Working through dog reactivity? My favorite resources

I first compiled this post in October 2020. I last tweaked it in June 2024. (Where does the time go?!)

Having a reactive dog can be an intensely emotional experience. It is isolating, embarrassing, and perhaps most of all… completely overwhelming. I remember being lost in the early stages of my blue heeler’s reactive behavior. What on earth was I supposed to do?

Now that Scout and I have made enough progress that her “reactivity” is less of a consideration in day-to-day life, fellow owners sometimes ask me where to start. Whether our dogs are reactive to other animals, people, cars, or anything else, it’s easy to feel paralyzed in the midst of so much conflicting information.

Below I’ve compiled my favorite dog reactivity resources that helped me start understanding—and improving—my own dog’s struggles.

An important note on what this post is and isn’t

I wish I could give you a magic formula to “fix” your dog’s reactivity… but I truly don’t believe one exists. Every dog, owner, and situatio…