the created distance, naming the reaction, be mindful of your body language. You are trying to have your dog reconnect, and a scared/frustrated dog is less likely to reconnect to an angry human. Be kind, they are having a hard time. They didn't ask to be adopted by you, or to go for that walk with those restrictions. You are imposing all those parameters. Be kind. 

Respond to the named reaction, not the behavior. You're scared? Here's a safe space. You're overwhelmed? Let's sit here a while and be calm. You're hungry? Let's go home and have supper, tomorrow we will have supper first. 

If you stop and do the human part, I promise your dog will be better able to socialize and build those skills. They will be better able to learn (that cortisol interferes with this too!), They will feel safer and more bonded to you. You will see fewer reactions. Most importantly you will have a more stable relationship with better communication. 

Remember; we don't yell at storms, we sit calmly and wait for them to pass, then we clean up the mess.