Reactive Dogs: The “Little Things” That Change Everything (Azula’s Week 1)

In this episode, I’m walking you through week one with Azula - a 100+ lb Cane Corso in my 2-week board and train in Orlando, Florida - and what’s actually been making the biggest difference in her reactivity so far.A lot of owners focus on the big reactive explosion (barking, lunging, chaos on the walk) - but I’m sharing the other moments that quietly fuel reactivity every day: rushing thresholds, pushy doorway behavior, over-the-top excitement, mouthing, jumping, whining, and all the “little stuff” that adds fuel to the fire.I also share my real-time experience using a bark collar (the Bark Pro) to interrupt nighttime barking and kennel chaos - including the part where I accidentally had it set wrong at first (true confessions) - and how it’s been helping Azula settle and actually rest.Plus, I answer owner questions like:Why is she insanely reactive with me, but an angel without me - is it protection?How do I set boundaries without “shutting my dog down”?How do I know if a correction is too much?How do I avoid my dog associating triggers (like other dogs) with stim?Does breed-specific enrichment help with reactivity and anxiety?What does “bluffing” mean with tone vs stim?If you’re working through reactivity and feel like you’ve tried everything, this episode will help you zoom out and look at what’s happening outside the reactive moment - and how those pieces can change the walk more than you think.Message me on Instagram @walkingdogtraining if you listened - I love hearing what clicked for you.