Why is my dog reactive?

It’s natural for people to question things.

And especially when that “thing” is having a major unwanted effect on their life!

So “Why is my dog reactive?” is a question I hear often.

And the questioner often furnishes what they think the answer may be. These “reasons” can range from:

He’s a rescue dog

I think he was beaten

He missed out on socialisation

He was over-socialised

He was attacked as a puppy (“attacked” can mean anything from being stared at to being torn apart, I have learnt)

He had a bad breeder / bad breeding / bad start

We went to a bad puppy class

He never went to puppy class

.. and so it goes on.

Now whether any of those things are true, and - more to the point - whether they have any bearing on how your dog is now, can never be quantified.

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It’s been proven that fears can be hereditary. Even that the position in the womb can affect a puppy’s mindset! And while all the research goes on - you have a dog to look after.

The fact is that your dog is reactive!

.. or anxious, nervous, shy, “aggressive” …

This is what we know, for sure - so why not start there?

Start from where you are

It really doesn’t matter why your dog is reactive or fearful. He just is.

A family may have two or more children who are poles apart in character. Same parents, same genes, same environment, same diet, same everything.

And yet they are totally different. We all know families like this - maybe even have a family like this!

Perhaps one child is brave and fearless and dives into everything.

While another is shy and reserved, lacks confidence, and prefers to be a wallflower.

Thing is - we get the children we’re given! We don’t have too much say in the matter.

And we love them just the same.

Choosing your dog

So why not view your dog the same way?

Maybe you went to great lengths to choose a breed you thought would suit you, the gender that seemed right for you. You hunted till you found a good breeder, checked the lines, made your choice.

Or perhaps you took pot luck - picking a dog from a shelter, or inheriting a dog from someone else.

I can tell you now, that there is more variation between individuals than there is between breeds.

In other words, two dogs of the same breed - even from the same litter - will be individual. Not clones. Individual.

Your collie may be afraid of things that run fast, your spaniel may have no interest in using his nose, your GSD may be sound-sensitive, your lapdog may hate laps …

So, to some extent, no matter how carefully you choose, you are taking a gamble.

First of all, be kind

Your dog can’t help how he is. He didn’t choose to be afraid. He just is.

And fear of some kind, whether inbred or acquired, is at the bottom of most reactivity.

So let’s cut him some slack.

He may not be the dog you had hoped for.

He may never be a good agility dog, or working dog - which is why you got him.

He may never be comfortable in strange places, or with strange people or dogs.

But that’s not his fault!

It’s just the way it is!

No need for whywhywhy - it just is.

You chose him.

So you need to do what you can to make his life with you the best it can be. If that limits what you can do with this dog, then so be it.

More love on offer

Just about all the reactive dogs I have ever known are wonderful family pets. They are utterly devoted to their people. They are fun to have around - at home.

I’d go so far as to say there is no bond like the bond between your reactive dog and you.

You have to put so much work in to keep him - and you - happy.

And in so doing, you understand him so much better. You build his confidence, slowly but surely (this can take years).

And your dog knows (once he’s no longer a terrified screaming furry blob on a walk) that you love him and will protect him.

What better pet could you wish for?

Want some help with your challenging dog? Hop over to our free Masterclass for Growly Dogs, which gives you practical techniques you can use straight away to make your your dog - and your walks - calmer

Can dogs have ADHD?

So many people say their dog has ADHD, or is autistic, or something else.

And what they really mean is that in some way it’s the dog’s fault that he is as he is.

After all, it’s much easier to say that your dog behaves badly because of some obscure medical condition - rather than lack of proper nurturing - as in poor food, lack of exercise, lack of stimulation.

Far easier to say that, than to admit that you’ve fallen down on training and can’t manage your dog!

While dogs don’t have autism or ADHD, there is a thing. It’s called Hyperkinesis, and it’s VERY VERY RARE in dogs.

I only came across it myself for the first time recently.

It involves complete inability to settle, inappropriate responses (sometimes aggressive), chaotic behaviour, from puppyhood on.

You’d know if your dog had that - you’d really know!

This diagnosis is only given after extensive testing. And I was interested to read that in addition to medication it is universally recommended to use non-aversive reward-based training.

We already know that!

What about my hyper dog?

Some of us have very active dogs, some of us have shut down dogs, but very, very, few people in the world have hyperkinetic dogs.

This is good news!

