Reactive Dog Training in Durham: How to Stop Barking & Lunging at Other Dogs

If your dog barks, lunges, growls, or “loses it” when another dog appears, it can make walks feel stressful — and honestly, embarrassing.

You might be thinking:

• “Is my dog aggressive?”

• “Why does he do this?”

• “Will he ever grow out of it?”

• “Am I making it worse?”

This guide will explain exactly what dog reactivity is, why it happens, and what you can do to start fixing it — especially if you’re based in Durham, Stanley, Chester-le-Street, Consett, or surrounding areas.

And if you need help, I’ll also explain how NeMo®-accredited training can speed up results.

Quick Answer: What is Dog Reactivity?

Dog reactivity is when a dog overreacts to a trigger — usually:

• other dogs

• people

• bikes

• noises

• children

The reaction often looks like:

✅ barking

✅ lunging

✅ spinning on the lead

✅ growling

✅ snapping

✅ “meltdown” behaviour

It’s NOT always aggression.

Most reactive dogs are actually dealing with:

• frustration

• fear

• overexcitement

• poor impulse control

• learned behaviour that has been reinforced over time

Is My Reactive Dog Aggressive?

Sometimes — but often not.

A reactive dog can look aggressive because the behaviour is loud and intense… but many reactive dogs are simply overwhelmed.

Aggression usually involves intent to do harm.

Reactivity usually involves emotion and lack of control.

That difference matters because it affects the training plan.

Why Dogs Become Reactive to Other Dogs (The Real Causes)

1) They’ve learned the reaction works

If your dog barks and the other dog goes away (because you cross the road / turn around), your dog learns:

“That behaviour solves the problem.”

So the reaction strengthens every week.

2) Fear or insecurity

A nervous dog might think:

“If I bark first, I stay safe.”

3) Over-socialisation

Dogs that are allowed to meet every dog can become reactive when they can’t greet.

4) Lack of structure on the lead

A dog that’s used to controlling the walk often struggles when anything exciting or threatening appears.

5) Genetics / temperament

Some dogs are naturally higher-drive or more intense, and they need more structure to stay calm.

What To Do Immediately (On Your Next Walk)

If you want to start improving reactivity fast, this is where you begin:

✅ 1) Create distance early

Distance is power.

If your dog reacts at 5 metres… don’t train at 5 metres.

Start at 20–30 metres if needed.

✅ 2) Stop the “stare” before the explosion

Reactivity builds like a kettle.

Staring → tension → fixation → reaction

Your job is to intervene early — at the stare stage — not after the bark.

✅ 3) Keep your handling calm (not emotional)

Most owners tighten the lead, panic, and start talking.

That energy transfers to the dog.

Your dog needs calm, confident leadership.

✅ 4) Don’t “drag” your dog past triggers

Forcing your dog to walk close to another dog when they’re not ready is one of the fastest ways to worsen reactivity.

What NOT To Do (Because This Makes Reactivity Worse)

❌ Don’t let your dog rehearse the reaction

Every outburst is practice.

And what gets practised gets repeated.

❌ Don’t flood your dog

Taking a reactive dog into a busy park to “get used to it” often backfires.

It teaches:

“I’m trapped — I need to react harder.”

❌ Don’t rely on treats alone

Treats can be useful, but when a dog is over threshold, food often becomes irrelevant.

Plus, some dogs learn the pattern:

“I explode → then I get fed.”

That’s not what you want.

❌ Don’t punish randomly

Shouting, yanking, or emotional corrections can increase fear and make reactivity sharper.

Timing and structure matter.

The Fix: A Proven 3-Step Reactivity Training Plan

To solve dog reactivity properly, you need more than “tips”.

You need a repeatable process:

✅ Step 1 — Foundation Control

This is where most reactive-dog owners fail, because they skip it.

This includes:

• structured lead handling

• neutrality training

• stopping the dog making decisions

• impulse control

• calm walking

✅ Step 2 — Controlled Exposure at a Safe Distance

We teach the dog to stay calm before the reaction.

That means building success at a distance and gradually closing the gap.

✅ Step 3 — Real-World Proofing

Eventually you need to handle:

• surprise dogs around corners

• narrow paths

• off-lead dogs approaching

• busy areas

This is where training becomes “real life” and starts to stick permanently.

How Long Does It Take to Fix Dog Reactivity?

Here’s the honest answer.

Mild reactivity

✅ noticeable changes in our first session

✅ depends on handler consistency

The biggest difference-maker is how structured and consistent your plan is — not how “stubborn” your dog is.

Reactive Dog Training in Durham: Why the NeMo® System Helps

One of the reasons reactivity doesn’t improve is because owners are given a handful of random advice:

• “Try treats”

• “Try turning away”

• “Try a harness”

• “Try socialising more”

That’s not a system.

The NeMo® Dog Training System was developed by Pro K9, home of the NeMo® Training System, delivered through mentorship and accredited training.

What this means in practice is:

✅ the training is structured

✅ the handling is consistent

✅ the focus is control + clarity

✅ the goal is calm neutrality (real world results)

This is especially effective for:

• reactive dogs

• dogs who ignore food outside

• high-drive dogs

• lead aggression

• dogs that escalate quickly

And for dog owners in Durham / Stanley / County Durham, it matters because:

✅ DHK9 is the only NeMo®-accredited trainer locally (so you don’t need to travel out of the region to access this system).

Need Help? (Durham / Stanley / County Durham)

If your dog is reactive to other dogs, you don’t need to dread walks forever.

The fastest path is:

✅ assessment

✅ structured plan

✅ coached implementation

Because with reactivity, the details matter — and small mistakes can keep the problem stuck for months.

If you want help in Durham, Stanley, Chester-le-Street, or surrounding areas, book a 1:1 session with DHK9 and we’ll build a plan tailored to your dog.