There is nothing like dogs. Their purity, cuteness, intelligence, and loyalty are a recipe for becoming their owner’s best friend. However, that doesn’t mean owning, raising and training one is a walk in the park. Our pets are always doing their best, but sometimes, they can display unwanted behaviours like backyard reactivity. A dog that is backyard reactive will exhibit aggression towards people as a way to defend itself or its family from pets and moving objects like cars when they pass outside your home.
It’s vital to know the signs of backyard reactivity so that you can address them promptly. In this article, we’ll cover what really causes backyard reactivity in dogs and what you can do about it.
Transparent Fencing
Transparent fences are a major cause of backyard reactivity. When our dogs are playing in the backyard, they’re often distracted by what’s going on in the outside world. In some pets, this can cause backyard reactive behaviour, which might manifest in your dog snarling at people passing outside your home or leaping at your fence when it spots a stray cat outside. This is why it’s vital to know the best fence styles for dogs with backyard reactivity in order to keep your pets calm, even if you live in a busy area.
Look into full-privacy fencing options: popular materials among Australian homeowners include PVC, aluminium and Colorbond. Besides making sure that your dogs aren’t distracted by the cars, pedestrians and other animals that pass by outside your house, installing full-privacy fencing also gives you additional security and peace of mind when spending time in your yard.
While transparent fencing helps with air circulation and gives you a view of the wider world, it can also pose problems for backyard reactive dogs. Replacing your existing fence with a full-privacy option can help your furry friends stay calm when playing outside while also allowing you to maximise your outdoor space.
Limited Socialisation and Ineffective Training
Often, backyard reactivity in dogs may be partly due to a deficit in their socialisation, where they get to meet and engage with strangers and new dogs. Sometimes, it can be due to ineffective training, in which they can’t seem to disengage with a trigger when it occurs. Whether you’ve adopted a new pooch that turns out to be backyard reactive or have a dog that’s starting to develop this behaviour, recognising the signs early will help you create a training plan that eases the reactivity.
There are many ways to train your dog to be less backyard reactive. One method is to slowly expose it to the things that normally trigger an aggressive reaction. This might involve socialisation with strangers or other dogs. Make sure to keep your dog on a leash at all times when doing this, as an angry dog can pose a threat to you and others. Another way to reduce backyard reactivity is through positive reinforcement. Every time your dog displays desirable behaviour (e.g., it sees another dog/human and doesn’t start barking), feed it a treat to reinforce good behaviour. You can also reduce the danger of the trigger by supplying guests to your home with treats to give your dog, so that they can begin to see strangers as less of a threat.
If you don’t have the experience or time to train your dog yourself, you can always get a professional to help. You can either hire a trainer to come to your house or send your dog to a centre that provides care and training. By providing the appropriate training early, you can weed out bad behaviour the moment it begins.
Under-Stimulation
Another factor that causes backyard reactivity is a lack of stimulation. Dogs are energetic animals, and many breeds need constant stimulation. Too much inactivity can put them on edge, which makes them more prone to aggression at the slightest sign of movement outside your backyard. This aggression can lead to noise complaints from your neighbours and, worse, potential injury to you or others. It’s also not healthy for your dog. However, you want to balance stimulation with overexposure to the world, which again can be done with effective fencing. Securing some high-quality and full privacy fences from reputable providers like Outback Fencing will ensure you don’t have a safe haven in their backyard, where you can provide all the entertaining and stimulating activities inside to keep them engaged.
Try to set enrichment toys in the backyard as often as you can, especially when you leave the house, so they gradually come to see the space as a fun, play zone. Also, try to spend as much time as you can with your canine friend: take them out for walks, play fetch with them and teach them a few tricks to keep their mind working. Having multiple dogs to keep each other company can also help. Lastly, you can also purchase interactive toys that keep your dogs busy when you’re not at home. By keeping your dog stimulated, you can avoid problems like backyard reactivity.
Anxiety
Dogs get anxious, too. When our furry friends are under intense stress, they can start to exhibit unwanted behaviour, including backyard reactivity. A major key to stopping this is to create a safe, calm environment for your dog. Some causes of anxiety for dogs include loud noises, cramped environments and being exposed to too many new stimuli on a daily basis. You should also remember that every pet is different, so you need to figure out what triggers your furry friend and make the necessary adjustments.
If making changes to your dog’s environment doesn’t work, you can also try giving it medication as a last resort. Make sure to consult a vet before doing this, though, as anxiety medicine can have unwanted side effects.
Final Thoughts
Backyard reactivity is a major problem for dog owners throughout Australia, especially given the fact that many Aussies live in houses with large outdoor spaces and dogs aren’t always used to hearing people around their property. This behaviour can lead to plenty of headaches for you and the neighbours. In extreme situations, your dog may even end up biting someone, and that is something that should be avoided at all costs. If you notice your dog exhibiting these behaviours, try taking any or all of the measures explained in this article to mitigate their reactivity.
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