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What Is a Reactive Dog? A Guide to Understanding Reactivity

What Is a Reactive Dog? A Guide to Understanding Reactivity

David Adams

January 19, 2025

Dog Reactivity

What Is a Reactive Dog? A Guide to Understanding Reactivity thumbnail

So: Your dog is reactive. They’ll see another dog, person, or other stimulus in the environment (cars, bikes, skateboards, and other fast-moving objects are also common triggers) while out on a walk and suddenly go crazy at the end of their leash. The barking, lunging, and growling not only feels embarrassing for you — it’s clear that your pup isn’t having a great time either.

What's going on? How can you work through this reactive behavior with your companion? Will you ever be able to fully enjoy your neighborhood walks or embark on even more exciting adventures?

Turns out reactivity is a common behavior issue. (More than 80 percent of dogs have some sort of behavioral problem per a recent Forbes survey.) Here’s a look at a common dog reactivity chart to help you better track your canine companion's emotions. Learning about the green, yellow, orange, and red reactivity zones will help you understand how your dog is feeling in a given moment and respond accordingly!

You’ll make reactivity training progress in no time.

First things first: What is dog reactivity, exactly?

While every living animal is constantly “reacting” to its environment — you might put on a sweatshirt when you notice you’re cold or head to open the door when you hear a knock — “reactive” is used in the dog training world to describe pets who overreact to stimuli in their environments.

Reactivity generally encompasses a range of undesirable aggressive or defensive behaviors (barking, growling, lunging, jumping, pulling, and so on) in situations that typically don’t warrant them in our minds (triggers are behaving normally in a non threatening way) but that are overwhelming or scary to our dogs.

Basically: Your puppy who woofs once or twice when startled? They wouldn’t be diagnosed with reactivity. One who barks, growls, and lunges at every other dog they see out on a walk, on the other hand? They would be considered reactive. Due to genetic instincts in distinct breeds, some types of dog might be more prone to reactivity than others.

High-energy breeds (especially those bred for herding work) like Australian shepherds, Australian cattle dogs, German shepherd dogs, and border collies often display signs of reactivity. Companion dog breeds might be less prone to reactivity. (Remember that ever dog is an individual, though—and many modern dogs are made up of several separate breeds. Even a popular breed for families, like the labrador retriever, can still struggle with unwanted behaviors.)

Aggressive behavior on leash can usually be identified as either fear-based leash reactivity or frustration-based leash reactivity.

What is a trigger?

Your dog’s trigger stimuli are the things that cause them to react. Dogs might become reactive to just about anything, so there's no such thing as a comprehensive list. That said, some common triggers—for both frustration-based dog reactivity and fear-based dog reactivity—are:

Adult humans (especially strangers, people wearing strange clothing your dog hasn’t seen before or that is associated with a bad experience, or people approaching in a certain way)

Children, who can move quickly and erratically

Other dogs

Animals like cats, rabbits, squirrels, and birds

Fast-moving object like cars, bikes, or skateboards

Some dogs react to their triggers in all situations (for example, all dogs they see outside their home) while other dogs only react to more specific images (like pointy-eared dogs directly approaching them at a certain distance).

Causes of reactivity to specific triggers are broad. Some dogs have a negative experience during their critical socialization period. Others struggle with a genetic component. Sometimes reactivity appears without warning signs—in other dogs, reactive behaviour gradually builds over time. Every pup and situation is different.

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What is your reactive dog’s reactivity threshold?

Your dog’s reactivity threshold is the point where they fully react to their triggers. This when they actually start to display reactivity in obvious ways: When a dog is under threshold, they’re able to control their behaviors and be aware of their surroundings (even if they seem a little aroused, nervous, or on edge). When they’re over threshold, though, they're reacting from fear or a predatory instinct.

The best way to work with a reactive dog is to keep them under threshold as much as possible. You don't want to give them a chance to show their reactive behavior. This usually means working at a comfortable distance from the trigger where your dog knows it’s there but isn’t overwhelmed. This is called their critical distance or sub-threshold distance.

If you’re able to control the trigger’s intensity and duration, that can work too (reputable dog trainers note that this is just usually a little more difficult if you aren’t in a controlled training set up).

