13 MISTAKES Reactive Dog Owners Make

[@Greywulff58]

Thank you for this channel. I have watched probably 100 different dog trainers on KZbin and your channel is absolutely the best for learning how to deal with a reactive dog. I literally cried when I watched your video about Remy and how difficult he was and how you found yourself hating him. I was hating my highly reactive rescue dog at the time (she had put me in urgent care with cracked ribs and a mild concussion due to her reactivity on a walk) and I was feeling like a terrible person because I was seriously considering rehoming her. It was so helpful to see your experience and have some validation for my feelings. The trainer we finally found made a very helpful suggestion: stop walking your dog for a while. Because of where we live and the number of dogs, it was nearly impossible to walk her without encountering another dog(s) in way that made her go over her threshold. Since then, I have exercised her in our yard and taken her to Sniffspots where there are no other dogs seen or heard so she can get additional exercise. Now that she rarely goes over threshold, she is generally calmer, happier and learns better. I have been able to bond with her and appreciate her many awesome qualities. We have started working on BAT training and will see how it goes. She is not going to be rehomed. Thank you. As an aside, re: your recommendation to see a veterinary behaviorist; I live in a major urban center (Seattle) and the closest certified veterinary behaviorist is 150 miles away in another state. When I inquired, he had a six month waiting list for new clients. It’s pretty much impossible to find one.

[@K9ofMine]

Wow, thank you so much for the endorsement, it really means a lot! Sometimes it's scary to admit to people how negative my feelings were towards Remy at first. But I know I am not the only one, and I want people to know they are not alone in experiencing those shadow thoughts! I'm really glad you found a supportive trainer who offered helpful advice. Walks were a really, really stressful part of my early time with Remy, and I wish someone had told me that! I kept thinking if I walked him MORE his behavior would get better at home, but honestly I think the walks were so overstimulating for him that he would get worse. But again, I was always told dogs need MORE EXERCISE, so I would walk him even more haha. It sounds like you have put in a TON of great work in and she is doing better all the time. Congrats! You should be really proud of that progress. She is so lucky to have you in her corner! Ugh that really sucks about the veterinary behaviorist. The waiting lists around here are really long too. I wish there was some kind of certification normal vets could get that would just allow them to understand reactive dogs a bit better. Traditional vets have so much physical knowledge and can prescribe meds, but they often really don't understand the behavior side at all. Such a shame! Thanks again for the kind words and CONGRATS on all your success with your fur kiddo

[@christiemacdonald6721]

Thank you so much! What a great video. We are 4 months in with our reactive rescue, and while making progress, some very negative emotions can creep in. So nice to seem them acknowledged, but also advice/encouragement for how to get past them. Our girl has the funniest stiff legged run when playing in the back yard, always makes me smile. Something to remember when I'm stressed and hyper vigilant on our walks! And I love the term 'spicy'. So fitting. What a great channel.

[@K9ofMine]

Absolutely! I know how isolating having a reactive dog can feel - especially those first months so you’re definitely in the thick of it! Yes some dark feelings can manifest and it’s hard to deal with. At my worst time with Remy I honestly felt as if I hated him, felt terrible for feeling that way, and questioned if I ever even liked dogs after all, despite being obsessed with them since childhood haha. Your pup sounds really lucky that she landed in your home. Thank you so much for giving her a chance and the help she desperately needs!

[@christiemacdonald6721]

@@K9ofMine Exactly! I volunteer at the shelter we got her from, as a dog walker. I found myself just so tired of all dogs. The other volunteers would be all ‘isn’t this dog just the best!’ And I’d had to keep the ‘no, all dogs kind of suck’ that I thought to myself. Videos like yours give practical advice, real world experience (I howled at the guy who wouldn’t move! Been there!! Days where it seems there are just dogs with oblivious owners everywhere!), validation and encouragement. They are invaluable. And just the right amount of info, some training sessions can be overwhelming. Really, my dog and I owe you (and our trainer and the behaviour team at the shelter we got her from) a huge debt. 🙏🙏

[@juanitarosette3918]

Thanks so much for your truly helpful video, especially the part on sympathizing with the emotional aspects of having a "spicy" dog 😡 🤯 😢 . Would definitely love more! 🙏

[@K9ofMine]

Having a spicy pup is truly a calling 🤭 Glad you liked it, I’ll definitely put round 2 in my filming queue!

[@rjsbabe]

Yes more please! We just moved to a dog friendly condo bldg & Lila is very reactive to dogs AND people now.

