Have Reactive Dog, Will Still Travel #WOOFSupport

Have reactive dog, will still travel...on road trips, anyway. 

I get to go on a lot of road trips with Ma and Daddy-dog even though I am leash-reactive.  I have been camping in many of Florida's State Parks, I have stayed in a cabin in the mountains of North Carolina and I even got to stay in a posh hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.

I love all kinds of activities too like hiking, biking and canoeing and I get to go along on those activities no matter if we are out-of-town or at home.  I am good with meeting people while on leash and other boats and bikes do not make me react at all...except in happy excitement to say hello.

It is only when we encounter another dog, either on-leash or off, while we are out-and-about that I have an issue.  And it is not every dog.  Just some dogs but Ma and Daddy-dog never know which one it will be.  So, they take some precautions.

1.  Daddy-dog usually has my leash when we are out on adventures.  I do not react as much when I walk with him as I do when I walk with Ma. 

2.  When we see another dog approaching us, Ma and Daddy-dog both use distraction techniques like making me do a trick (for a small treat) or we zig-zag walk so I need to pay more attention to them than anything else.

3.  When camping, we always hike early in the morning.  There are usually less dogs on the trail in the morning, but also, since it is cooler, we can go further which will tire me out so I do not have as much energy when I get reactive.

4.  Wherever we are staying, we bring along my puzzle treat-dispensing toy.  We learned from a behaviorist that terriers need to be mentally exhausted as well as physically exhausted or we just keep going, and going and going, etc. (and that includes the reactivity).  This actually works really well...it is a great distraction at the campsite (for when other dogs are walking by MY campsite - an issue) and all that thinking does help keep me calmer.

Do these precautions work all of the time?  Absolutely not.  But that is okay.  Ma and Daddy-dog believe that even a reactive dog should be able to enjoy a road trip or vacation with their owners.  Yes, all the crazy barking at other dogs can be embarrassing but we just keep moving forward and enjoying our time together.

Have you ever traveled with a reactive dog? 

This is the WOOF Support Blog Hop, where reactive dogs and their owners can come together to share similar experiences.  Are you a reactive/fearful dog or its owner?  Then please join us and share your story.  The Blog Hop is open through Sunday, August 17th on my blog as well as on my co-host Wag 'n Woof Pets.