Dear Google, What's Wrong with my Dog? Luna's Story.
Google - What’s wrong with my dog? Search: barking, lunging at dogs
My dog was going to be perfect. Maybe she’d be a therapy dog.
Getting a dog was not an impulse decision. I did what any over the top future dog mom would do - research. I started with breeders, I picked what I felt was the best one. Luna’s litter was born into loving home, which we visited a couple times. Her parents were healthy and friendly, she had positive social experiences from day one, she even underwent early neurological stimulation. We didn’t get to pick our dog based on color. Luna’s litter was placed in homes based on personality and owner lifestyle.
I also found a groomer, veterinarian, trainer, and a walker that I could trust. I read about dog training and socialization. This seemed so important. When Luna arrived, we enrolled in puppy kindergarten. After that we graduated from Basic Obedience, we passed the Canine Good Citizen test, and completed Advanced Obedience. Luna was the star of her class. She was shy, but training her was a breeze. We were on the road to perfection.
Things don’t always go as planned. On Wednesday, September 14, 2016, while enjoying an al fresco dinner, my perfect little Luna started barking at dogs as they walked by. Soon after, lunging was added to the mix. Our walks at the park became difficult, she made a scene. It was embarassing. I didn’t understand what was happening. People would ask, “what’s wrong with your dog?”
It was overnight that my nine-month-old Luna went from a happy, but shy little doodle to a behavioral nightmare. I wasn’t sure if she was overly excited to see other dogs or if she didn’t like them anymore. After reaching the end of the internet, I was sure that Luna had become leash reactive. She was scared.
What is leash reactivity? Leash reactivity is when your dog “reacts” to something while on leash. The “reaction” usually includes barking and lunging. Dogs on leash can feel trapped. If your dog is “reacting” you know it. This is not a subtle display. Some dogs react because they are excited, but most of the time they are scared. Luna developed a fear of dogs when she is on a leash. By barking and lunging, she was trying to scare the “scary dogs” away before they scare her. Dogs can also react to people, kids, bikes, motorcycles, cars, etc.
How did she become reactive? I ask myself everyday. Since Luna can’t talk, I will never know for sure, but here’s what I think happened - Luna’s personality (she was always a shy girl), plus an overflowing bucket (I will explain below), mixed in with a critical fear period (where scary things imprint in the dog’s brain) created an emotional disaster.
I believe the events below contributed to her behavioral issues.
The Friday before Luna became reactive, she had to go to the emergency vet for diarrhea and vomiting. She was treated and released after receiving fluids and anti-nausea medicine. She was fine the next day.
The Sunday before she became reactive, she had a minor allergic reaction. Her eyes were swelling shut. We called the vet and luckily she responded to home treatment with Benadryl.
The same day, we moved into a hotel for a week due to home renovations. This was not her first hotel stay, but she was always a little nervous on her first night away from home.
The Tuesday before Luna became reactive, she attended a new doggy daycare near my office. That morning, we attended the intro session where we met the owner, took a tour, and then they brought Luna down to meet the dogs. My husband and I were watching. We could tell she was scared, but the owner assured us she was ok. Luna had done well at the daycare in our town, but this place was different. They mixed large and small dogs, there was no alone/rest time, and there were a LOT of dogs. I remember thinking that the owner of this daycare makes a lot of money. I wish we never left her there.
The combination of not feeling 100% and seeing a new vet, living in a hotel, topped with an overwhelming experience around new dogs likely set her over the edge. Her bucket overflowed.
““I’m not giving you a hard time. I’m having a hard time.””
Having a reactive dog is not easy. There are days that I wish things were different, but she has taught me so much. Here are a few things that have helped me get through our reactive journey -
Acceptance. When your dog becomes reactive, there is a mourning for what could have been. I wanted to understand why this happened to her, I spent hours learning about animal behavior. I blamed myself. I was frustrated and sad. It was an emotional rollercoaster. Once I accepted that she was reactive, we started working toward getting better.
Find joy in your little miracles. We have good days and bad days. The good days with a difficult dog are REALLY GOOD. I cried happy tears the first time we had a “normal-ish” walk at the park. I told everyone. Until you’ve owned a reactive dog, you cannot imagine this feeling.
Find a trainer and keep it positive We are so lucky to have the MSPCA nearby. They have a class for reactive dogs, called Ruff Diamonds. This course gave me the hands-on experience needed to start getting our life back. Luna has completed three rounds, improving each time, and we are now able to take walks at the park. Training helps our world get bigger.
There are no quick fixes for leash reactivity. If someone promises that they can fix your day in a day, beware. You do not want to scare your dog into submission, you may end up with a bigger problem on your hands. If your trainer uses methods that make you cringe, please look elsewhere.
Think Like a Pup - Work at a distance and a speed that works for your dog. If your dog is going crazy, they cannot learn. When Luna started having issues, we did not walk at the park for many months. This was hard for me because I love walking at the park and this was a form of exercise I enjoy. I had to respect her needs. We slowly worked back up to walks. We started with quick visits to the parking lot. This progressed to walking one circle in the parking lot. We eventually ventured toward the path. Then, one day we walked around the the loop! Our training involved a lot of counter conditioning. Pay attention to your dog and respect their limits. #thinklikeapup
Find your tribe. I have met so many wonderful dog people through training classes and on social media. I love our weekly K9 Nose Work Classes. Also, Instagram has also been a positive community for us. I have connected with reactive dog owners and I love how everyone supports each other - search #reactivedogsunite and #dogsinneedofspace.
You are not alone and it can get better. I hope that sharing Luna’s story will bring us closer to a world where reactive dogs are understood.
What’s your story? Share it on Instagram and tag us @albusandlunadoodles and use the hashtag #ithinklikeapup.
We always walk with two leashes for safety.
