Q: Is reactivity something a regular trainer can fix?

Reactivity is usually rooted in fear, stress, or past experiences. It requires a behaviourist with advanced understanding of canine emotional states and modification protocols.

Q: Can I find dog training near me if I’m based in London?

Yes. We offer in-person behaviour consultations across London, covering all major areas and boroughs zones 1-8

Q: Do you work with reactive dogs outside London or the UK?

Absolutely. Our online dog training and behaviour programmes allow owners worldwide to access specialist reactivity support.

Q: What is dog reactivity?

Dog reactivity is an exacerbated negative emotional response that your dog experiences while noticing a trigger. This can result in your dog growling, barking, lunging, or biting. But these are just observable symptoms. Dog reactivity at its core is an internal emotional issue that needs to be properly assessed to fully understand the root cause for your individual dog and then addressed with a bespoke plan that suits your dog’s specific needs.

Q. Dog training for obedience – Will it resolve my dog’s reactivity?

Obedience training alone won’t resolve your dog’s reactivity. While skills like heel, stay, and recall can help with overall control, reactivity is an emotional issue, not a lack of obedience. To truly improve reactivity, dogs need behaviour focused work including as management, counter-conditioning, and desensitisation to help them feel calmer and more comfortable around their triggers.

Q: How to stop dog reactivity?

To stop your dog’s reactivity, we first identify why they’re reacting, whether it’s from fear, anxiety, frustration, guarding, or feeling conflicted. Next, we determine their calm learning distance, the point where they can notice a trigger without reacting. From there, we introduce the right training techniques at the correct distance and intensity, making sure the amount of effective training outweighs the number of reactive episodes. As this balance shifts, behaviour change begins to take hold.

Alongside training, we ensure your dog’s 15 needs are being met and implement management strategies to prevent further rehearsal of reactive behaviour. This combined approach creates consistent, lasting progress.

Q. Is dog training with a clicker ideal for reactive dogs?

It depends! A clicker is a great way to communicate to your reactive dog that they’ve done something correct during training. A clicker can also be called a “marker”, marking the correct behaviour as soon as your dog performs that behaviour. We like to use a verbal marker word which is used in the same way, but can be easier due to not having to hold a clicker in your hand while handling the leash and treats. For deaf dogs, we can use a visual marker like a hand signal or a torch, or a physical marker like touching their body. We’ll help you find the right marker for you and your dog to get the best out of your reactivity training.

Q: Can dog reactivity be fixed?

Reactivity can often be greatly improved, but what “fixed” looks like depends on your individual dog. For some dogs, it means calmer responses to triggers or less intense reactions. For others, it may mean reaction-free walks, faster recovery after a trigger, choosing to move away instead of escalating, or being able to be closer or walk by triggers without reacting. With consistent training, the right tools, management, and needs being met, most dogs achieve meaningful, lasting progress in these areas even if they aren’t completely reaction-free.

Q: How to stop dog reactivity?

To stop your dog’s reactivity, we first identify why they’re reacting, whether it’s from fear, anxiety, frustration, guarding, or feeling conflicted. Next, we determine their calm learning distance, the point where they can notice a trigger without reacting. From there, we introduce the right training techniques at the correct distance and intensity, making sure the amount of effective training outweighs the number of reactive episodes. As this balance shifts, behaviour change begins to take hold.

Alongside training, we ensure your dog’s 15 needs are being met and implement management strategies to prevent further rehearsal of reactive behaviour. This combined approach creates consistent, lasting progress.

Q: What is dog leash reactivity?

Dog leash reactivity is when a dog reacts more intensely to triggers while on a leash. The leash can affect dogs in different ways depending on their underlying emotions. For fearful dogs, being on a leash removes the option to move away, which can make them feel trapped and more likely to bark or lunge. For frustrated dogs, the leash acts as a barrier preventing access to the trigger, which exacerbates frustration and causes barking or lunging. Leash reactivity isn’t just about aggression, it’s an emotional response shaped by how each individual dog feels when their freedom of movement is restricted.

Q: How to stop dog reactivity on leash?

To stop your dog’s leash reactivity, we follow the same process used for general reactivity: identify the root cause, establish their calm learning distance, and apply structured training around triggers. If the underlying issue is “barrier frustration,” we then layer in specific leash-handling skills. Because a tight lead can increase frustration, we teach your dog that tension on the leash predicts something positive and calm rather than feeling restricted. This combination of clear communication, management, and targeted training leads to steady improvement with on-leash reactivity.

Q: Can dog reactivity be genetic?

Yes, genetics can influence a dog’s tendency towards reactivity. Certain breeds, such as guarding or livestock breeds, are naturally more alert, protective, or reactive due to their ethology, while many terriers are highly driven and excitable. These traits can make city life more challenging, but they don’t determine your dog’s future. With consistent, targeted training, proper management, and by meeting their physical and mental needs, most dogs, including breed-prone reactive dogs, can learn calmer responses, recover quickly from triggers, and make meaningful, lasting progress.

Q: Dog training treats - Do I need these for dog reactivity training?

Yes. Treats are essential for effective behaviour change. We’ll help identify what motivates your dog and create a “treat tier” system, ensuring you have the right reward value to positively change their association and response to city triggers.

Q. How to fix dog reactivity

The process to resolve dog reactivity can look different for each dog, as they all have different triggers, thresholds, learning styles, histories, and personalities. But generally speaking, the first focus is to prevent negative exposure to triggers as much as possible using the right management strategies for your dog. Then the aim is to gradually and positively reintroduce your dog to triggers using counter conditioning and desensitisation techniques to build more positive/neutral associations to the triggers. This improved emotional response when seeing a trigger then reduces the need for your dog to growl, bark, lunge, or bite. The timeline for progress with this training is different for every dog, it’s often not a quick fix but it does create real long lasting positive change as the root emotional cause of the reactivity is being addressed.