Reactive dog owners cannot get consistent guidance on training methods
19 posts across 4 communities since Jun 2026; 74% from r/OpenDogTraining.
“I've been teaching my dog a strong recall, my partner holds out a lure like a high-value treat or toy and I encourage my dog to come to me no matter what the lure is. (I started off with giving him a treat, now doing it with no treat when he comes) He's been doing good at it…”
“Something that's been bugging me for a while and I can't get around it. When someone here says a method worked for their dog, I believe them. What I don't get is how we get from there to "so this is the method." I've tried to think of a way anyone could actually check that, and…”
“I can't seem to get on the same page as my dog lately. I've had her for three years and I thought I had her figured out but lately she's been blowing off commands left and right and corrections seem to almost be having the opposite effect I'm looking for. I know I'm doing…”
Multiple posts discuss challenges with dog training, including reactivity, over-arousal, difficulty with commands, and inter-dog aggression. Owners are seeking advice on training techniques and strategies for managing behavioral issues.
SOURCES (23)
“Hey everyone! I’m a Master’s student in Industrial Design, and I’m currently working on a design project focused on behavioral dog trainers. I’m in the research stage right now and trying to better understand trainers’ day-to-day experiences and needs. I’m especially interested in hearing from…”
Training can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to fix several behaviors at once. One approach I like is keeping things simple and focusing on consistency: short daily sessions, clear cues, rewarding the…
“I've been teaching my dog a strong recall, my partner holds out a lure like a high-value treat or toy and I encourage my dog to come to me no matter what the lure is. (I started off with giving him a treat, now doing it with no treat when he comes) He's been doing good at it, not completely mastered but I wonder if he even sees the value in coming to me even with distractions or when outside. How do I teach my dog there is value in staying by my side or to communicate why a command needs”
“I might get downvoted for this but hear me out. Almost all modern dog training is conditioning. We repeat, the dog gets used to it, and the cue gets wired to the behavior. In the end the dog does the behavior without thinking. Even without a reward. He even feels good while doing it. And we call that "well trained." To me that looks like programming a robot. For emergency recall and down, I want exactly that. Those must be automatic. But for everything else, is there another option? Hu”
“Something that's been bugging me for a while and I can't get around it. When someone here says a method worked for their dog, I believe them. What I don't get is how we get from there to "so this is the method." I've tried to think of a way anyone could actually check that, and I keep hitting walls. Three of them, basically. The first wall is that there's no experiment. Take recall. Say you want to know whether method A beats method B. To test it properly you'd”
“I am a balanced trainer. My dog goes to a balanced trainer. By balanced, I mean we utilize corrections, yes, but we also utilize counterconditioning, play rewards, and force-free, positive reinforcement methods like shaping and engagement games. I feel like so often I’ve started to see “balanced” trainers say much of the same thing: “Correct the dog until it stops and give them a treat or a pat every so often.” Not quite so blatant, but the overall message is the same. Corrections mostly, positi”
“Any advice on training dogs on the table? Im a baby groomer and want to figure out training techniques I can use for puppies and difficult dogs who need to learn better behavior for grooming. Ive tried asking my manager but all he tells me is to use a firm voice, tell them no, hold them firmer, and stay calm and while sometimes this works a lot of the time its not especially with puppies that are all over the place. I'd appreciate any advice or directions to videos I can watch or books to re”
“Seeking Balanced Training advice History: I have 2 dogs, that came to me at the same time. One was 1&1/2 years old(F) and the other 6mo(M) they are mother and son. Current age 2yo(F) and 1yo(M) Pitbull/Frenchie mix--we are assuming they were dumped from a backyard breeder situation. They were both very fearful and I think this is where all the things I am currently trying to resolve stem from (fear/insecurity). Issues: Walking solo (leashed) they do very well--and actually for 90% of walks t”
“Hey everyone! Professional dog trainer here with 20+ years of experience. I wanted to touch on a topic that I've been seeing lately with my reactive pup owners. Your end goal with reactivity training should not be a social butterfly, it should be indifference. I see so many well-meaning owners holding on to a dream that if they just do enough training, or find the right counter-conditioning trick, that their dog will eventually love other dogs/strangers and will be happily pulling at the lea”
