Loving your pet is essential for its proper upbringing. Yet, no matter how much love you shower it with, your dog can sometimes develop certain behavioral problems for one reason or another. And, even though that can be frustrating, it is also perfectly normal, and a lot of pet owners have faced the same thing. Furthermore, the problem can be resolved, so instead of simply being frustrated, you have to take some active steps towards helping your animal overcome the struggles.
So, as explained, the problem can be resolved. And, as you will see later, it involves the attention of professionals. If you go to Sit Means Sit or contact similar places, you will realize that behavioral problems, such as reactivity, are quite common issues both among puppies and among older canines. You will also realize that no problem is too big for professionals who know what they are doing.
Anyway, since reactivity is one of those most common problems that dog owners are facing today, let us stick to it and answer some of the important questions you may have. For starters, you may be wondering what a reactive dog actually is. And then, you want to know what to do about it if you notice that your pet has this problem, as well as how to find the right trainer in Hawaii to help you resolve it. Thus, what we are going to do right now is provide you with the answers, hoping to shed some light on this common issue, as well as on how to resolve it.
What Is a Reactive Dog?
We are, naturally, going to begin with the question of what a reactive dog actually is. In the simplest words possible, it is a canine that overreacts to certain stimuli from the outside world, such as other animals, as well as other people. Their reactions often consist of barking, growling, lunging, as well as possibly biting when the situation gets too stressful for them. Additionally, reactive canines can develop the behavior of hiding behind you and exhibiting extreme fear when faced with stimuli from the environment.
If you suspect that you have a reactive pet, what you should do is be more observant to its behavior in different scenarios. This way, you can notice the signs right away, which will help you act on time and start resolving the problem sooner rather than later. In addition to the signs I’ve mentioned above, such as barking, growling and exhibiting aggressive and fearful behavior, things like heavy panting, dilated pupils and a rigid stance can also indicate this particular problem.
While every single canine can develop this issue, it has been found that some breeds tend to be more reactive than others: https://www.poochtheory.com/reactive-dog-breeds/
What to Do If You Have a Reactive Dog?
Now that you have understood what this problem entails, the next thing you are interested in is finding out what to do about it. After all, you cannot simply sit back and wait for the issue to go away all on its own. Because, news flash – it won’t. So, resolving it is your responsibility, and you need to take the correct steps towards that, instead of waiting for a solution to come out of nowhere.
There are some things that you can do on your own in order to, if not resolve, then at least not aggravate the problem. For one thing, you may want to start choosing more quiet places when taking your pet for a walk, so as to avoid the stimuli that could trigger it. Then, if you do come across a trigger, and you most likely will, because reactive pets can, well, overreact to the smallest of things, you should try to remain calm and slowly remove your dog away. Panicking will only lead to the animal panicking as well, which will reinforce its bad behavior.
What you can try is lure the pet away with its favorite treat, or with its favorite toy, and basically divert its attention. If the animal responds well, you should remember to reward the good behavior, as that will start reinforcing it. Furthermore, you should be aware of the importance of rest for reactive dogs, as talked about by this useful source.
Of course, as you may have guessed it, these are all some temporary solutions, and your goal is to permanently change the behavior. But, the thing is, using these temporary and quick fixes will give you the opportunity to work on the deeper issue. On the other hand, if you don’t know how to calm your dog and avoid the triggers, you are highly unlikely to be able to work on the problem itself.
While there are things that you can do alone, as mentioned above, here is the most important thing to know. If you have a reactive canine, the best thing to do is hire a trainer in your area and thus have a professional on your side, a skilled and knowledgeable one that will be able to resolve the problem you are facing. The thing is, though, you may not be sure how to choose the right one for you in Hawaii.
How to Find the Right Trainer in Hawaii?
So, you now know that hiring a professional is a must. But, you are not sure how to choose the best one for you in Hawaii, and that is completely normal. The truth is, though, that you will certainly be able to find a great trainer in this area if you take your time to search for them. And, how do you do that?
For one thing, you should talk to other pet owners, possibly those that have experienced the same problem, and ask for their recommendations on the trainers you may want to work with. Then, you should also search for these professionals online. Once you have found a few good options, you will have to research them all in more details, aiming at checking their experience, reputation, training methods, as well as their availability and the fees they charge. Finally, compare all the info and make your decision.
