Confessions of a Dog Trainer: Embracing My ‘Reactive’ Dog

Meet Toro, my 3-year-old Jack Russell x Pug x Springer Spaniel (I know, quite the mix, even dog trainers take their eyes off the balls sometimes!). I’ve had him since birth; I witnessed his conception (not in a creepy way, I promise!) and watched him being born. His name comes from the pizza I was enjoying when his parents decided to get it on (an ‘El Toro’ from Robertsons in Tavistock – highly recommended!).

If you had met Toro some time ago, you would probably have described him as reactive. Whenever he spotted another dog, he would go into a frenzy of barking, lunging, and even screaming (yep, dogs can scream) until the dog was out of sight, and then he would be a right royal pain in the arse for the rest of the walk. It made our walks incredibly challenging, leaving me feeling embarrassed, frustrated, upset, and sometimes downright angry. For two years, I questioned my abilities as a dog trainer, limiting our walks to specific locations and times when I could avoid encounters with other dogs. Did this approach help? Well, it allowed me to pretend the issue didn’t exist, but it didn’t address the fact that Toro became a screaming mess whenever he encountered unfamiliar dogs.

Now, the most embarrassing part of this story is that I don’t have an excuse for Toro’s big feelings towards other dogs. His parents are both easy going and sociable dogs, I can’t think of a specific situation that may have triggered his ‘reactivity’, He’s not a rescue, he’s been with me for life so it must be my fault right? Maybe.

Maybe I could have done more with him as a puppy (here’s my only saving grace – he was a lockdown pup), maybe I could have trained him better, maybe I shouldn’t have had him neutered when I did. Maybe, maybe, maybe. Would any of these maybe’s have changed anything? There’s only one answer to that, you guessed it – maybe!

The truth is it doesn’t matter why he is who he is and it doesn’t matter if I messed up in his early life. I can’t change any of that and the guilt that comes along with it is at best unhelpful, and at worst damaging. What matters is that I do everything I can to help Toro now. (Quick caveat here, all dogs showing signs of reactive behaviour should be checked by a vet. Pain and medical issues can be a contributing factor and should be addressed as a matter of urgency). About a year ago, I decided I had a choice: either walk Toro in the middle of nowhere at midnight for the rest of his life or confront the problem head-on. I chose the latter.

I’m not going to go into the specifics of what I did to help Toro cope (that’s a story for another time), but I can tell you something - if there’s a protocol for reactive dogs out there, I’ve heard of it, I’ve tried it and I’ve probably abandoned it. The good news is, although progress has been slow, it has been steady. In the last month, we’ve strolled down busy high streets on Saturday afternoons, walked in local parks surrounded by other dogs, and even engaged in training sessions with clients dogs at our venue. These are all activities I never thought we would be able to do together.

Now, you might be wondering why I’m not sharing the secret to Toro’s transformation in this post. Well, the real point of sharing this story is to shed light on the fact that there’s so much more to a reactive dog than their behaviour when triggered. Toro is an absolute dude. He’s funny, cuddly, loving and intelligent. He embodies the dream dog 99% of the time. He comes when called, walks nicely on a lead, sniffs out tiny bits of kong, performs cool tricks, and is by far the best-behaved dog in my house.

This dog adores me and I adore him. I often joke that I wish my significant other would look at me with the same adoration Toro does! I’ve come to realize that labeling him as a reactive dog based on that 1% of behaviour doesn’t do justice to the wonderful companion he is in all other aspects of his life. Yes, he might have strong feelings about unknown dogs that get too close to him, but that doesn’t define who he is. Can’t I simply describe him as an awesome dog who does loads of cool stuff with me but gets a bit barky when other dogs get too close?

It’s so easy for us as dog owners to focus on that one trait we wish our dogs didn’t have, but doing so can impact our relationship with them. By acknowledging and embracing all the positive qualities Toro possesses, I’ve strengthened our bond, and it’s helped me approach his reactivity with more understanding and patience.

So, to all dog owners out there with reactive pups, remember that your furry friend is so much more than that one challenging behaviour. Look beyond it, cherish the incredible moments you share, and work on building a loving and supportive relationship. In doing so, you’ll likely find that progress is possible, and your dog might just surprise you with their capacity for growth and change.

Sooz Foster