One of the most common issues that clients contact me with is to help their dog with their dog on dog aggression or reactivity. Believe it or not, most of the time solving your dogs reactivity issues can be easier than you think. Even if it looks to you like a serious problem, sometimes a few simple changes in the structure of your walk with your dog, and a small change in the way that you behave when you think your dog is going to react can completely change your dogs state of mind.
The thing to remember is that NO dog is born aggressive, it’s all a learned behaviour. The vast majority of aggression is actually fear based, so by accepting that your dog is just telling you that they are not happy in any given situation, and by taking them away from it will be really appreciated by them. To help you solve these issues, I will teach you what to do, BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER your dogs reactivity to achieve a calm, relaxed and sociable dog.
I currently run ‘one to one’ dog reactivity sessions locally in Colchester or Chelmsford in Essex for clients whose dogs may be reactive towards other dogs, either with fear aggression or just over excitement.
These one hourly sessions cover finding your dog’s ‘safety gap’ (the distance other dogs need to be away before your dog reacts) as well as the importance of being able to read your dog to see what they are telling you. Is their behaviour aggression? Is it excitement? Or is it a bit of both? The session also covers the correct way to use a retractable lead or a long line as for safety reasons, your dog will not be let off the lead during the session.
Please contact me for further information.
Does your dog have behavioural problems? Steve Hutley can help!