Reactivity
6 min read
Reactivity is an overreaction driven by over-arousal, frustration, or fear — barking, lunging, or fixating. Aggression involves the intent to do harm, such as biting. They can overlap, and a reactive dog can escalate, which is why serious or risky cases should be evaluated by a professional rather than self-diagnosed.
Reactivity is about arousal: the dog can't stay calm around a trigger. Aggression is about intent: the dog is trying to create distance through threat or force, up to and including biting. Many reactive dogs are loud but have no intent to harm — but the two can overlap, and some reactive dogs do escalate.
The label changes the plan, the safety precautions, and the expectations. If your dog has bitten, has a bite history, or you feel unsafe, that's behavior work that should start with an evaluation rather than a generic reactivity plan.
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