Dog Reactive to Dogs on Walks? Here's Your Training Plan

If your dog lunges, barks, or pulls when they see other dogs on walks, you're not alone. Dog reactivity is one of the most common behavior challenges owners face, and it can make what should be a pleasant walk feel stressful and exhausting. 

The good news? With a structured training plan and consistent practice, most reactive dogs can learn to stay calmer around other dogs. This isn't about eliminating your dog's feelings. It's about teaching them an alternative behavior and gradually building their confidence.

This guide provides a week-by-week training plan you can start today, along with the equipment setup and troubleshooting strategies you'll need along the way.

Understanding Threshold Distance

Before we dive into the training plan, you need to understand one critical concept: threshold distance.

Threshold distance is the point at which your dog notices another dog but can still focus on you and respond to cues. Go beyond this distance, and your dog "goes over threshold"—meaning they're too stressed or excited to listen.

How to Find Your Dog's Threshold

  1. Take your dog to an area where you can see other dogs from a distance (a park with open sight lines works well)
  2. Start far away—100+ feet if needed
  3. Watch for the moment your dog notices another dog
  4. Note their behavior:
    •  Can they still take treats?
    • Can they respond to their name?
    • Are they able to look away from the other dog?

If the answer is yes, you're at or below threshold. If your dog is fixated, pulling, or refusing treats, you're too close.

Your training will happen at this distance. As your dog improves, this distance will naturally decrease.

Equipment Setup

Your equipment matters. The right tools make training easier and safer for both you and your dog.

What You'll Need

1. Six-Foot Leash

Use a standard 6-foot leash—not a retractable one. You need control and consistency, and retractable leashes create tension that can worsen reactivity.

2. Front-Clip Harness or BravoWalk Collar

A front-clip harness helps redirect pulling and gives you better steering control. The BravoWalk collar is designed specifically for leash reactivity training—it provides gentle, consistent pressure that discourages pulling without causing discomfort.

Avoid prong collars and choke chains for reactivity training. These tools rely on pain and can increase stress and frustration, making reactivity worse.

3. High-Value Treats

Use something your dog doesn't get every day—small pieces of chicken, cheese, or hot dogs work well. You need treats that are more interesting than the other dog.

4. Treat Pouch

Keep treats easily accessible so you can reward quickly. Fumbling with treat bags wastes critical seconds.

Week-by-Week Training Plan

This plan assumes you're walking your dog at least once per day. If you can add a second short training session, you'll see progress faster.

Week 1: Establishing Threshold Distance and Focus

Goal: Identify your dog's threshold distance and build basic attention skills at that distance.

Daily Exercise (15-20 minutes):

  1. Position yourself at your dog's threshold distance from another dog (or a predictable area where dogs pass by)
  2. Wait for your dog to notice the other dog
  3. The moment they glance at you or away from the other dog, mark it ("Yes!") and reward
  4. If they don't look away on their own, use their name or a kissy sound to get their attention, then reward
  5. Repeat 10-15 times per session

What to Expect:

Your dog will likely pull or fixate at first. That's normal. Your job is to stay at a distance where they can succeed, even if it's just for a second.

Troubleshooting:

  • Dog won't take treats? You're too close. Back up 10-20 feet.
  • Dog immediately fixates on other dogs? Start further away, even if it feels excessive.
  • Dog does great at first, then loses focus? Keep sessions short. End on a success.

Week 2: Adding the "Look at That" Cue

Goal: Teach your dog that seeing another dog predicts a reward.

This is a game-changer. Instead of reacting to other dogs, your dog will learn to look at them calmly, then check in with you for their reward.

Daily Exercise (15-20 minutes):

  1. Position at threshold distance
  2. Wait for your dog to see another dog
  3. The moment they look at the other dog, say "Look at that" (or "LAT")
  4. Wait 1-2 seconds, then call their name or make a sound to get their attention back on you
  5. When they look at you, reward heavily (3-5 treats in a row)
  6. Repeat 10-15 times per session

What to Expect:

By the end of Week 2, your dog should start checking in with you automatically after seeing another dog. This is huge progress.

