In December 2021 the addition of an adorable labrador puppy perfectly completed our little family of four but oh my goodness, what a rollercoaster of a journey it has been! Bertie is affectionate, loving and so much fun but he’s also working lab stock, strong as an ox, extremely excitable and an absolute bundle of energy. This overwhelming exuberance can manifest itself in sporadic outbursts, which aren’t reflective of the big, loveable, sociable lump he really is. When the opportunity came up to review the excellent Reversing Reactivity course by Ross Westby, founder of the 3D Canine Academy, me and Bertie (aka crackerjack) thought we’d give it a shot.
What is reactivity?
Reactivity is an over-the-top reaction to something you regard as harmless but your dog perceives very differently. This can be expressed in the form of lunging, barking and pulling, all of which being unwanted behaviours, which could potentially cause harm to you, your dog and/or others. The reactivity could be down to a traumatic experience, genetic components, over socialisation or poor socialisation especially during critical development. It’s often fuelled by fear, anxiety, frustration, over excitement or a lack of confidence.
What is the 3D Canine Academy Reversing Reactivity course?
Thankfully as Ross’ training guide clearly shows, ‘reactivity is not a personality trait, it’s a behaviour and like with any behaviour it can be changed with the right approach.’
The Reversing Reactivity course is made up of 5 modules and 20 easy to follow lessons with a focus on the 3D’s Duration, Distance and Distraction. There are also step-by-step video tutorials, practical exercises and participants get access to an exclusive online support group.
Session modules cover theory and practical demos of reactivity, how to spot triggers, how to break the cycle, how to curb canine outbursts and most importantly how to maintain good behaviour once learnt.
By religiously following Ross’ tried, tested programme to the letter, it is possible to get results with just 15 minutes training a day in a matter of weeks. But did I manage to do that?
How did we get on?
In a word, slowly.
As Ross himself says in his tutorials, some things could have been achieved a lot quicker.’ However, it’s not speed that’s important. There is no quick fix for how to deal with reactivity in anxious, fearful, over excitable or frustrated dogs. They need our understanding, patience. commitment and support and we need to work at their pace. What might not work on one day might just click on another. Bertie also seems to have the memory span of a gnat so frequent repetition and positive enforcement is essential.
Ross calls this particular course ‘reversing reactivity’ but it’s so much more than that; it’s recognising reactivity and understanding it. By following advice in the videos, I really feel I understand Bertie more. That’s a game changer in itself.
Bert is by no means an aggressive reactive dog; he behaves like a prat either to get himself out of situations he does not like or due to over excitability and super sensitivity; just wanting to play and being frustrated being restricted on lead. My anxiety had also very much fuelled the situation so if I gain confidence, so will he.
Like anything, you need the right tools for the job so I invested in a Halti training lead and a tug toy to build his engagement and focus. Plus I have a trusty squeaky ball and a retrieval training dummy toy. High value treats are also a must although Bertie is much more fun driven than food. Working out what makes him tick- as well as how to keep him in check- has been crucial to developing our relationship so we can be calmer and happier together.
What’s our verdict of the 3D Canine Academy Reversing Reactivity course?
In a word, “super!” (those that have done the course will know exactly what I mean and so will you if you sign up)
It’s a sad fact that in a post pandemic world for one reason or another, dog reactivity is on the increase with 1 in 4 dogs now suffering from some form of reactivity. As such online searches for reactivity dog training near me, how to stop dog reactivity and reactivity training dogs have also soared.
As owners we can either bury our heads in sands or we can tackle any issues head on. I’ve chosen the latter and have been very fortunate to have had the help of some amazing trainers, all of which have brought something different to the table and for which I will be eternally grateful. Ross Westby is another absolute legend and I would definitely recommend any of his courses without hesitation. No need to take my word for it either, the wealth of reviews and comments on the 3D Canine Academy Facebook page speak for themselves.
The in-depth content is split up in to easy-to-follow sections where he guides you through each step of Daisy dog’s heartwarming training plan. Ross also keeps it very real by openly sharing very relatable ‘whoops’ moments where things don’t go quite so well. This down to earth approach with straight talking and frank honesty is really engaging and I could quite honestly listen to him talk about dogs for hours.
Admittedly I might not have cracked crackerjack in a matter of weeks but we are heading very much in the right direction. I learnt more in 10 minutes of the first videos than I have in 10 years of being a puppy mummy. Any steps backwards are my own fault for trying to skip ahead and any blips have been due to my mistimed actions and cues. I feel that Bert and I are very much in this together now, rather than a battle of wills on each end of a lead.
Please do click on the link below to see a little video of Bertie doing some loose lead training and being a very well behaved boy at a local fete this weekend. Full disclosure here, he was a complete prat when first arrived but once again that was down to my handling, he just evaporated with excitement. A couple of quick corrections and he was soon meeting new friends, sniffing bums (as they do) and even managed to sit for more than 10 seconds (a new record!)
Ross’s goal for Daisy in the training videos is for her to “follow my leadership and guidance, I’m going to keep her safe, protect her space so she doesn’t need to react the way she does.” I’ve taken those words very much on board and regardless of how long it takes, I know it can be done. I need Bertie to trust and follow my leadership and guidance, know that I’ll keep him safe and protect his space – so that he doesn’t feel the need to behave like a prat anymore.
My words of wisdom to Bertie alongside his new favourite feel good words of “yessss!” and “su-per” are “we’ve got this, let’s do this!”
Image by Anna from Pixabay
Please note that I have written this honest review in exchange for participation in the course. All views and opinions are my own. This post also contains affiliate links.
