Reactive Dog Equipment

In this post we’ll be talking about reactive dog equipment. That is, what equipment you will need to set yourself up for success on walks with your dog. Whilst most are not essential, these are the tools I would recommend, alongside a training plan, to help make walks more easy and enjoyable for both you and your dog. This is a generic list and each item may not be suitable for  your specific dog. You’ll notice that there’s no e collars, choke chains or prong collars on this list. That’s because we do not recommend the use of these tools and there’s a wealth of scientific evidence supporting this viewpoint. These tools have the potential to cause physical and emotional harm to your dog.

Harness

For most dogs, a well fitted Y front harness is going to be the safest and most comfortable option for walking. There is a myth that harnesses make pulling on the lead worse. If your dog is pulling on the lead, it may be because they are too stressed to be able to engage with you in that particular environment. It could also be related to a lack of sufficient training on loose lead walking. Yes, dogs pull less when wearing a collar. But, that’s because it’s more physically uncomfortable for them to do so and pulling whilst wearing a collar can cause injury to the dogs neck.
We recommend checking out the Perfect Fit Harness– this is what our boy Duke wears too and we think it’s great!

Leads

We recommend having two leads in your reactive dog equipment toolkit. One for a street/town walking and a longer lead for walking in quieter areas. We like this Ezydog lead and it’s the one we use with our own dog too. It can be used for running with your dog but we like it for the shock absorbing feature. This is helpful if your dog does occasionally pull or lunge. Many standard leads are quite short and make it difficult for dogs to engage in natural behaviour like sniffing. A really short lead also makes pulling more likely as dogs can get frustrated at not being able to sniff and explore.

A 10metre long line is also invaluable. A longer lead is perfect for when you’re walking in more natural areas (woods, beach etc) and want to give your dog more room to stretch their legs. As well as being useful for reactive dogs for whom off-lead walks are not an option, long lines are useful if you’re working on your dogs recall. We like this long line made of biothane as any water, mud or sand just falls off. Cotton or rope long lines work fine too but do get heavy and mucky!

Reactive Dog Equipment

Depending on the severity of your dogs reactivity you may also consider some additional tools to encourage the general public to give you space. These include bandanas, lead sleeves and vests for your dog that say things like ‘I need space’, ‘anxious dog’, or whatever is most appropriate for you. The Yellow Dog Campaign is a programme aimed at spreading awareness of reactive dogs and their need for space, you can have view their website and online store here.

Muzzle

A muzzle is not necessary for every dog, but muzzle training is a really useful skill to have for all dogs. There will almost certainly be some point in their life where they may need to wear one, such as at the vets. It has also been my experience that you can wear all the ‘I need space’ gear on the market, but nothing keeps other people and dogs away quite like a muzzle. Of course, if your dog has bitten another dog or person before then a muzzle is essential in keeping everyone safe. You’ll want to measure your dogs nose to make sure you get a muzzle that fits well and allows your dog to pant and take food easily without being too tight or too big.

Rewards

When walking your reactive dog, you’ll want to make sure you have their favourite treats and/or toys with you to reward them for moving past other dogs calmly or to help them recover after a big reaction. Remember, a reward is whatever your dog finds rewarding. It doesn’t matter if you think they should love it, it’s really up to them! So if your dog turns their nose up at what you’re offering, you’ll want to try something else. Many dogs prefer a soft, wet texture rather than dry and crunchy. We like the Pure Pate range from JR Pet Products. You can chop it up into tiny bitesize pieces and they make ideal training treats.

Reactive Dog Equipment for you 

A treat pouch is a small bag you can keep in your pocket or clip onto your clothing to easily store your dogs treats whilst on walks. You want to be able to access your dogs rewards as conveniently as possible. We really like the Paco Pouch Treat Pouch as it has three compartments, meaning you can easily access treats of different values. Silicone treat pouches are easier to clean than fabric ones. Ultimately, you just need to be able to conveniently and quickly access your dogs food rewards, so if a freezer bag of treats in your pocket works for you, that’s great. 
You might also want to wear a hi-vis with ‘Do not approach’ or something similar on.

What next?

• Looking for more help with your reactive dog? Contact us to arrange in person or online training.
• Read more blog posts here.
• Perfect Recall: Teaching your dog to come back when called every time. Our guide is free to download when you join our email list- sign up here.