Owning a reactive dog can sometimes feel like navigating a minefield. Anxiety and stress can often overshadow what should be an enjoyable walk out in nature, which makes the idea of taking reactive dogs on their daily outing a challenge in itself. From unexpected triggers to overly curious strangers, the obstacles we deal with are abundant. However, learning to advocate for your pooch and using the right tools can make your daily walks a much more pleasant experience for every party, and we're here to help you.
So let's dive into why it's so important to advocate for your reactive dog and how you can do it effectively.
Understanding Reactive Dogs
I've written this paragraph so many times now, but let's start with what exactly is a reactive dog. A reactive dog is a pooch that overreacts to specific stimuli. This stimulus could be other dogs, strangers, loud noises, or even just the general movement and happenings in the space around you. The reasons for this behaviour can vary widely, but the most common reason a dog is reactive is simply because it's fearful and anxious. Understanding what sets your dog off is the very first step in managing their reactive behaviour.
Advocating for your Reactive Dog
This part of owning a reactive dog can be a huge hurdle for many. Outspokenness is not a natural response for a lot of people, particularly when you have a pooch on the edge of a mental breakdown next to you in public. However, owning a dog with behavioural issues means that you have to be their voice and ensure their needs are being met.
You need to communicate your dog's boundaries, whether it's asking someone to give you and your dog space, explaining why your dog is wearing a muzzle, or even shouting down the walking trail "She's not friendly!". Being clear and assertive is key.
Here are some of our tips for advocating effectively:
- Speak up: Don’t be afraid to tell people what your dog needs and in particular, don't worry about what people are going to think or even say to you. There are a lot of dog owners that have never experienced owning a reactive dog and thus, don't understand what it's like dealing with their reactivity, so you should expect ignorant comments in response to your advocacy.
- Stay calm: This is important and also one of the most difficult aspects when out in public. Your dog can sense your emotions, so try and stay calm and assertive when handling stressful situations.
- Educate: Linking back to our comment above - sometimes, a little explanation goes a long way in gaining cooperation from others. If you get the opportunity, explaining to others why your dog behaves the way they do often brings a wave of relief when you see that people can understand your situation. For us, simply stating that our reactive dog was sick when she was a puppy and didn't get the opportunity to socialise with the world beyond a veterinarian's office is often enough.
Tools to Help You Advocate in Public
In our opinion, the two best tools in your arsenal for public outings are a muzzle and a fluorescent safety vest. Firstly, for those with a dog who may be a bite risk, a muzzle not only prevents your dog from potentially inflicting damage on another dog or person, but it also signals to others that your dog requires space. One of our favourite brands, The Muzzle Movement, offers a range of muzzles that are comfortable, stylish, and effective. Their products are designed with your dog's comfort in mind, making sure that they can pant, drink, and enjoy their walking without restriction.
Our second recommendation is equipping your dog with a safety vest, which we discuss in length in our post My Dog Wears a "Give Me Space" Vest. A safety vest is often bright yellow or orange, which makes your pooch visually noticeable from a much larger distance. This visibility serves two main purposes:
- Warning Signal: Just as a muzzle may indicate, a fluorescent vest signals to others that your dog might need space, reducing the likelihood of sudden interactions that would usually trigger a reactive response.
- Safety: Another reason to equip your dog with a vest is that it boosts visibility for motorists, cyclists, and other pedestrians, especially in low-light conditions like early mornings or late evenings.
These safety vests often come with printed messages on them, like "Nervous", "Do Not Pet", and "Give Me Space". These messages communicate your dog's requirements to others without you having to verbally advocate, which is useful in high-traffic areas. Something else we noticed when we started wearing a safety vest was that it actually boosted my confidence as a reactive dog owner. I felt much better being out in public knowing that people could see my dog has some type of special requirement, and in turn, this boosted my dog's confidence, too.
Practical Tips for Public Outings
Honestly, planning is your best friend when it comes to taking your reactive dog out in public. You should choose quieter times for walks to avoid crowds and potential triggers and equip your dog with a vest as mentioned above. We often scout for locations that are less crowded and have enough width for us to create my dog's required space bubble. During our walks, we continue our positive reinforcement training, by developing a positive association with the outside world at all points.
Importantly, you need to stay vigilant while out in public, especially for those with a bite-risk pooch. Keep an eye out for potential triggers and steer clear when possible. We understand that creating space is not always an option, so this is where you need to use your voice and verbally advocate for your dog. Remember, staying calm and being concise is critical - "She needs space and might lunge. Can you please move over to the side?" was often our go-to statement.
Building a Supportive Community
It's important to remember that you’re not alone in this journey.
Connecting with other reactive dog owners can provide valuable support and advice. We recommend joining a local dog training facility and looking for local groups or online communities where you can share experiences and tips, and even meet for controlled playdates. We opted to join a "Give Me Space" reactive dog group class, which was chaos at first, but the core group of dogs can now easily go on pack walks together without any incidents occurring.
Engaging with a reactive dog community can offer emotional support to share challenges and successes, practical advice where you can learn from other's experiences, and networking in general.
So, Advocacy is Key!
Advocating for your reactive dog is all about understanding their needs and ensuring those needs are met, especially in public.
You need to be a proactive and informed dog owner so that you can not only help your dog but so you can contribute to the community's understanding of reactive dogs. Next time you head out for a walk, don't forget to vocalise and advocate for your furry friend and consider exploring some of the valuable tools available to make the journey smoother for both of you.
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