“I can't seem to get on the same page as my dog lately. I've had her for three years and I thought I had her figured out but lately she's been blowing off commands left and right and corrections seem to almost be having the opposite effect I'm looking for. I know I'm doing something wrong and need to switch up my tactic but I'm finding it hard to find advice for a dog that was fully trained and is now regressing. How do I hold her accountable? If I have treats she of cours”
“Hello guys, My husband and I are looking into some dog training for our new Aussie Pup. We also have a 5 year old Pomsky as well, but ideally looking for obedience training for our little guy. He is officially 12 weeks old and we want to get him started right away. Looking for a trainer in the four corners (winter garden area) ideally would like private lessons. Considering board and train BUT I worry that since we won’t get any training, behaviors can revert once the boarding is over. Anyone ha”
“Hi everyone! I have been working relentlessly to help with my border collies reactivity and i’m happy to say that he is no longer as reactive and he’s doing great! I’d like to challenge his brain a little more and would like him to start herding a little bit, whether this be actual sheep or a toy. So my question is how do I start teaching or training my dog to herd? Do you guys use any equipment to start? He does not like treats as much so i’ll be using his favourite ball. If anyone has advice,”
“My dog is very reactive. I’m strict with positive reinforcement training only. We train everyday after work and do group classes (she is always the most reactive). I’m slowly beginning to give up as I have not seen any progress for months. It’s bad. Since adopting her, she has not interacted with another dog because I’m unsure what her intentions are. Because of this, I’m also unsure if she could possibly be aggressive too. Recently, I discovered day training and I am wondering what your thought”
“To preface: I believe that (most) tools and techniques in dog training can be effective when used properly. I just want to share my experience here as I don’t have other animal-carers in my “real life” circle. Part vent, I also welcome constructive feedback. TLDR: clients weren’t a great match for my services, they use aversive methods & I’m +R. Didn’t expect to change their ways, but I am sad for Molly… I recently finished a dog boarding job for a young-ish couple’s elderly dog “Molly”. At”
“Control Unleashed program by Leslie McDevitt. We didn’t use prongs at the shelter I worked at and I did tons of leash reactivity and loose leash walking training. Most of it had it foundations in Leslie mcdevitt’s control un leashed program: http://www.controlunleashed.net/ I have had beagle-terrier, border chow pit gsd, and j have two border super mutts now. Never needed a prong, have used martingales and front clip blueK9 balance harness (my favorite!!) . Good luck!”
“Remember you can also use toys for reinforcement not just food. I bring a tug toy on walks to give them an outlet when they are aroused.”
“And those are all good skills too The training and commands are all part of getting the puppy To focus on you, and to engage With you”
“You learn nothing if the trainer does all the interacting with your dog. The trainer is there to train you to learn to communicate with your dog. As for punishment, or painful / aversive equipment, the argument is, that it's worth it to try before you have to resort to behavioral euthanasia. Is that the status of your dog's behavior? Otherwise, don't choose aversive/ painful / punishing methods.”
“You had such a wonderful thoughtful response. I wanted to add for OP and others, as someone who is also a trainer and works for a behavior training facility: Sometimes a current trainer/behavior consultant can’t help you and may refer you to a different trainer who is more nuanced about the specific behavior issue. That is not a red flag and often a sign of a good trainer. They will also likely want to refer/network you to a team versus just train”
“Yes dogs are different but there is a science to how animals learn. Adding an aversive only suppresses behavior. It can stop it in the moment, but does not teach the dog alternative emotions around a stimuli and can often times contribute to worse reactions over time. The emotional response that triggers does not go away on aversives, the physical behavior is just suppressed. The kettle keeps boiling and the dog still gets those feelings around the trigger. Usin”
“All of this, but especially wanted to emphasize the need to practice the games outside of the triggers, even at home. She needs to be very good at them and as you said, they can become a cue that a trigger is near. For management games with my dog, I try to play them with no triggers present 8-9 times out of 10 just to keep the skills strong and the exercise fun for him.”