Strategies For Dogs That Have A History Of Reactivity Around Friends And Family
Sometimes we get dogs that are “good” most of the time but can exhibit some untoward behavior in certain contexts. For instance, the message that prompted this topic was from someone whose dog will growl/snap if someone pets them while they are on their place bed.
There are several things we should be doing to both make our dog as safe as possible and get them making better choices. I include several things we can do to ensure our dog is inclined to be the best version of themselves and to understand that respect should be given to all humans, not just you.
But we also need to be responsible and advocate for ourselves and for our dogs. Don’t put your dog in needlessly risky situations. Have clear boundaries laid out for people and have a plan already cemented in your head for social gatherings so that you aren’t trying to figure it out on the fly. Having a plan already solidified takes out the decision making and will make those situations so much easier. And if people choose to question your rules or not respect them, then I guess they are choosing not to be around you when you have your dog.. sorry, not sorry.
We never want people relying solely on management, but keeping everyone safe around your dog and keeping your dog safe is entirely up to you. Nobody will do it for you. In fact, they will fight you on it. So you need to be clear minded about what to do. Dogs are dogs, not stuffies.
AND we also want you to make your dog as safe as possible. This is the best recipe to reduce long term risk for everyone. Don’t miss out on valuable conversations with your dog. Don’t live daily life with them in a way that invites them to just do whatever comes naturally, because if you do, they will.
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Minute-by-Minute Breakdown
- 00:00 – Kati Peppe opens Off Leash and Unfiltered and asks listeners to subscribe.
- 01:00 – Kati jokes about her routine and limits herself to a couple coffees.
- 02:00 – She introduces a listener question about dogs not fully trustworthy around people.
- 03:00 – The discussed dog is a social, lab-type yet exhibits concerning behavior in contexts.
- 04:00 – You should obtain desired behaviors without fearing bites through command accountability.
- 06:00 – You are not obligated to let others interact with your dog in public.
- 07:00 – Set and cement boundaries beforehand to avoid on-the-fly uncertainty.
- 09:00 – If you are uncomfortable, remove the interaction option entirely; no ambiguous permissions.
- 11:00 – You must advocate for your dog; nobody else will enforce your boundaries.
- 13:00 – For a dog that snaps on its bed, practice approached without touching on a tieback.
- 15:00 – Create predictable consequences so appropriate behavior becomes easier and more natural.
- 16:00 – Have other people issue corrections with an e-collar so they share your authority.
- 17:00 – People overthink this; perform a few simple exercises with different handlers.
- 19:00 – You can train with handlers even when you’re not in the room, using common sense.
- 20:00 – If the dog is already trained, handlers can give commands and corrections regardless.
- 22:00 – Fastest way to build relationship is work: walk, place, and hold the dog accountable.
- 24:00 – Kati notes she personally never observed that problematic behavior from that dog before.
- 27:00 – Without training, dogs follow natural impulses instead of taught responses in risky situations.
- 29:00 – Make poor choices high-cost by enforcing meaningful consequences for growling or snapping.
- 33:00 – Example: a tiny poodle-mix described as a biter required clear boundaries and work.
- 40:00 – Respond to early warning signals—staring, stiffening, or growling—to prevent escalation.
- 42:00 – She invites listeners to email topic suggestions and thanks them for supporting the show.