beyond k9 obedience: why I created the reactive dog reset

What is the Reactive Dog Reset? The Reactive Dog Reset is a complete online dog training course designed to help reactive dogs stay calmer around triggers. Instead of focusing on obedience alone, it combines health, environment, and fear-free behavior change methods for long-term results.

When I created Reactive Dog Reset, I wasn’t just filling a gap in the dog training market. I dug deep to answer the question: “Why are so many reactive dogs still struggling, even after months of training?”

I saw people invest time, money, and hope into K9 reset programs that focus on surface-level obedience without addressing the bigger picture. These programs often offer tools that suppress behavior without ever addressing the root cause: the dog’s emotional experience. 

That’s why I built Reactive Dog Reset. Not as another obedience course, but as a complete, research-informed reactive dog training course focused on long-term behavior change. I took months to comb through the research, and here’s what I found.

Many traditional K9 trainers prioritize commands and compliance. Sit. Heel. Leave it. And while those skills are useful, they don’t always help a reactive dog feel safer or more regulated.

Reactive Dog Reset instead walks dog guardians through the underlying factors that can influence reactivity, like fear, pain, lack of sleep, overstimulation, frustration, or stress.

While the course can’t identify your individual dog’s root cause (that’s something best done with an experienced vet behaviorist) it does help you consider which factors might be playing a role and how to respond with more clarity and empathy.

Studies show that fear-related behaviors are often the underlying cause of reactivity and can be reduced through systematic desensitization and counterconditioning (Riemer, 2021; Stellato et al., 2019).

Reactivity doesn’t live in a vacuum. It can be affected by sleep quality, gut health, diet, hormonal changes, past trauma, chronic stress, injury, inflammation, and more.

You won’t find many standard K9 programs talking about these things, but the research says we should. This dog reactivity program fills that gap. An effective training plan considers the whole dog, not just what the dog does in the moment (Doane, 2023).

That’s why the course includes sections on health and lifestyle factors. We examine peer-reviewed research that connects dog reactivity, anxiety, and aggression to biological and environmental stressors, so you can take a more informed approach to reducing reactivity in daily life.

Many popular K9 reactivity programs still use aversive tools like prong collars, e-collars, or leash pops. These approaches may reduce behavior in the short term but carry significant risks, especially for fear-based reactivity. They often increase fear and frustration, leading to worsened reactivity in the long-run. 

The Reactive Dog Reset course is grounded in positive reinforcement dog training and behavioral science. It draws on research showing that dogs trained using aversive methods show more stress-related behaviors and are at increased risk of developing aggression (de Castro et al., 2020).

Instead of trying to suppress behavior, we help dog guardians understand how to reduce the dog’s need to react in the first place, training reactive dogs without punishment.

Living with a reactive dog is emotionally exhausting. It’s easy to feel isolated, judged, and unsure of what to do next. 

That’s why the course focuses on:

• Building habits that support progress over time
• Choosing training setups that fit your life
• Understanding that progress isn’t linear
• Setting realistic expectations
• Tracking progress in meaningful ways
• Reflecting on your own nervous system and how it impacts your dog

Reactive dog guardians often report stress and guilt; acknowledging the human experience is an essential component of effective support (Hart & King, 2023). 

Every dog is different. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. But there are well-supported practices that make life easier, calmer, and more connected for both you and your dog.

If your dog has been labeled "aggressive," "difficult," or "too much," you are not alone. There is help for reactive dogs, and the people who love them.

One thing that I learned from all of the research and experience is that we need to treat reactivity as a whole-body, whole-brain, whole-family issue. Not just something to suppress with a collar or override with obedience. The Reactive Dog Reset course takes a holistic approach. Each and every technique introduced in this course is designed to work together as part of a dog behavior modification strategy that is both evidence-based and humane. It isn’t about obedience. It’s about helping people take a more informed, compassionate, and evidence-aligned approach to life with a reactive dog.

We don’t promise miracles. But we do offer a structured framework rooted in science, respect, and real-world application.

And for many dogs (and people), that’s exactly the kind of reset they need.

Learn more and join the course at Reactive Dog Reset. 

de Castro, A. C. V., Ferreira, D., & Olsson, I. A. S. (2020). Are aversive-based training methods associated with indicators of poor welfare in companion dogs? A literature review. Animals, 10(9), 1487. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091487

Doane, M. (2023). Evaluation of evidence-based methods to reduce anxiety and aggression in domestic dogs: A systematic review [Bachelor's thesis, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences]. SLU Epsilon. https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/19331/1/Doane_M_230810.pdf

Hart, A., & King, T. (2023). "It’s okay, he’s friendly": Understanding the experience of owning and walking a reactive dog using a qualitative online survey. Society & Animals. Advance online publication. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/376437451

Riemer, S. (2021). Not a one-way road – Severity, progression and prevention of canine aggression. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 8, 668234. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.668234

Stellato, A. C., Dewey, C. E., Widowski, T. M., & Serpell, J. A. (2019). Evaluation of a structured program for reducing aggression and reactivity in dogs. Animals, 9(11), 1010. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9111010

Author Bio: 

Shawna Baskette is a Canadian-born dog behavior educator with over 20 years of professional research experience and a specialty focus on reactivity. She studies peer-reviewed canine behavior literature, translates evidence into practical steps, and founded The Dog Library and Reactive Dog Reset to help dogs and owners reach calmer lives together.

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