04/11/2026
Introducing dogs to each other isn’t about “just letting them figure it out.” Especially if one dog struggles with leash reactivity, has a lot of prey drive, and or has a history of being dog-selective. Enter: Petey. 😂😍
Here’s what we did:
1.) Private sessions where we addressed Petey’s reactivity in life—barrier aggression with the dog through the backyard fence, leash-reactivity around dogs, front-window/door reactivity, and his interesting feelings about the shower being turned on. 😂The leash and barriers are super invaluable tools to introduce dogs slowly and safely. If I wanted to use these tools, I needed him to not be triggered by them first. These sessions also allowed us to build trust, a bond, and a training dynamic.
2.) The first day he was here, he had “protected contact” only. (Think: baby gates, barriers, space.)
He could see some other dogs. Smell them. Observe them. Even engage with them if desired, with the ability to move freely and comfortably, unleashed and unmuzzled.
I watched for certain thing:
✔ Softer body language
✔ Curiosity instead of fixation
✔ Ability to disengage
✔ No escalating behavior
This morning, Petey was play-bowing with Ace, a dog I’ve been training, through the barrier. I’ve had Ace for a few weeks and feel confident in my understanding of him, and where he is at skill-wise. So, I decided to trust what I had been seeing in Petey, and I made a decision—When Petey was in the yard, I let Ace out and walked outside with them. I didn’t say anything. I didn’t encourage them to meet or play. I watched, and kept my body language relaxed.
They played, they sniffed, they explored solo…♾️.
This didn’t happen by chance. It happened because we slowed the process down, and because we focused on compatibility and not convenience. Petey is not going to love every dog, and that’s totally normal and ok. He can have dog friends and be successful with dogs, on and off-leash, with the right support and protocol. You and your dog can have that too.
