.png){kind=small}
The 5 steps that resolved River the Great Dane's dog reactivity
River had started barking at other dogs while out on walks, which was problematic!
Given that River is only 15 weeks old, she still has a considerable amount of growing to do and she’s going to be enormous! That’s not a dog we want to be reactive on a lead.
River was a straightforward case. Being a food-motivated, impressionable puppy, it was quite easy to resolve her reactivity.
Step 1: Teach a “treat cue” so that she looks back at her owner when she hears “treat”, knowing she will receive a treat.
Step 2: Find the distance at which River looks but doesn’t bark at other dogs.
Step 3: When she sees a dog, say “treat” and reward her for looking back.
Step 4: When she sees a dog, wait for her to look back on her own.
Step 5: Gradually reduce the distance.
River only needed one session to understand this, and by the end of the session, she was looking for treats and no longer interested in other dogs.
Well done to River and her owner; they both did exceptionally well.
If this case sounds like your dog and you are having a similar issue, or a different issue entirely, book a FREE assessment call with us by clicking HERE
Large breed dogs can become quite a handful when leash reactivity kicks in during neighborhood walks. We dealt with similar sudden lunging issues with our mastiff mix last year, and reading through various Bark Busters reviews helped us understand how much our own nervous body language was accidentally stressing him out. Learning how to create calm boundaries inside the house made our outdoor routines far more manageable for the whole family. It takes genuine patience to undo reactive habits, but seeing real progress on the leash is always worth the effort.