Helping Reactive Dogs Build Confidence: Emotions First, Training Second

April 13, 2025

Dog training advice can sometimes feel a bit all over the place, can’t it?

Early in our training journey before finding our favourite behaviourist, we would be told one thing by one trainer and then the opposite by another, despite both marketing themselves as positive-reinforcement specialists. There never seemed to be any consistency.

One minute you're being told to reward behaviours you like and ignore the ones you don’t. The next, someone tells you to give your dog treats while they’re hiding from a stranger. Wait -- aren’t you reinforcing fearful behaviour?

The short answer: no. But we totally understand the confusion. Let’s break it down and look at what’s really going on when a reactive or anxious dog behaves that way, and how building their confidence is key to changing those reactions for good.

Understanding the Two Types of Learning That Shape Your Dog’s Behaviour

When it comes to helping dogs feel safe, calm, and confident, it’s important to understand the difference between operant conditioning and classical conditioning. These two learning systems affect your dog in very different ways, and knowing when to use each is the key to transforming your reactive pup into a more resilient one.

Operant Conditioning: Behaviour That’s Voluntary

This is the kind of learning where dogs (and humans!) learn through consequences. Your dog does something, something happens as a result, and they decide whether to do it again.

Examples:

Your dog sits politely. You give them a treat. They’re likely to sit politely again.
They beg at the table. You give in and share a chip. Guess what they’re doing next dinner?
They drop the stolen sock. You reward with a game of tug. Now, they're more likely to drop items next time.
They pull on the lead. You stop walking until the lead goes slack. They learn pulling gets them nowhere.

Most of the "annoying but normal" dog behaviours, like chewing furniture, jumping up at guests, or digging up the garden, can be managed using operant conditioning.

Classical Conditioning: Emotions & Involuntary Responses

This is about feelings. It’s the automatic, emotional associations your dog makes with things in their world, whether they're good or bad.

Examples:

Your dog gets nervous at the vet because they’ve learnt it’s where uncomfortable things happen.
They get excited when you grab the lead, because it means you're heading out for a walk!
You smell your nan's apple crumble and feel all warm and fuzzy inside? That’s classical conditioning too.
The doorbell rings. It used to mean exciting visitors, now it triggers barking because it’s linked to chaos or stress.

For reactive or anxious dogs, classical conditioning is what’s really at play. Their behaviour (like growling, barking, or hiding) is often just the symptom of an underlying emotion: fear.

Building Confidence in Reactive Dogs Starts with Emotion

So back to that earlier question: are you reinforcing fearful behaviour if you comfort your dog when they’re scared?

Nope.

Here’s why: you can’t reinforce an emotion. You can’t accidentally “reward” fear in the way you might reinforce jumping up or begging. Emotions aren’t choices; they’re reactions. And for reactive dogs, helping them feel safe is the first step to helping them behave differently in the future.

Let’s say your shy pup growls and hides behind you when a friendly stranger approaches. Instead of scolding or forcing her into an interaction she’s clearly not ready for, you let her hide. You offer gentle reassurance. Maybe a treat. You show her that you’ve got her back.

That moment of safety builds trust. And trust builds confidence.

Next time? She might not growl. She might peek out. Maybe even take a step closer. That’s progress. Not because you punished the fear away, but because you helped her feel differently.

When to Use Operant Conditioning vs Classical Conditioning

I wanted to keep this as simple as possible for readers. So I've created the below table for when to use operant conditioning versus classical conditioning.

Behaviour or Situation	Use This Approach	Why
Chewing furniture or shoes	Operant Conditioning	Chewing is normal dog behaviour. Redirect to appropriate chew toys and reward chewing those instead.
Puppy biting hands during play	Operant Conditioning	This is part of learning bite inhibition. Use consistent consequences like pausing play and reward gentle play.
Jumping up at guests	Operant Conditioning	Jumping gets attention. Teach and reward an alternative behaviour like sitting when greeting people.
Barking at passers-by through the window	Operant Conditioning (with environmental management)	They bark, people move away—so barking is reinforced. Block the view or reward quiet behaviour instead.
Refusing to walk near loud traffic	Classical Conditioning	Fear-based reaction. Pair exposure to traffic noise with treats to change emotional response over time.
Growling or hiding from strangers	Classical Conditioning	These behaviours stem from fear. Pushing the dog will worsen fear; instead, build positive associations with people.
Panic at the vet clinic	Classical Conditioning	Vet = scary place from past experiences. Use desensitisation and counter-conditioning to reduce fear over time.
Pulling on the lead during walks	Operant Conditioning	Dogs pull to get where they want to go. Teach loose lead walking by only moving forward when the lead is slack.
Growling at other dogs on walks	Classical Conditioning (with some Operant later)	Often driven by fear or frustration. First, change the emotional response, then teach alternative behaviours.
Getting excited when you grab the lead	Classical Conditioning	Lead = walk! This automatic excitement is a classically conditioned response to a predictable routine.

When in doubt, ask: Is my dog doing this because they’re distressed or just being a dog? That will tell you where to start.

Final Thoughts: Confidence First, Manners Second

Here’s the big takeaway: behaviour and emotion run on parallel tracks. If your dog feels better, they behave better. And when you train a behaviour, you’re also shaping how they feel about that behaviour.

That’s why building your reactive dog’s confidence is the real game-changer.

So next time your dog reacts with fear or anxiety, don’t worry about “reinforcing” it. Focus on helping them feel safe and supported. The better they feel, the more space there is for learning, growth, and eventually, calm, confident behaviour.

-

Huge thanks to Kaylar Photo for the beautiful cover photo, shared freely on Unsplash. Your generosity makes storytelling that much more vibrant.

TheBarkBlog