What is reactivity?
Reactivity is a term that refers to a dog that reacts in a big way to a stimulus, in most cases other dogs. This may also be referred to as “dog reactivity” or sometimes “dog aggression”. It is important, however, to make a distinction between true aggression and a fear reaction, as the two terms are often mistakenly used interchangably.
It is important to keep in mind that your new Greyhound has likely never seen any other breeds of dogs before, so it may take them a while to recognise them, time and patience as well as positive training methods can help to overcome reactivity. Dogs who are reactive only react that way because they think it’s the only way to respond, our aim is to teach them other strategies and learn how to make better choices E.g should I bark at this dog, should I disengage and move on, or turn to my handler so they can help me.
How to help
Greyhound Rescue highly recommend avoiding other dogs when you first bring your hound home, and keeping their world small. This means avoiding highly populated areas like pubs, cafes, or crowded streets. Dog parks are a definite no-go as they can be incredibly overwhelming and are often quite volatile, especially for a hound who has not been socialised.
Management is key for reactive hounds. At Greyhound Rescue their environment sheltered, they may be introduced to other breeds of dogs during dog testing and training days. You can manage your reactive hound by walking them at quiet times and in areas where there are fewer dogs.
If you do see other dogs, keep in mind that you don’t know what the other dog’s temperament will be like so it is best to cross the road, or turn around and move away. Don’t assume that all the dogs are social. Like humans, some dogs are happy to keep their distance. It’s best to introduce your hound to other dogs in a controlled way so that you can watch for signs that they are stressed or uncomfortable and increase the distance between you and the other dog.
Your greyhound will feel safer knowing that you’re not going to take them closer to the thing that they may find scary. Be mindful that if your greyhound is reacting to another dog, it is generally fear based. If your dog is overreacting to another dog increase the distance to reduce stress. When out and about with your greyhound, if you see another dog give your hound a treat so that they associate good things coming when they see other dogs around.
Make sure that you stay at a distance where your dog is comfortable – once they’ve already had that moment of fear they’re no longer learning. This is refered to as your hound’s “threshold”- the point at which they are no longer comfortable. It is important to try and keep your dog below their threshold as once they’re already reacted they are not in learning mode. Keep your distance and make it a positive time for your hound.
When a dog is over their threshold, they will react to a stimulus (vocalise, jump towards the stimulus ect). Dogs are unable to learn when they are over their threshold, just like a child is unable to respond or learn when they are stressed or upset. When a dog is under their threshold, they are aware of the stimulus, but are not concerned or alert, and are able to disengage or ignore the stimulus. This is the optimum “training zone” where we aim to keep them so we are able to change their emotional response through positive reinforcement.
Be kind to yourself and patient with your hound, working with a reactive dog involves teamwork between hound and handler. If you are having trouble with reactivity, then please consult a professional force-free trainer.