Barking and lunging on walks isn't aggression - it's usually fear. Here's what it really means, and what trainers say actually helps.

Your dog spots another dog down the street and suddenly turns into a barking, lunging whirlwind - and you're left apologizing and wondering, "why is my dog so aggressive?" Here's the good news: in most cases, it isn't aggression at all.

In this episode, Anna unpacks reactivity: what's really happening in your dog's brain during an outburst, why the old "show them who's boss" advice tends to backfire, and the three things reward-based trainers recommend you can start this week.

In this episode:

• 🐕 What reactivity actually is and why it's usually fear, not aggression
• 🧠 What "over threshold" means, and why your dog genuinely can't hear you mid-outburst
• ⚠️ Why leash corrections and yelling often make things worse
• 📏 The distance trick that keeps your dog's thinking brain online
• 🍗 The "engage-disengage" game that flips fear into something good
• 🪣 How trigger stacking quietly sets your dog up to react and how to lower the load

A reactive dog isn't a bad dog, and you're not a bad owner. It's one of the most common and most improvable things trainers see.

Five minutes. Big shift.

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5 Minute Dog Wellness is hosted by Anna, co-founder of Nuvi Science (nuvi.pet). This show is educational and isn't a substitute for advice from your veterinarian or a qualified behavior professional.