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Lessons From Your Reactive Dog
What happens when you are walking with your dog and see a dog off lead? Does the presence of the strange dog unnerve you? Do you become tense? Does your dog tense up?
If this is you, read on.
Living with a reactive dog can accidently create a reactive person and a cycle of negative experiences begin. There is an answer though! With understanding comes positive change. It might not have always been this way, perhaps walking once triggered positive emotion. Maybe we were happy until something specific happened, for example we met someone with an unfriendly dog that attacked ours or made them really scared. We too could have felt scared, then that fear grew over the next few walks, until we felt it the moment we saw another dog in the distance. Maybe we too began to experience the negative emotion with every walk, it became a habit and we even experience it whilst thinking or remembering. Nowadays we don’t even have to be out with our dogs to experience the fear and frustration, we can get angry at home, on our own.
When we walk our dogs the two of us become one emotional, physical and psychological state. If we are relaxed that’s amazing. If we are tense, we become unified with a self-reinforced cycle of tension. We address this self-reinforcing cycle here, in great depth, to take you both from reactive to relaxed, for lasting and effective results. Welcome to your journey of understanding your precious influence, the wonder of your dog and the amazing individual, powerful force you become when the two of you truly connect.
If this is you, read on.
Living with a reactive dog can accidently create a reactive person and a cycle of negative experiences begin. There is an answer though! With understanding comes positive change. It might not have always been this way, perhaps walking once triggered positive emotion. Maybe we were happy until something specific happened, for example we met someone with an unfriendly dog that attacked ours or made them really scared. We too could have felt scared, then that fear grew over the next few walks, until we felt it the moment we saw another dog in the distance. Maybe we too began to experience the negative emotion with every walk, it became a habit and we even experience it whilst thinking or remembering. Nowadays we don’t even have to be out with our dogs to experience the fear and frustration, we can get angry at home, on our own.
When we walk our dogs the two of us become one emotional, physical and psychological state. If we are relaxed that’s amazing. If we are tense, we become unified with a self-reinforced cycle of tension. We address this self-reinforcing cycle here, in great depth, to take you both from reactive to relaxed, for lasting and effective results. Welcome to your journey of understanding your precious influence, the wonder of your dog and the amazing individual, powerful force you become when the two of you truly connect.
- GenresNonfiction
238 pages, paperback
Published August 20, 2019
43 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 23, 2020
This book is not a straight-forward dog training book and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone looking for immediate ways to support their reactive dog. The book says, in a a very long-winded way, that our dogs reactions such as barking and lunging are an instinctual emotional response and that we need to find ways to build emotional connection between us and to help our dogs feel confident and resilient. I am a force-free dog trainer and I agree with this premise but felt irritated by the mystic / spiritual tone of this book (Eckhart Tolle is referenced) when most people want practical advice.
August 4, 2020
Sally Gutteridge has a huge heart for dogs....
...and their humans. Her books have had a sizeable impact on how I relate to my dog and the dogs whose humans I help understand the needs of their pup. Highly recommend.
...and their humans. Her books have had a sizeable impact on how I relate to my dog and the dogs whose humans I help understand the needs of their pup. Highly recommend.
August 28, 2025
Much of this book reinforces info I have practiced with my dog already. Sally Gutteridge is an expert and I look forward to reading and listening to more training advice.
February 4, 2020
NOT a training book
I thought this was a book of training insights for reactive dogs when in fact it's a deep psycho-analysis of feelings, coupled with plenty of new-agey spiritual philosophy and Eckhardt Tolle dogma. Not for me, and if you're looking for actual advice on training and working with a reactive dog you'd be far better off picking up a copy of Scaredy Dog by Ali Brown, Behavior Adjustment Training by Grisha Stewart, or Click To Calm by Emma Parsons.
I thought this was a book of training insights for reactive dogs when in fact it's a deep psycho-analysis of feelings, coupled with plenty of new-agey spiritual philosophy and Eckhardt Tolle dogma. Not for me, and if you're looking for actual advice on training and working with a reactive dog you'd be far better off picking up a copy of Scaredy Dog by Ali Brown, Behavior Adjustment Training by Grisha Stewart, or Click To Calm by Emma Parsons.
December 5, 2019
Revelation
The veil has been lifted. You recognise the truth when you hear it..it makes so much we sense to me and my philosophy of relationships with animals. It is a much more subtle approach to animal training than the traditional macho approach that doesn't work with sensitive reactive dogs. If you don't want to crush your nervous dogs spirit then this is the book for you. Don't expect a tick list as there isn't one. It's more about changing your own outlook to help understand your dog better. You might even help yourself to be less reactive and relaxed. 2 for 1 bargain
The veil has been lifted. You recognise the truth when you hear it..it makes so much we sense to me and my philosophy of relationships with animals. It is a much more subtle approach to animal training than the traditional macho approach that doesn't work with sensitive reactive dogs. If you don't want to crush your nervous dogs spirit then this is the book for you. Don't expect a tick list as there isn't one. It's more about changing your own outlook to help understand your dog better. You might even help yourself to be less reactive and relaxed. 2 for 1 bargain
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews