Real Help for Real Walks: Rethinking How We Support Reactive and Sensitive Dogs
Its-all-about-the-dog-training-academy 
Tired of disengagement games that don’t translate to real life? Discover why lead handling, social rehearsal, and thoughtful exposure are key!
Real Help for Real Walks: Why We Need to Rethink How We Support Reactive and Sensitive Dogs
There’s a conversation that’s stuck with me this week. It came up during one of our Canine Conversations & Cake socials—an informal, safe space where reactive dog guardians can connect, decompress, and talk openly. The kind of space we so rarely get.
One of the key questions that came up?
👉 “What should I actually do when we’re ambushed by an off-lead dog?”
Most people had tried what they’d been told—place your dog behind you, toss treats, shout at the other dog, create distance. Some had been taught to distract their dog with games. Others had been told to manage the moment by blocking their dog’s view. And in many cases, these tactics kind of helped... but not really. Certainly not in a way that built lasting confidence for either human or dog.
And that’s when it really hit me:
If we’re always teaching our dogs to disengage from the world...
when do they get to learn how to live in it?
Because real life isn’t controlled.
Dogs run up. People shout “It’s okay, he’s friendly!” while your dog is frozen with fear or frustration. Triggers don’t wait for us to set up a DS/CC plan.
And let’s be clear: I’m not anti-desensitisation or counter-conditioning. Not at all. They are valuable tools—kind, science-based, and far more ethical than aversive alternatives like prong collars, slip leads, or punishment. But for the average dog guardian? They’re also hard to apply consistently and meaningfully in everyday situations. Most people don’t have the time, energy, or location to sit at the edge of a park and systematically build emotional resilience in 5-second exposures.
They need help for real life.
For real walks.
For the unpredictable chaos of the world outside their front door.
The Missing Piece: Letting Dogs Learn Through Real Social Exposure
At our recent Puppy Confidence Social, we had a lovely moment that perfectly illustrates this.
A small adolescent dog joined us—anxious, unsure, nervous around other dogs. His guardian asked if he could attend to build confidence. I said absolutely—but with structure and intention.
This was no chaotic free-for-all. There was no forced interaction, no overwhelming pressure. Every dog was on a lead. Every guardian was coached in thoughtful lead handling. And that adolescent dog? He was allowed to watch. To approach. To retreat. To try again when he was ready.
By the end of the hour, he was skipping around the group, playing joyfully and appropriately. Not because we used counter-conditioning games. Not because we distracted him. But because we allowed him the freedom to figure it out for himself—safely, with support, at his own pace.
Our Dogs Speak a Language—We Just Keep Interrupting
Dogs are the masters of their own social language. They have beautiful, nuanced ways of saying:
- “I need space.”
- “I’m curious.”
- “Back off.”
- “I’m ready to play!”
But we rarely let them speak it.
We’re so quick to call them away, ask for focus, cue a look or a heel or a U-turn. Or worse—we do nothing, and let them get ambushed. Either way, the dog loses.
Our dogs need experiences, not just obedience.
They need to watch, explore, and feel things out.
They need to learn how their actions affect other dogs, and how other dogs' actions affect them.
They learn through association and consequence, just like we do. Not just through rote repetition of disengagement games.
And Then There’s the Lead…
One of the most overlooked skills in all of this?
Lead handling.
Not the “stop your dog pulling” kind of lead training.
The real kind. The kind that teaches guardians how to give their dogs space to move, think, and observe—while still feeling supported and secure.
I teach it in my puppy classes. I teach it to teenagers in my Teen Terrors course. I coach it endlessly in reactive dog sessions and even in recall classes. Because it’s that important.
Good lead handling isn’t about control.
It’s about communication.
It’s about knowing when to pause, when to soften, when to move with your dog and when to offer a little guidance.
When done well, it helps dogs learn in real time—how to meet, greet, or simply exist near others without stress. It’s not glamorous, but it’s transformative.
So Where Do We Go From Here?
Let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. DS and CC have value. Disengagement has value. But we need to start thinking more deeply about what our dogs are actually learning.
Let’s shift the conversation from:
- “How do I stop my dog reacting?”
to - “How can I help my dog feel confident and capable in the real world?”
And let’s give guardians the practical, in-the-moment coaching they actually need.
Because managing a situation is not the same as building skills within it.
Ready to Build Real-Life Skills?
If you’re feeling like the theory is great—but it’s just not helping on your daily walks—I hear you.
Whether you’ve got a brand-new pup, a wild teen, a worried rescue or a reactive oldie—I’ll coach you through the lead handling, the social support, and the in-between moments that really matter.
Because every dog deserves to feel safe.
And every guardian deserves to feel confident.
Let’s walk the real world—together.
Over Reactive Dog? - Check out THIS PROGRAMME
Crazy Adolescent? - Check out THIS COURSE
No Lead Skills? - Check out THIS COURSE
Fancy your own private coaching session? - Pick a date HERE
Let’s build skills that work where it matters most—out on your everyday walks.
Categories: : Loose Lead Walking, Reactivity