Put simply: You don't want your reactive pup to have a reaction at all if possible! When a dog goes over threshold, it can take a few days — or even a full week — for their bodies to come down from the cortisol and adrenaline highs. It’s important to be extra conscious of any additional stressors during this period! (The ongoing suffering of reactivity, for both pups and owners, is real.)

This article addresses how to tell if your dog is at or above their threshold in a certain situation — their level of reactivity — and what to do to help them feel better.

For more information on dog reactivity in general, take a look at the other blogs in our Dog Reactivity category:

Leash Reactivity: Understanding and Fixing It

How to Train a Reactive Dog: A Beginner’s Guide

How to Socialize Your Reactive Dog

Guide to Fear Aggression in Dogs

Dog Reactivity Chart: Understand when your dog is below, at, or over their threshold

A relaxed dog walks next to his handler on a loose leash. He is comfortable and in the green zone of the dog reactivity chart

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The Green Zone: Your reactive dog is below their threshold

As mentioned above, you want your dog to stay below threshold as much as possible! When in the green zone, your dog shouldn’t appear reactive at all — they’re able to think clearly and stay calm.

Signs your reactive dog is below threshold

When under their reactivity threshold, your dog can typically:

Sniff and engage with the surrounding environment in a normal way

Follow your cues without hesitation (provided that you’re practiced them in a range of situations first)

Take treats from you

Maintain a loose leash

Otherwise show relaxed behavior

What to do if your reactive dog is in the green zone

Celebrate! Keep doing what you’re doing. A dog in the green zone of the reactivity chart is in a great mental headspace to learn and manage their emotional responses — you’re helping them build a new positive association with their triggers from a comfortable distance.

While in the green zone, you can:

Simply let your dog observe from a place of safety (like outside a city dog park where they can watch fellow canines interact)

Practice fun tricks both as alternative behaviors and a way to provide some physical exercise

Play a short game (either with a favorite toy or personal play)

Take note of the distance and intensity of your dog’s triggers to use as a starting point for your next training sessions (remember that reactions vary day by day and you might have to adjust — your progress won't always be linear)

The Yellow Zone: Your reactive dog is at or approaching their threshold

As your dog approaches their reactivity threshold, it’s important to pay attention to subtle body language signals. Not all stress is bad — some small amounts can even be helpful in the learning process, such as what’s described in the Yerkes-Dodson law — but you do not want to overdo it. Remember when we mentioned that it can take multiple days or even a week for your dog to fully come down after an intense reaction experience? Err on the side of caution when in doubt!

Signs your reactive dog is in the yellow zone

When approaching their threshold, your dog will likely:

Stop sniffing the surrounding environment

Be alert and even a little focused on their reactivity trigger

Stand a little more stiffly (though without a completely rigid body)

Still be able to follow your cues and take treats from you

What to do if your reactive dog is showing some stress

If your dog is in the yellow zone, you can:

Play reactivity games like engage disengage

Practice fun tricks or play a short game

Take note of the distance and intensity of your dog’s triggers to use as a starting point for your next training sessions — it can be particularly helpful to practice at different distance thresholds from public dog parks

Make sure to keep an eye on the trigger and your dog’s body language so you don’t accidentally push them into the orange zone

A brown dog pulling on his leash, at either the yellow or orange zone of the dog reactivity chart

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The Orange Zone: Your dog is over threshold and needs your help

When your dog reaches the orange zone, two main things happen. The first is that they’re no longer able to learn effectively or build positive memories or associations with their triggers. All they’ll be able to remember is their stress! The second is that your dog is likely mere moments away from having a full-blown reaction with barking, lunging, growling, or their other typical reactive behaviors.

Signs your reactive dog is over threshold

When your dog is in the orange zone, they:

Are completely focused on their trigger

Have a very stiff body, possibly with raised hackles

Might be pulling on the leash or straining towards their trigger

Often aren’t able to follow your cues or take food from you

Can start to growl or “huff” under their breath

What to do if your reactive dog reaches the orange zone

If your dog is over threshold, you should follow these steps:

Get out of the situation as quickly as you can

Use management techniques to reduce your dog’s stress or help distract them from their trigger as you make your exit — this is imperative to prevent your pup from forming further negative associations

Once safely out of the triggering environment, help your dog decompress through sniffing, searching for and eating tasty treats, or some easy enrichment activities to return to a positive experience (light aerobic exercise can really help your dog reset after getting stuck in their reactive behaviours)

Reflect on what happened and how you can adjust your training plan next time to prevent your dog from crossing their reactivity threshold

The Red Zone: Your reactive dog can’t think clearly at all

Your dog is in the red zone when they’re fully reacting to their triggers. At this point, your pup isn’t able to pay attention to you at all. It’s not that they’re ignoring you on purpose — they’re just so overwhelmed that it’s impossible to listen to your cues during their intense reaction.

