Just stop feeling anxious…!!

When dogs bark at other dogs / people / cars / cyclists / joggers / children / *enter any other random thing here* it is often because of their emotional state – They may be fearful or anxious or possibly over aroused & excited. There’s almost ALWAYS a reason for any behaviour. There will be something causing it. It will be an emotional response to something ….

I don’t suffer with panic-attacks but I know people who do.

They have no control over those feelings. It’s an emotional response to the environment they are in and, for whatever reason they start to struggle. Maybe there’s too many people, too noisy, a memory suddenly smashes into your stomach and knocks you for six or a hundred & one other reasons but one thing is for sure and that is that these people do not start panicking / screaming / crying / shouting for no reason. There’s always a reason.

Imagine shouting at your friend “NO! THAT’S ENOUGH!! JUST STOP FEELING ANXIOUS!!”

How crazy is that??

You can’t just STOP feeling anxious.

And neither can your dog.

Punishing your dog for showing you emotions which he has absolutely no control over is just the saddest thing.

Work on fixing the emotions and the behaviour won’t happen.

Your reactive dog IS NOT giving you a hard time.

Your reactive dog IS HAVING a hard time.