Troubleshooting:

  • Dog looks at the other dog but won't look back at you? You're still too close. Increase distance.
  • Dog gets overexcited when you reward? Use calmer praise and feed treats slowly, one at a time.

Week 3: Decreasing Distance by 10-20 Feet

Goal: Start closing the gap while maintaining your dog's calm focus.

Daily Exercise (15-20 minutes):

  • Continue the "Look at That" game at gradually decreasing distances
  • Move 10-20 feet closer to where other dogs pass by
  • If your dog can't focus at the new distance, move back to the previous distance
  • Alternate distances throughout the week to build flexibility

Week 4: Adding Movement

Goal: Practice the "Look at That" game while walking.

Up until now, you've been stationary. Now it's time to add the challenge of movement.

Daily Exercise (20 minutes):

  • Walk parallel to areas where dogs might appear
  • When a dog appears, stop and do 2-3 reps of "Look at That"
  • If your dog pulls or fixates, back up until they can refocus
  • Practice turning away from triggers before your dog reacts

Weeks 5-8: Gradual Distance Reduction and Real-World Practice

Goal: Continue reducing distance as your dog's skills improve, and start practicing in different environments.

By Week 8, many dogs can pass another dog at 10-20 feet with minimal reaction. Some dogs will need more time—and that's okay.

Advanced Strategies

Once your dog is consistently succeeding at closer distances, you can add these advanced techniques:

1. Engage-Disengage

This is a more advanced version of "Look at That" where your dog chooses when to look at and away from the trigger.

  • Let your dog look at another dog
  • Wait for them to look away on their own (no prompting)
  •  Reward immediately when they disengage

2. Controlled Passes

Practice walking past a calm, neutral dog with plenty of distance (start at 20-30 feet).

3. U-Turns and Emergency Exits

Teach your dog a reliable U-turn cue for situations where you need to exit quickly.

Common Challenges and How to Solve Them

"My dog does great in training but still reacts on regular walks."

Solution: You're likely moving too fast in real-world environments. Training setups are controlled. Real walks are not. Give your dog more distance on regular walks than you use in training.

"My dog is fine with some dogs but reactive to others."

Solution: This is normal. Dogs are individuals, and your dog may react differently based on the other dog's size, energy, or body language.

"Other owners let their dogs approach mine without asking."

Solution: Advocate for your dog:

  • Create distance immediately—cross the street, turn around, or step behind a car
  • Use your body to block if needed
  • Say clearly: "My dog is in training—please keep your dog back"
  • Don't worry about being rude—your dog's progress is more important

What Success Looks Like

Success doesn't mean your dog will want to greet every dog they see. Many dogs simply prefer to ignore other dogs on walks, and that's perfectly fine.

Success looks like:

  • Your dog notices another dog but doesn't lunge or pull
  • Your dog can refocus on you when asked
  • Your dog's body language stays relatively loose
  • You feel in control and less stressed on walks

When to Seek Professional Help

If your dog shows any of these signs, work with a certified trainer or veterinary behaviorist:

  • Intense, prolonged reactions that don't improve with distance
  • Redirected aggression toward you when they can't reach another dog
  • Reactivity to everything—dogs, people, bikes, cars
  • Fear-based reactivity with cowering, trembling, or attempts to flee
  • Aggression history or bites toward other dogs or people

Key Takeaways

Training a reactive dog takes time, patience, and consistency. There's no magic fix, but this structured plan will give you a clear path forward.

Remember:

  • Always work at your dog's threshold distance—too close and you're setting your dog up to fail
  • Progress isn't linear—expect good days and bad days
  • Consistency matters more than intensity—short daily sessions beat occasional long ones
  • Equipment matters—use tools that support learning, not pain-based correction
  • Celebrate small wins—every moment of calm around another dog is progress

With the right approach, most reactive dogs can learn to coexist peacefully with other dogs on walks. It won't happen overnight, but every training session brings you closer to the peaceful walks you both deserve.

Get the Right Equipment for Reactivity Training

The BravoWalk collar is designed specifically for dogs who pull and react on leash. BravoWalk provides gentle, consistent feedback that helps your dog learn to walk calmly, making training easier and more effective.

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