16 May 2023 , 18:30
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Training your puppy is a crucial step when it comes to making sure they turn into well-behaved dogs that don't display aggression to other pets or humans.
It's also important if you consider adopting a dog which may already display behavioural problems that you need to try to train them out of.
According to Wendy Kruger, Dog behaviour and training specialist at Woodgreen Pets Charity, where Channel 4's The Dog House is filmed, the biggest behavioural problem she sees across all breeds is "reactivity to other dogs".
Speaking to The Mirror, Wendy, who has worked with the charity for over 30 years, explained: "There are behavioural problems that are more common in relation to breeds. I would say the issue I'm seeing most often across the breeds is reactivity to other dogs."
Wendy Kruger says 'reactivity to other dogs' is the issue she sees the most (Woodgreen Pets Charity)This can be down to many things – they haven't been socialised properly, anxiety, or maybe they are frustrated.
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Wendy continued: "Dogs lunging and barking at other dogs, because they've either been attacked by another dog, they've not been socialised properly or they're anxious in the company of other dogs, or they are just frustrated and want to play and that frustration bubbles over into what appears to be aggression.
"That barking might just be social frustration because he's shouting 'let me near her, let me play' but it looks like aggression.
"It's very difficult to tell social frustration from aggression. With humans, frustration does topple over into aggression too."
There can be many reasons why your dog is reacting to another (stock image) (Getty Images)As an owner, this can be worrying, especially if it's stopping you going outside with your dog, however, Wendy is clear that there is a long-term fix – but it's not easy.
She explained: "You need to make sure that the exposure to the thing that they are overstimulated to is less."
Wendy explained that through Woodgreen, they also run online webinar courses for owners with reactive dogs, and also some in-house classes in the local area of Cambridgeshire.
She continued: "But it's a long journey and it starts with the very basics. Engaging with your dog when you're out and about, making sure for the foreseeable future you don't take them to busy places where they are going to overreact to stuff.
"You find places where there are less dogs about so they start to enjoy their walks and relax a bit more."
The owner should also move them away from other dogs if they "start to get a bit tense".
Another trick is to place some food on the floor for them to find when they see another dog.
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Wendy added: "Over time their perception of the thing that overstimulates them starts to change and then they're okay with it.
"It takes a long time. It's not something we can say 'just send them to a handler for 24 hours and they'll be fine'."
One thing owners shouldn't do is go down the "punishment route," warns Wendy. She continued: "When your dog is lunging and barking at another dog as an owner, it's very frustrating.
"Therefore that owner tells their dog off verbally or whatever, and that actually only makes the dog's reaction to the thing even worse, because now the dog is a bit frightened of the owner when it comes across that thing. So punishment actually exacerbates the problem, instead of reduces it.
"Sometimes it reduces it in the short term, but it definitely doesn't reduce it in the long term.
"People do sometimes go down the route of telling their dog off, and they see short term results, but actually pretty quickly they learn that it didn't work, and the dog is actually worse and their relationship is a little bit broken and that doesn't help. That's when they call us."
If you want to learn more about what Woodgreen Pets Charity do, or are thinking about adopting a dog or other small pet, you can head to the charity's website.