Behavioural Rehabilitation for Hyper-Reactive Dogs

I was contacted by a client regarding their dog, Spook, a Greyhound, Labrador, and Saluki cross. At the time of the initial enquiry, Spook was exhibiting what I would classify as hyper-reactivity. Specifically, when encountering other dogs, he would become excessively aroused, displaying intense excitement and attempting to pull his owners forcefully towards them. This behaviour posed both handling challenges and safety concerns.

Prior to working with me, the owners had attended an outdoor workshop with another training provider that employed aversive methods. They were advised to use a prong collar to manage Spook’s behaviour. However, the owners were understandably uncomfortable with this approach. Not only did they feel it conflicted with their values, but they also observed a deterioration in Spook’s behaviour. His reactivity escalated beyond dogs to include push bikes, electric scooters, and even people.

The owners subsequently enrolled in my dog reactivity package. We began with a detailed consultation to identify Spook’s specific triggers, behavioural patterns, and emotional responses. It was clear that his behaviour was rooted in heightened arousal and poor emotional regulation rather than aggression.

  A tailored one-to-one programme was developed with the primary objectives of:

- Improving Spook’s emotional regulation

- Building engagement and focus on his handlers

- Reducing the intensity of his responses to environmental triggers

- Teaching the owners effective, ethical handling strategies

All work was conducted using positive reinforcement methods to ensure learning was both effective and welfare-focused.

Through structured training sessions in controlled environments, Spook began to show measurable improvement. His ability to remain under threshold in the presence of triggers increased, and his owners gained confidence in managing his behaviour. Gradually, this progress transferred into real-world settings, where Spook began to demonstrate more appropriate responses around dogs, people, and moving objects such as bikes and scooters.

Following initial success, the owners enrolled Spook in my group course, The Confident Canine, to further develop his skills in a more socially dynamic setting.

- First Course:

 In his initial group class, Spook required a working distance of approximately 50 metres from other dogs in order to remain responsive. At this distance, we were able to maintain engagement and begin reinforcing calm, controlled behaviours. Over the duration of the course, this distance gradually decreased. While his reactivity improved, it was still present.

- Second Course:

 During the second course, we continued to systematically reduce the distance between Spook and other dogs, always ensuring he remained within a manageable threshold. His recovery time improved, and his ability to re-engage with his owners became more consistent.

- Third Course:

 By the third course, Spook’s progress was significant. His engagement with his owners had improved dramatically, and his emotional responses were far more proportionate. In the final session, Spook was able to work within one metre of other dogs in a group setting. He maintained focus, demonstrated controlled behaviour, and managed his arousal effectively.

Spook’s transformation has been remarkable. Through a structured, reward-based approach, we successfully reduced his hyper-reactivity and strengthened his relationship with his owners. Importantly, the owners now possess the skills and understanding required to manage his behaviour confidently in everyday situations.

They are now able to take Spook out in public with a clear strategy, enabling them to respond appropriately to triggers and support him in maintaining balanced emotional responses.

This case highlights the effectiveness of positive reinforcement-based training in addressing complex behavioural issues such as hyper-reactivity. It also underscores the potential risks associated with aversive methods, particularly when they fail to address the underlying emotional state of the dog.

Spook’s journey demonstrates that with the right approach, consistency, and owner education,
even highly reactive dogs can learn to navigate the world in a calm and controlled manner.

The Review Spook's Owners left on Google. Browse our 5-star reviews

We had such a fantastic experience working with Tom! Our dog struggles with reactivity, getting overly excited and pulling toward other dogs. From day one Tom was incredibly approachable and made us feel completely at ease — never once did we feel judged for the challenges we were facing. He has not only helped us understand how to work with our dog calmly and effectively, but also introduced us to some great games that keep Spook mentally stimulated and more relaxed overall. Even if for us it's still "work in progress" - the difference since we started to work with Tom has been amazing, our walks are now calmer, our dog is happier and more engaged and we feel so much more confident handling situations that used to feel overwhelming. On the top of the one-to-one sessions, we attend group classes which are an amazing opportunity to practise in a controlled, supportive environment.