
What is reactivity in dogs?
Reactivity in dogs is on an upward trend, while solo spaces for walking reactive dogs in Newcastle are heading in the opposite direction. It can be really tough to find someone you feel you can trust to walk your sensitive or anxious dog. But hey! You’re reading this, so Google seems to have served you well. Here at Gentle Steps, we specialise in reactivity in dogs and in walking with reactive dogs in the Newcastle area.
Reactivity is a loose term used to describe several behaviours displayed by dogs in response to triggers in their environment (both internal and external). For example, a dog can react to a squirrel or a noise (external) or to a shooting pain or felt-unsafety (internal). The reaction can vary in expression and intensity. Some dogs freeze, becoming tense, still and often anxious and hypervigilant. Others are animated and will bark, lunge, and growl.
Most dogs (if we gave them a choice) would choose to retreat. This is the “flight” stress response, which we can mimic by increasing the distance between a dog and the trigger. On the lead, a dog can’t do this for themselves. If we don’t initiate a retreat, they have little choice but to try to become “big”, noisy, and scary (more of a “fight” stress response).
A reaction can also be chasing, and this is usually a triggering of the natural prey drive by moving objects or animals. Reactions are driven by whatever emotions the dog is feeling in response to a specific situation. These emotions include anxiety, fear, frustration, anger, and hyperarousal. The intensity of the reaction can be affected by things like:
- how “under threat” the dog feels,
- the distance between the dog and the trigger,
- the amount of control the dog feels in a specific situation,
- how the resilience the dog feels physically,
- how resilience the dog feels emotionally,
- how recently the dog has faced and dealt with other triggers.
What triggers reactivity in dogs?

The main primary triggers for reactivity in dogs are other dogs, humans, vehicles, and – for prey drive – other animals, joggers, or vehicles. However, a dog is rarely reactive to *all* of the things grouped into any one of these categories. So, it’s more likely to look something like these descriptions of trigger examples:
- high-energy dogs who move erratically,
- children screeching, running and playing,
- adults in long trench coats or with walking sticks,
- large rumbly lorries and buses,
- skateboards and rollerskates,
- horses and cows!
However, most reactivity in dogs is also driven by a host of secondary triggers, which have a cumulative effect. This explains why a dog can react to something one day and not necessarily react again (or with the same intensity) the next day. Secondary triggers include things like:
- weather,
- physical discomfort,
- pain,
- lack of sleep,
- over-excitement,
- hunger,
- thirst,
- our emotional stress,
- visitors to the house,
- fear-inducing noise,
- busy environments,
- in fact,
- anything that causes the dog stress.
So, the primary trigger may not induce a reaction unless it’s close by or takes the dog by surprise. However, add in the effect of several secondary triggers (minor or moderate stressors), and the cumulative effect is that the stress is sufficient to cause a reaction. The reaction is just the behavioural response to the emotional/stress response that a dog is feeling.
How can we respond to reactivity in dogs?
Understanding why a dog is reacting is essential. It enables us to handle the situation in a way that doesn’t add even more stress. Increasing stress increases the likelihood of a reaction rather than reducing it. So, it’s important to manage our own reactions because our anxiety, fear, frustration and irritation can all increase our dog’s stress. Therefore, our response will include things like:
- Managing our own stress well.
- Being able to self-calm and help our dog to self-calm.
- Teaching our dog some games and behaviours that are effective tools in managing triggering situations when they arise.
- Learning techniques like T-Touch stroking the lead helps us to communicate calmly with our dog.
- Home-based activities like ACE Free Work can help build confidence, understand preferences and coping strategies, and observe signs of physical discomfort.
- Dealing with our dogs in a calm, sensitive, and supportive way rather than punishing them when they are reactive with lead jerks and verbal reprimands.
- To calm them before walking, you can offer de-stressing activities like Pattern Games, lick mats, snuffle mats, and nose work at home.
- Avoiding triggering encounters, or maintaining enough distance for your dog to remain comfortable.
- Walking in areas where you are less likely to encounter the dog’s particular triggers.
- Using equipment that is gentle, comfortable, maintains balance, and supports communication between each end of the lead.
- Advocating for the dog whenever needed – e.g. this dog needs space, please keep your dog away.
How can we help support you and your reactive dog?
Reactivity in dogs can be a big problem when it comes to finding appropriate professional care for dog walks and holiday cover. This is where Gentle Steps training services can help. For over 13 years, we have gradually been building our knowledge and experience (as a team) of reactivity in dogs and all that this can mean. Our trainer~walkers have access to Dr Janet Finlay’s year-long course, Your End of the Lead 2.0. and our internal Reactivity for Dog Walkers course, based on Janet’s work. We have bi-weekly skills-lab training sessions to practice existing skills and develop new ones.
We understand that every reactive dog is:
- Unique in terms of their responses and triggers.
- Not defined by their reactivity. They are just dogs who, for a few minutes, most days, are responding with a behavioural reaction to emotional stresses.
- Capable of not reacting, given enough distance and support.
- Capable of learning.
- Deeply relational with their own circle of friends (human and often canine too).
What can we offer your reactive dog?
We are here to help you when you need extra help with dog walking, home visits, or holiday care in your home. Our methods are gentle, kind, and non-coercive, and we use helpful equipment, such as the Mekuti balance harness and double-ended lead. Therefore, you can leave your dog(s) knowing that they are in supportive, kind, and well-informed hands.
We:
- start off calm
- reduce or remove minor triggers where possible,
- practice hazard awareness and avoid triggers while walking,
- maintain or increase distance,
- teach focus through Pattern Games and Look at Me,
- practice self-calming for the dogs and ourselves,
- reinforce desirable behaviour,
- teach protective behaviours like Let’s Go and Middle,
- use scenting to decompress.
Call Alison now on 07954 313 702 to discuss your needs.
*Pattern games create a familiar, predictable structure around the dog that enables them to feel safe and in control in difficult situations. Here’s a video of teaching the Up/Down Pattern Game – it’s very easy and effective but needs to be practised repeatedly in the home, garden, and then the street before you take it on the road!
Call me – 07954 313 702 for more information.