I Taught Reactive Dog Classes for 10 Years. Here's Why I Stopped.
- Sara Scott
- Nov 4
- 7 min read
So you rescued a dog, and now they're losing their mind every time they see another dog on leash. Naturally, you figure they need more socialization - that's what everyone says, right? So you do what any responsible dog owner would do: you sign them up for a training class. And hey, there's even a special one designed specifically for reactive dogs.
Reactive dog classes have become increasingly popular for owners dealing with leash reactivity. These group classes typically involve several dogs (all working through their own challenges) practicing basic skills and dog/dog manners in a controlled environment. The idea is that with structured exposure and guidance, your dog will gradually learn to stay calm around other dogs.
I get the appeal - I really do. I taught reactive dog classes for a decade, and I've seen plenty of dogs make progress in that setting. But here's the thing: after ten years of running these classes, I stopped offering them. Not because they never work, but because I learned some important things about what actually helps reactive dogs long-term - and what people really need to know before they sign up.
Let's be real about why reactive dog classes exist in the first place: they're a more affordable option. You can take a six-week group class for the price of a single private session, which makes it an accessible way to gain the knowledge and skills you need to help your reactive dog. There's absolutely nothing wrong with choosing the budget-friendly route - I taught these classes for years because I knew not everyone could afford private training.
But here's something crucial you need to understand before you sign up: socialization and social skills are not the same thing. Socialization is that critical window from roughly 3 to 12 weeks old when we expose puppies to people, dogs, and novel experiences in a way that fundamentally shapes how they perceive the world. That window closes. If your dog is past that stage (and if you're dealing with reactivity, they definitely are), you're not going to "re-socialize" them by putting them in a room full of other dogs.
What you can do is teach your dog better social skills - essentially, how to cope with and respond to the world around them in a healthier way. A reactive dog class will give you the training exercises and handling techniques you need to practice, but don't make the mistake of thinking that simply exposing your dog to a group of other dogs is somehow going to magically improve their behavior. The real work? That happens outside of class, on your own time, applying what you've learned.
The other thing you need to understand about reactive dog classes is what happens with repeated exposure to triggers. When we're working with reactive dogs, the gold standard approach is desensitization and counterconditioning - essentially, we're teaching dogs to feel more comfortable and relaxed around their triggers by pairing the presence of other dogs with something positive, done gradually at a distance where the dog can stay calm. (If you want to dive deeper into how this works, check out my blog on counterconditioning here.) This is the evidence-based approach that actually creates lasting behavioral change.
But here's what often happens instead in group classes: when you expose your dog to their trigger repetitively - like being in the same room with the same group of reactive dogs week after week - they're likely going to habituate (get used to it). I saw this play out constantly when I was teaching these classes. By week two or three, most dogs had habituated to the other dogs in class and were no longer reactive in that specific setting. Everyone would leave feeling like their dog was "fixed."
The problem? These same owners would tell me their dog's behavior hadn't changed at all outside of class. Back in their own neighborhoods, on their regular walks, their dog was still a mess. That's because their dog didn't actually learn desensitization skills - they just got used to those specific dogs in that specific room. The behavior didn't generalize to dogs outside of class, in different environments, or in the contexts where it was actually causing the most problems in their daily lives.
What most people actually need to practice is the very first step of desensitization: exposing their dog to another dog at a distance, repetitively, over and over again. This is the foundational skill you need to master before you ever work on getting closer, increasing intensity, or handling more challenging scenarios. But when you go to a group class where your dog habituates to the other dogs relatively quickly, you're not getting much practice with this critical first step. In fact, you're probably going to skip right over it entirely.
What you actually need to be doing is setting up controlled scenarios in the environments where the behavior is happening - your neighborhood, your regular walking routes - where you can expose your dog gradually to other dogs at a distance and build those skills in real-world contexts. You need to learn how to apply desensitization to your individual dog in your specific environment, not just survive an hour in a training facility once a week.
