Nice collection including Boudicca who learned to behave in public so well. She never reacted to dogs. She started learning who gives directions and controls situations from the start. It wasn’t easy. It was a lot of work and time. She was lucky, tho, her head start was with me. I was only in the first 6 years (!) learning professionally about dogs, teaching them and dog behavior. She was a lot, just what you could expect from Jack Russell Terriers. She’d been given up on, at 6 months, spent two months in animal shelter. I was ready to give up during the first few months! And id already trained 3.5 year old male intact doberman, given to me, to high level of public work. And this little Jack Russell was challenging me! Well, homie don’t play those kind of games. I got to work. She got so good she worked with “reactive” dogs. She didn’t react. That’s what you need IF you’re working professional AND need/want a non-reactive dog. Because your dog can’t react!

I don’t use my current girl for this purpose. She doesn’t like dogs who go off on her. She’s suffered through too many instances and we’ve had enough. She’s well taught, reliable but she does not tolerate dogs who threaten her or us. She’s perfectly fine with dogs taught how to behave in public domains. I lead, she follows.

What people should understand IF your dog is using aggressive signals, for whatever the purpose, your dog is the provocation. This same principle applies to humans! Think about it. Visualize this same type of situation, you’re walking and confronted with an angry aggressive person. How would you feel?

Don’t be foolish, don’t take untrained dogs into situations you haven’t prepared them for. You’re risking your dogs safety, their mental and physical well-being.