We know it can be frustrating, but remember that your dog needs your help in this situation, not your judgment!

What to do if your reactive dog is in the red zone

Simply get out of their as quickly as you can

Do not yell at or otherwise punish your dog

Be prepared to provide several decompression opportunities over the next few days, which might include backing down on your dog's regular exercise

Remember that these things happen — you are not a bad owner

Reflect on the situation and consider what you can learn for next time

Reactive dog training is hard work — but it’s worth it

Understanding your dog’s threshold and avoiding reactive episodes will help you live a better life together. To train through your pup's dog reactivity, you need to rehearse healthy habits at a safe distance, prevent excessive stress, and celebrate your progress over time! The entire reactive dog community is cheering for you.

When in doubt about your dog’s reactivity training? Reach out to a local force-free trainer for in-person guidance or a certified professional who offers virtual sessions to guide you from afar. Reactive dog trainers can help you with frustration-based reactivity, fear-based reactivity, and your own emotional responses as your dog's person. Professional trainers are worth their weight in gold when it comes to behavioral problems!

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Trainer Review of this Article

There is so much misinformation out there, we want to make sure we only provide the highest quality information to our community. We have all of our articles reviewed by qualified, positive-only trainers.

This is the trainer that reviewed this article:

Shannon Finch
AnimalKind Training
M.Ed. Humane Education Karen Pryor Academy.
Certified Training Partner.
Certified Tellington TTouch and TTEAM Practitioner

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David Adams

January 19, 2025

Dog Reactivity

David Adams

About the author

David Adams is a man of many passions, but his love for dogs stands above all. He is not only a dog lover, but also the founder of an innovative platform called Sniffspot. This unique platform connects dog owners with private property owners who are willing to rent out their space for off-leash playtime. While the idea of Sniffspot was initially conceived by his wife, Rebecca, David has been the driving force behind its remarkable success, tirelessly overseeing its growth and development. David's dedication to providing safe and enjoyable spaces for dogs to play, explore, and socialize is evident in his unwavering commitment to Sniffspot. He strongly believes that dogs need ample space and opportunities to stretch their legs and have fun. As a result, he has worked tirelessly to build a network of private property owners across the country who share his vision and are willing to offer their space for the benefit of dogs and their owners. Despite his busy schedule, David always finds time to indulge in his passion for the great outdoors. He loves nothing more than exploring new hiking trails and embarking on thrilling outdoor adventures. Whenever he is not working on Sniffspot, he can often be found hiking or visiting multi-acre fenced sniffspots with his two beloved dogs, Soba and Toshii. He is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys the fresh air, breathtaking scenery, and the sense of freedom that comes with being in nature. David is based in Salem, MA.

About Sniffspot

Sniffspot is a community marketplace that enables anyone to rent land by-the-hour as a safe and private dog park.

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What Is a Reactive Dog? A Guide to Understanding Reactivity

First things first: What is dog reactivity, exactly?

What is a trigger?

What is your reactive dog’s reactivity threshold?

Dog Reactivity Chart: Understand when your dog is below, at, or over their threshold

The Green Zone: Your reactive dog is below their threshold

Signs your reactive dog is below threshold

What to do if your reactive dog is in the green zone

While in the green zone, you can:

The Yellow Zone: Your reactive dog is at or approaching their threshold

Signs your reactive dog is in the yellow zone

What to do if your reactive dog is showing some stress

The Orange Zone: Your dog is over threshold and needs your help

Signs your reactive dog is over threshold

What to do if your reactive dog reaches the orange zone

The Red Zone: Your reactive dog can’t think clearly at all

What to do if your reactive dog is in the red zone

Reactive dog training is hard work — but it’s worth it

Related reading: Improve your dog's reactive responses

Trainer Review of this Article

David Adams

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