Reactivity in Dogs: What It Really Is, and How to Solve It Fast
Reactivity isn't a diagnosis: it's a dog stuck in high arousal because nobody controls him. Why treat-based methods only promise results "over time" — and how leadership and real obedience calm reactive dogs in minutes, on video.
What is "reactivity"?
According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) — widely considered one of the most influential and powerful bodies in the fields of animal behavior and dog training — reactivity is an exaggerated response to everyday stimuli. They classify it into countless categories: leash frustration, territorial defense, resource guarding, high-motion chase instincts…
What does AVSAB recommend?
Their way to solve reactivity is counter-conditioning with high-value treats: the moment the dog sees the trigger, he immediately gets a reward. They strictly reject alpha rolls. And the behavior is supposed to change over time. So they explain that you shouldn't lead your dog, that you should give him treats in profusion, and that over time…
"Over time" is very convenient. If you don't get results, it's not because their method doesn't work — it's because you just have to wait. So is it one week, one month, or one year?
Why has reactivity become a modern crisis?
Reactivity has become such a massive issue today precisely because most trainers and authoritative associations like AVSAB reject hierarchy and rely on obedience methods that are completely ineffective:
- The rejection of hierarchy. These prominent organizations refuse to acknowledge leadership and hierarchical status, yet they endlessly list symptoms — resource guarding, reactivity, and so on — under the guise of some supposedly groundbreaking, subtle "discovery" of canine behavior.
- 30 years of warning on the failure of treat-based training. For 30 years, I have been explaining why food-reward training is completely ineffective the moment a dog is strongly attracted to or stimulated by something else. Every context listed above — prey drive, intense fear, territorial defense — is a situation where the dog won't pay the slightest attention to your treat. Food simply cannot compete with deep instinctual drives.
- The dogma of "positive-only" reinforcement. By refusing to set boundaries and a clear hierarchy, the solutions these "experts" offer don't work at all when faced with real-world triggers.
What is my view on it?
If you are struggling with a "reactive" dog — barking at other dogs, chasing scooters, guarding the house, or panicking in the street — you have likely read that it takes a long time to resolve and is somewhat complex. None of this is true.
I use the alpha roll, no treats, and the results of my method are not only very fast, but also highly effective. The proof is in the videos below: dogs reacting to scooters, cats, and a whole range of fears and aggression, calmed down after only a few dozen minutes of actual obedience work, after having been dominated beforehand.
A dog chasing movement, defending his space, or being scared at times (trauma aside) is simply being a dog. The behavior only becomes a "reactivity problem" when the owner lacks effective control. If a dog chases a scooter or guards the house, but instantly drops the chase and steps back the moment his owner gives a command, would you be concerned by this "reactivity" problem? You wouldn't need a complex diagnostic label from an "authority" — you would simply describe the dog's personality: "He's a scooter hunter," "He protects the house," or "He gets scared in those situations." And a dog who gets excited when you play fetch — is that a reactive dog? In theory, yes, according to the definition of reactivity. In reality, no. Why? Because it doesn't cause you a problem.
A dog in a high state of excitement is completely normal in certain circumstances; it only gets labeled "reactivity" when the dog, because his owner doesn't control him, stays stuck in that high state of arousal. Why do proponents of strict positive reinforcement, who reject any notion of hierarchy, see reactivity in so many of a dog's natural behaviors? Simply because their method — unable to control a dog in high arousal — fails to deliver results. So if the dog stays out of control, it's never the fault of their approach: the dog is simply rebranded as "reactive." How handy.
Crucially, these newly emerging terms — resource guarding included — aren't driven by the discovery of new behaviors in dogs, but by the pretense of a brand-new, subtle "discovery" of canine behavior, meant to cover up instructors' failures. Whenever a method fails to achieve genuine control or reliability, a new buzzword is coined to shift the blame away from the method and mask its limits behind an illusion of progress.
The proof, on video
Every situation shown here is one AVSAB lists as "reactivity." Time to resolve them, according to that organization: "over time." Time it took me: a few dozen minutes of actual training.
Stephan MairesseProfessional dog trainer & canine behaviorist, 30 years of experience across 16 countries. Certificat de capacité N°750108. Read his full background →
Module 8 of the course covers reactivity, resource guarding, aggression toward people or other dogs, separation anxiety, fear, and more — step by step, filmed with real dogs.
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