This is where private coaching can be significantly more effective than a group class. A skilled trainer working with you one-on-one can give you personalized information, tailor the training plan to your dog's specific triggers and thresholds, and teach you how to practice in the exact places where your dog is struggling. That level of customization just isn't available in a group class setting where the trainer is managing multiple reactive dogs and trying to meet everyone's needs at once.
Look, I might be biased toward private training, but it's not just a preference - it's based on a decade of experience teaching both group classes and working with clients one-on-one. I've seen what works and what doesn't, and for most reactive dogs, an intensive private training program is going to get you further, faster. If you're serious about making real progress with your dog's reactivity, working with a trainer who can customize a plan for your specific situation and coach you through practicing in your actual environment is going to be your best bet.
That said, if you've decided a group class is the right fit for your budget and you're committed to doing the practice work on your own outside of class, here are some non-negotiable things to look for to make sure you're signing up for a quality program:
The setup should keep dogs under threshold from start to finish. This means someone needs to be managing traffic flow when people are arriving and leaving - dogs shouldn't be passing each other in the parking lot or practicing reactive behavior on the way in and out of the building. If dogs are lunging at each other before they even make it through the door, that's a red flag.
The training space needs to be large with visual barriers. Dogs need ample room to maintain distance from each other, and ideally there should be barriers (like room dividers or X-pens with sheets) that allow your dog to enter the space without immediately seeing all the other dogs. This is what actual desensitization looks like - controlled, gradual exposure, not throwing everyone into a room together and hoping for the best.
You should attend a consultation without your dog first. A good program will ask you to come to an initial session solo so they can educate you on what to expect, go over safety protocols, and make sure everyone understands the plan before bringing reactive dogs into the mix.
The class should screen for aggression history. No ethical reactive dog class allows dogs with a bite history toward dogs or people. Those dogs aren't safe in a group setting and need private training, period. When you sign up, you should be filling out a detailed questionnaire - if they're letting anyone and everyone in without screening, that's a major problem.
The environment should be calm and relatively quiet. I know it sounds counterintuitive - shouldn't a reactive dog class be chaos? - but if the class is set up properly, dogs should be staying under threshold most of the time, able to eat treats, process what they're learning, and actually perform the training tasks. If you walk into a reactive dog class and it's a bunch of barking, lunging dogs and yours can't settle or focus, that's not a good learning environment. Your dog practicing reactive behavior in class isn't progress - it's rehearsal. If that's what's happening, you probably need to be somewhere else.
The class should use positive reinforcement, counterconditioning, and desensitization. This is evidence-based training. The instructor should be teaching you how to reward good behavior and change the way your dog feels about their triggers, not just suppressing reactions. They should also talk to you about safe equipment like front-clip harnesses, muzzles, or head halters. Be wary if someone wants to use prong collars or shock collars - that's a sign they're not up on current science and best practices for working with reactive dogs
Reactive dog classes can be a budget-friendly way to learn the basics of handling a reactive dog, but they're not a magic fix. If you go this route, make sure you're walking into a well-run program that prioritizes safety, keeps dogs under threshold, and teaches you skills you can actually practice in real life. But if you're looking for faster progress and a plan tailored specifically to your dog's needs, private training is going to be worth the investment. Either way, the real work happens outside of class - in your neighborhood, on your walks, in the moments where your dog's reactivity actually shows up.
READY TO TACKLE REACTIVITY WITH REAL SUPPORT?
Look, reactive dog classes might work for some people, but if you're done with the one-size-fits-all approach and ready for actual results? Join The Dog Lab. This is customized behavior coaching where I'm basically your dog trainer in your pocket—M-F WhatsApp access, weekly video reviews with my voiceover feedback, and a training plan that's built specifically for YOUR dog's reactivity triggers. It's like having me in your living room directing you as you practice, except you can do it in your pajamas. No parking lot chaos required.
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