So what do you do if you have an apparently uncontrollable, mad, dog who never seems to settle and seems to want to defy you all the time?

Double down on the training - especially All Day Training!

What’s All Day Training? It’s those little things you teach and expect all the time, like waiting patiently at doors, standing still to have a harness put on, sitting for a visitor, and so on.

It’s not a formal training session. Rather like we teach our children, it’s just little reinforcements of good behaviour - All Day Long.

And we must always 

🐶 be clear

🐶 be consistent

and it’s helpful to have set routines so your dog knows what’s going to happen next. He knows when he’s going to be fed, he knows when it’s playtime, he knows when it’s bedtime - throughout the day.

Enable your dog to tell you what he needs!

First … CALM!

Something that helps a lot of people is teaching their dog how to relax. Fully. Anywhere.

“I have been teaching my dog the Magic Mat technique from your Calm Down! book, and it's been great! Thanks for writing such a great and helpful guide!” JS

“Thank you, I've just read through the first 4 chapters of Calm Down! and I'm feeling excited to get started tomorrow, I love the way you write and explain everything!” WR

“Thank you so, so much for the Calm Down! book. It's already going brilliantly, it's like you're a dog mind-reader, you really know your stuff!” LN

By the way, if you are medicating your dog you must always combine this with a behaviour modification program designed by an expert in force-free training. This would ideally be a Veterinary Behaviourist, who can manage the dosing at the same time as the training.

Dog Feeding Schedules - how important are they?

I’ve had a couple of people recently looking for help with their puppy because it was screaming all night. On enquiry, I’ve found that the (so-called) breeder - “Greeder”, I’d say - told them to feed 2 meals a day.

Two meals a day, for an 8-week-old small breed puppy!

Totally ridiculous - in fact, cruel.

Can you imagine feeding a new baby twice a day and expecting peace and harmony in the home?

So, while explaining this to the reader - who was of course not to blame but doing their ill-informed best - I was thinking about feeding schedules in general.

They are not set in stone!

 Feeding can, indeed should, change over the dog’s life.

Let me give you some examples.

My usual schedule with a young puppy is to start with 5 or 4 meals a day, gradually dropping to 3 at 12 weeks, then 2 at 6 months, then dropping to 1 meal a day at 9 months or a year or two (depending on size and make-up of the dog).

My dogs also get training treats throughout the day, and have access to meaty bones and healthy chews. Clean water is, of course, always available, in a clean container.

I have four dogs:

🐶 Lacy, English Shepherd, 14

🐶 Cricket the Whippet, 13

🐶 Coco Poodle, 10

🐶 Yannick, Border Collie, coming up to 2

And they all have a different feeding regime (they all have a big raw dinner):

🐾 Lacy - gets a small breakfast as she’s old

🐾 Cricket - started having panic attacks in the morning. Never after lunch. So I started feeding her breakfast - no more panic attacks

🐾 Coco - gets a tiny breakfast - he’s small and inclined to put on weight

🐾 Yannick - I stopped his breakfast at a year and he rapidly became thin, so he’s back on it, and doing nicely.

Plus treats, bones, etc as I feel the urge, and scatterfed kibble in the garden at lunchtime (this is a sure way to get Cricket to go out to relieve herself on wet days!)

So you can see it’s not a “one-size-fits-all”.

You need to observe your dog, view her with a stockman’s eye, check she is neither too fat nor too thin.  

And if you want to give me a treat for all the info I give you freely, here’s your chance!

How can I tell if my dog’s weight is right?

It can be hard - especially for the novice dog-owner - to assess your dog’s condition. You see him every day! These things can creep up on you.

Here’s an excellent chart to guide you:

If your dog has a dense coat which masks everything, you’re going to have to get in with your hands and feel your way round his body.

This is something you need to do regularly anyway - to hunt down parasites, injuries, strange lumps and bumps.

I find the shortcut ways of finding whether a dog is too fat are these:

1. Ribs: you can feel them easily but not cut yourself on them.

2. Pin bones (top of pelvis): easy to find but nicely covered.

3. Neck: the skin should be loose round the neck, no fat rolls or thickness.

If you make these observations - seeing and feeling your dog - regularly, you’ll be able to adjust his intake up or down as needed.

Always remembering the quality of the food you give!

Here are some useful feeding resources for you:

Is raw feeding safe for my dog? Let’s get to the Bare Bones

What food can I give my dog?

