7 Confidence-Boosting Ideas for Your Reactive Dog

Ruth Hegarty
Aug 6
4 min read

If your dog barks, lunges, jumps at you or freezes on walks, they're not misbehaving, they're feeling overwhelmed. They could be overwhelmed by fear, anxiety, excitement or just acting this way to get your undivided attention. We lump these behaviors under the umbrella of "reactivity" because, despite sometimes stemmping from opposite seeming emotions, they're more similar than you think. These feelings are similar because your dog is struggling to cope with them which results in your pup's reactive behavior.

Helping your dog learn to process their feelings more effectively and feel more comfortable in their environment is key to healing their reactivity. That’s why confidence building is one of the five core pillars of my CHARM Approach to working with reactive dogs.

In this post, I share seven practical, positive ways to boost your dog’s confidence - both in themselves and in you as their trusted guide.

1. Predictability and Control

Confidence grows when your dog knows what to expect. Predictable routines, clear cues, and consistent boundaries help reactive dogs feel safe. Find ways to add routine to their daily schedule.

Give your dog the ability to make good choices about how to deal with their feelings while building their trust in you. Would your dog like to choose which route to take on a walk or which enrichment activity they want to do?

Choice builds trust when used to soothe your dog's feeling. For example, my new puppy Archie (pic below) became nervous as we approached some road work on this morning's walk. When he stopped, I gave him a moment to think, loosened up the leash and gave him the choice to continue or turn back and walk somewhere else. Archie chose to turn back so he didn't have to pass the scary thing and had a great example of being able to trust me to make good choices for him.

2. Success through Training

Set achievable training goals and teach cues - touch or look-at-that - that will help reduce your dog's reactivity. Keep training sessions short and fun so your dog learns helpful behaviors and increases their confidence at the same time. Training together is also a great way to deepen your bond. Every new cue is a big deal for your reactive dog.

3. Comfort Zone Enrichment Activities

Sensory enrichment like sniffy walks, treat scatters, or safe exploration in a quiet yard (Sniffspot is great for this) allows reactive dogs to decompress and build confidence at their own pace. As much as we humans think it's great to face our fears, dogs don't. Avoid triggers and emphasize enjoyable walks together. Confidence increases through positive experiences.

4. Celebrate Brave Moments, No Matter How Small

Being brave is about trying something new without knowing what will happen. During training, when your dog glances at a trigger and doesn’t react - celebrate it! Even if they looked for a mere nanosecond before looking at you and couldn't take a treat, this is still a big win! Behavior change isn't a linear journey and takes patience and courage. All signs of progress are a big deal. Celebrate them so your dog knows you see their hard work and are proud of them.

5. Cooperative Care & Consent-Based Handling

One of the scariest thing for any living creature is losing control over their situation. Unfortunately, this is something dogs constantly have to deal with. So, whenever you can, give your dog the ability to say “yes” or “no” when things are happening to them. For example, if your dog becomes stressed during grooming, give them a break to calm down before finishing. The same goes for vet visits, putting on their harness, visiting you environments - you get the picture. Consider how you would want to be treated under the same circumstances and go from there. Respecting your dog's autonomy builds trust, confidence and helps your dog feel safe. FearFreeHappyHomes is a great place to start.

Work with Fear Free Certified trainers like me.

6. Support, Don’t Push

So many clients eagerly ask when can they bring their dog around other dogs (or whatever their triggers are). I get it! But that's the wrong questions. The goal isn't to do what you think your dog should be able to do or what you've seen other dogs do. The goal is for your dog to feel safe. When you switch to the mindset where you're supporting your dog rather than seeking to fix a perceived problem, your whole attitude changes and you are able to get real creative in helping your dog feel good. Feeling safe come from flooding (overexposure to triggers), it comes from trust and feeling supported.

7. Be Their Calm, Capable Anchor

Your dog looks to you for cues about the world. The more confident you are, the more secure they feel. When you respond to their nervousness with calm empathy and a plan, you become their safe place. That connection is the heart of confidence building.