[@K9ofMine]

Aw poor Lila. It ain’t easy! That’s great because I’m working on part 2 now!

[@WendiWeiss-r5p]

Thank you!!

[@K9ofMine]

You're welcome!

[@lyric8006]

New subscriber here. So glad I found your channel. I adopted a rescue who I was told was a good walker. She gained 12 lbs (she had been underweight) & now is a large 67 lb dog. She is very reactive to anything moving on walks. She has dragged me down the street a number of times. Funny thing is that she does well in dog parks. I’ve given up on walking her because I’ve come so close to serious injury. I’m a small 68 yo &, live alone & isolated. I can see belatedly I should have rescued a much smaller dog. The past 9 months with her have been very stressful. I’m thankful we can do the dog parks for exercise & socialization. I could not find your video about your struggles with Remy mentioned in above comment. Can you direct me? ❤

[@K9ofMine]

It sounds like she’s leash reactive only - plenty of dogs are like that (fine off leash but reactive on leash, usually due to excitement and frustration to get closer to other dogs) That must be hard and scary ending up with a bigger dog than you can safely handle! If the dog hasn’t had a bite history she might be re-homable (if that’s something you have to consider). I’m also generally against prong collars but for safety safe it might be worth considering for yourself. Does she pull all the time or just when seeing triggers / other dogs? There are also some harnesses like the 2Hounds Freedom Harness or the Gentle Leader face harness that might help you maintain control safely. But, if skipping walks and just doing the dog park works for you both, I think that’s a great solution too! You might also want to consider setting up play dates with certain dogs from the dog park your dog likes. You could even do a SniffSpot together (where people rent out their yards for dogs to use at $5 per hr. Some are really nice!). I only suggest this because dog parks can be a mixed bag. You might eventually get some unsafe dogs. But like I said, if it hasn’t been an issue yet maybe you’ll be OK. Thank you for taking a chance on this girl! It sounds like it has not always been easy. She is lucky to have you! If you want to see the full journey I’ve been on w the Remster, this is the video that explains our whole journey: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIjIpZmtjKyAi5Y Thanks for stopping by and for the kind words!

[@Aizawa-eri-erasermic]

Totally agree❤

[@zsazsak879]

Part 2 please

[@K9ofMine]

Ask and you shall receive!

[@KatieB33]

My issue is, he is a lunger and barker, his harness slides off when he pulls because his hair is so smooth, and he’s not treat oriented when he’s anxious. After seeing a vet specialist and a behaviouralist. It turns out he has loose joints (EDS) and above normal anxiety. (backyard breeding) What has helped is throwing the treats on the ground, heads down not seeing people or other dogs (big difference) because he always spat them out. I put a dog car seat back in my car for him because car seats are smooth and curved and it was putting pressure on his joints to balance. I call him 10kg of hard work. 😂 Maltese shitzu poodle.

[@K9ofMine]

Ugh I'm sorry, that sounds really stressful! Could you try tightening the harness? Maybe it's too loose. I also know there are some good "escape proof" harnesses out there. www.k9ofmine.com/best-escape-proof-dog-harnesses/ Most of them have an extra belly band to prevent sliding out. I'd also recommend checking out the 2Hounds Freedom Harness -- it has a gentle cinching mechanism that prevent your dog from backing out of it, and it also has a dual leash system so that you can attach to the front AND back clip, giving you more control. Poor baby. It sounds like you are doing a lot to help him and are doing a lot to keep him calm and comfortable. He is lucky to have you!

[@JG-pk4zl]

For the harness issue, it might help to look for one that fits higher on the chest, therefore creating a smaller "loop" that goes over the head. I've had great luck with the Wonder Walker brand in that regard (and it has chest and back options for clipping the leash), whereas Easy Walk sits too low in the front on the dogs I've had, and on many I've seen out and about. If you use a front lead harness, another option is to also use a martingale collar for walks and clip the leash to both the harness AND the collar loops (this was standard practice when I walked shelter dogs in a busy urban area, and it worked REALLY well). With the fastening happening in the front, you don't get that chokey pull that you would if you were walking him with only a collar, and it's an incredibly effective second layer of escape insurance. That said, I know front lead harnesses aren't always the first choice with smaller dogs ... it seems like with some little guys you just spend half your life untangling the leash from the dog's legs ... Good luck with your little guy and please know that an internet stranger appreciates all the efforts you are making on his behalf.

[@KatieB33]

@@JG-pk4zl thank you 😀

[@lastniteintown]

Oh the medication is for the dog... dammit!

[@K9ofMine]

That part is good advice for people too ;)