Beware the deadly mince pie! Christmas hazards for dogs

“My dog doesn’t like food”

Keep your dog and your Christmas food safe!

Dog feeding frenzy!

I'm not spending good money on a DOG!

How much should I feed my dog?

What can my dog chew?

What are the most effective dog treats?

And once you’ve got his outsides right, you can focus on what’s inside your dog’s head, with our free Workshop which might just change everything about how you interact with your dog!

Are you rewarding your dog or bribing him?

Do you know the exact difference between bribery and rewarding? 

Lots of people don’t!

And if you’re new to Brilliant Family Dog, it may be an area that puzzles you.

It can be so annoying when someone sees you reward your dog with a treat, then snootily says, “I don’t BRIBE my dogs. I expect them to do what I ask …”

So I thought that if you already understand this concept, I’d equip you with the science behind it all, so you can respond appropriately to this sort of comment.

If you can be bothered, that is! Some folk are better left to stew in their own ignorance as they absolutely won’t listen to you.  

They’ve made up their mind and don’t want to be confused by the facts.

Though I’m always sorry for their dogs …

And if you don’t understand it, then here you go! This will explain this mystery for you.

Bribery vs Reward

When you go to work, does your boss BRIBE you to work?

Or does he REWARD you for work done?

You make a choice whether to turn up to work or not.

• If you do, you get paid.

• If you don’t, you don’t!

Simple!

And it’s just as simple for our dogs.

We give them a choice: Will you do this thing?

• They do it, and get paid.

• They don’t do it, and they don’t!

Just the same!

There is no “commanding”, “ordering”, shouting or yelling. The only difference is that they won’t get the sack as you would if you didn’t turn up to work!

They have another chance to earn that reward next time you ask.

Let’s look at the science behind this!

Quick glossary:  

A CUE is what we say or do to elicit the action we want. So there are vocal cues, physical cues, environmental cues .. It’s not a “command” because - well we don’t “command” our friends.

A MARKER is what you do or say to tell your dog he’s got it right, like Yes, or Good boy.

A REWARD is whatever your dog finds rewarding and is appropriate at that moment, e.g. treat, opening the door to the garden, going for a walk, cuddles, running and chasing, etc. It has been proven beyond any doubt that a response that is rewarded will strengthen and become automatic.

The thing to remember is the sequence. It’s

CUE - MARKER - REWARD.

“Sit. Yes! Here’s your reward.”

Not

REWARD - CUE!

We don’t need to wave food around their noses.

We don’t need to hold food up in the air for them to sit, or on the floor for them to lie down.

(Of course, a little help is sometimes needed to get dogs to lie down when you’re first teaching them a down. Some find it quite challenging. And guidance with food can get them started so they say, “Oh, I SEE! That’s what they want!”)

The exciting thing about all this is that over time, the CUE becomes the REWARD!

Wossat? The CUE becomes the REWARD?

Magic! ✨ 💥

Want to reward me with a coffee, so I keep giving you helpful articles?

Let’s look at an example

What happens when you pick up your dog’s lead?

Excitement? Anticipation of a walk?

The lead is the CUE - it’s a physical cue - and the WALK is the reward.

Your dog knows, from constant repetition, that that’s how it goes.

And it’s not long before picking up the lead becomes the reward in itself! Hence all the lepping about when you touch the lead.

And of course this cue can travel backwards, till you just thinking it may be walk time is enough to get them going!

This is why your dog will SIT on CUE without need for a MARKER or a REWARD.

They’ve got it. They know this gig.

The pleasure centres of the brain light up when they hear the word SIT. It’s been conditioned to mean good things.

Though if your SIT starts to become hesitant or slow or sloppy, then it’s time for a return to training with

CUE - MARKER - REWARD

Can you see now, how you may respond to someone who suggests you’re using bribery? (That’s someone who’s honestly asking and is prepared to listen! You don’t want to waste your energy trying to convert the snooty, bossy, ones.)

And can you see now, if you didn’t get it before, what an incredibly powerful tool this is?

A-a-a-a-nd, why your dog may always do something when you do something? It’s because in some way he’s been rewarded for doing it, even it’s something you don’t want.

Example?

• Dog leaps about barking at the door.

• You leap about barking at him.

• Wheee! What fun! That’s a great reward!

Have a think about this as you go through your day with your dog!

They’re cleverer than we think.

