You cannot ‘down’ your way out of excessive fear or excitement, and proofing a down stay to the point you can prevent a reaction is simply that – proofing a down stay.
However, obedience has an unarguable role in curing reactivity. You have no chance of resolving problem behaviour & conditioning a new emotional response if your dog cannot listen to the basics.
How do you expect to one day navigate a crowded country park if your dog can’t listen when you say Heel, Sit or Come?
How do you expect your dog to trust your guidance in challenging emotional situations if they hold no value in you or your words?
Sometimes our dogs require specific guidance to move through a tricky situation. If down means down and come means come 100% of the time, you can use obedience to exit a situation 100% of the time.
Can you resolve your dog’s excitement or fear of other dogs utilising obedience?
No, but you can’t move through daily life without obedience.
There are 2 camps – some believe all you need to resolve reactivity or aggression is Place, Heel & Come; others think asking your dog to sit when they’re scared is cruel and you should only focus on desensitisation.
The truth is, like many aspects of dog training, the key to a trained dog is balance.
We look at the individual dog and make a bespoke recipe of obedience & desensitisation depending on their needs 👍🏻
