Your dog does not need to impress strangers

Originally shared April 16, 2020. Original post.

Does your dog ever embarrass you in public? 👀🙈

If they do, remember that you may need to take a few steps back in your training, and probably a few literal steps back to create some distance between your dog and the things that are causing them to have an outburst.

Take the time to identify things that make your dog react, and identify the “working distance” from those distractions, where your dog is comfortable enough to engage with you.

It’s OK if your working distance is VERY far from the distractions at first!

Practice at a distraction level where your dog is comfortable and not overwhelmed. Sometimes that means more distance, a quieter route, or ending the outing. Getting closer is not something you have to accomplish today.

If your dog has an outburst, create space and make things easier. Do your best to prevent it from happening again, but don’t beat yourself up too much! In the real world, things we cannot control can take us by surprise.

More than anything, remember that you’re there for your dog and not to impress strangers! If you’re feeling embarrassed… who cares? You should be proud that you’re actively and compassionately working on helping your dog learn how to behave better over time 🙌 If a few strangers don’t get that, forget them 😎

To all of you who are working with “reactive” dogs who sometimes make a scene in public, I’m proud of you!

For help choosing a manageable next step, visit When training feels overwhelming.