And to learn more about how to reach your dog’s mind and get him on the same side as you, watch this free Workshop on getting your dog to LISTEN!

Time to get some action with your dog!

I came across this brilliant essay the other day.

It’s a great reminder for us who are always busybusybusy!

⏰ We have such great plans …

⏰ We’re going to do such marvels …

⏰ But we just have to get [insert distraction here] done first …

That wouldn’t be you, would it, by any chance? ;-) It’s definitely me! 😳

Christmas looms over us

I know we’re all busy around Christmas.

But look! The New Year is just round the corner!

What are you going to actually DO this year?

What will you look back on in December 2025 and say, “I DID IT!”

Read this essay below, and then tear up your To-Do List which contains all the things you think might be nice to do and that you know in your heart of hearts you never will do, and decide what’s important to you.

And do that.

[Thanks to Strangest Loop for that!]

In the meantime, enjoy doing your thing - and if it includes your dog, hooray!

He’s waiting for you …

See you next year.

And if you’ve enjoyed everything I’ve given you over this long year and fancy a little gift for me …

HINT: I drink a lot of coffee! ☕️ 😊

What does my dog see?

On a walk with a non-dog-owning friend recently, my dog froze and stared intently ahead.  

We could see nothing.

So my friend asked, “What’s he staring at?”

This prompted a little dissertation on Vision in the Dog! Perhaps she wished she hadn’t asked by the end of it - but as a multi-cat-owner she was actually very interested. 😊

Dog Vision

The first thing to note is what colours dogs can see.

For us, colour is possibly the first thing we notice. For dogs it has far less importance.

They do see blue and yellow, but the colours aren’t strong. This means that a red toy in green grass is very hard for them to find visually - this is why you’ll see your dog hunting with his nose to locate the item.

Blue or yellow or white or black are much more likely to be spotted by them.

Incidentally, this is why sheepdogs are traditionally black and white. These “colours” are easy to spot at a distance, for us as well as the dogs. Border Collies come in many colours, but bright blue and yellow have not yet appeared as variants!

Altogether the dog’s colour vision is pretty murky.

So what DO dogs see?

Dogs are hunters. And as such, they are attuned to movement. That’s what they see!

We can look at a beautiful vista and see trees, a lake, sky, clouds, grass in the foreground …

Dogs see a bunny twitching his whiskers under a distant tree; a bird landing on a branch; some leaves disturbed by wind or a tiny creature; a grazing animal lifting its head in the field …

As hunters, this is what they need to be able to spot!

Also, dogs are crepuscular.

This means they are most active at dawn and dusk - when their prey is also most active.

Their eyes are adapted to see well in low light. They have something called Tapetum lucidum which reflects what light there is in the eye, and enables them to see well in the dark.

Interestingly, my Border Collie Rollo was afraid of the dark - he couldn’t see well at night. And this is because his eyes were partly blue and he didn’t have this layer of reflective cells behind the retina.  

Dogs’ eyes are perfect for their purpose

So you can see that while dogs’ vision is very different from ours, it’s perfectly suited to what they were designed to do.

Of course, scent is incredibly important too, and 30% of the dog’s brain is devoted to this.

How can you utilise this knowledge now to work with your dog?  

• Find out which colour toys suit him best, close up and at a distance

• Observe what he’s likely to be looking at, rather than say he’s staring, or barking, at nothing. Just because we can’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t there!

• Encourage him to use his nose, with scent games, hide and seek, and so on. He’ll find this tiring and most satisfying.

By the way, to tell which animals are hunters and which are prey, follow this nice rhyme: 

Eyes to the front, hunt! Eyes to the side, hide!

It applies to birds as well as mammals.

Sea creatures not so much - the shark has eyes on the side of its head and cannot see immediately in front of its face. But they hunt largely by scent, and close in with a Tapetum lucidum ten times stronger than a cat’s - so they really can see well in deep, dark, waters.

Think of some predators now - cats, small and big; dogs/wolves/foxes - all canids; bears; hawks, owls, vultures; frogs, lizards, some snakes.

And prey - mice, rabbits, all small furries; songbirds; fish.

And for a great way to use your dog’s visual ability, teach him a fantastic retrieve! Here you go: 

Fetch It!
Teach your Brilliant Family Dog to catch, fetch, retrieve, find, and bring things back! (More Skills for a Brilliant Family Dog)

RESOURCES:

Color vision in the dog

Vision in dogs