April 9, 2014

#WOOF: 3 Things to Love About Reactive Dogs

It's time again for the monthly WOOF (Working Out Our Fears) Support blog hop, where reactive dogs and their owners come together to share similar experiences. This month's theme is "What I love about my reactive dog."

I easily came up with the three top things I love about my reactive girl, Rita.

1. A Reactive Dog is the Perfect Dog for an Introvert
Our first dog, a beagle, was not super interested in strangers when out on a walk (unless she could sniff them). She just wanted to sniff and do her own thing, so we rarely interacted with our neighbors. Which was perfect for introverted me.

Then we got Abby, who loved everything and everybody in the world and wanted to say HI! Not good for introverted me, forced to finally interact with all those neighbors.

Luckily, now I have Reactive Rita. 


I'm so busy watching her and praising her when she calmly passes other people (or holding her back when she doesn't...) that there's no more time for interacting. Once in a while I'll have time for a quick smile and a hello. But mostly I can happily not speak to the other folks out walking in the 'hood.

This makes me happy.

2. A Reactive Dog Gives You an "Out" with Pesky Door-to-Door Solicitors 
When a stranger comes to our door, all I have to do is crack the door open 2 inches, and act like I can barely hold the Barking Beast back. I enjoy watching them take a big step backwards. If they try to bravely carry on with their pitch, I mime holding a hand to my ear and say "I can't hear you! Sorry!" while closing the door.

I'm never actually sorry. I'm happy. 

3. Reactive Dogs Make Great Watch Dogs!
Every once in a great while the hubs travels for business. I used to hate it, because I could never sleep when he was away. The problem is that I am addicted to earplugs. (And also a giant chicken. Baaawwwwk.

When he's away, I always feel like I need to sleep without my earplugs in, in case something happens (like an urgent phone call, or the fire alarm goes off). And then I'd lay there listening to every little sound (that I usually never heard) going, "WHAT is THAT???!"

But, now, with Rita, Defender of the Realm, I know she's got me covered. She will take care of anything or anyone that dares to try to enter. So, I just happily go to sleep while she's on duty.

I get to sleep when the hubs is away. And that makes me happy.

If you, too, are an introverted, solicitor-hating, sleep-loving chicken, a reactive dog might be just the thing you need! 


Thanks to the WOOF blog hop co-hosts: Oz the Terrier, Roxy the Traveling Dog and Wag N' Woof Pets.
Oz the Terrier

47 comments:

  1. Excellent insights, Jackie! I do love that Brychwyn is an excellent guard dog. And I have to admit that I am sometimes glad that Brychwyn is goes crazy at the end of his leash when someone tries to interrupt my walk- I can't hear you and have to just keep walking! :)

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    1. Yes! Reactivity can be GOOD! We have this one neighbor in particular that we think is a... well, we don't like him. I kinda love it when Rita barks at him or raises her hackles and glares. (Is that bad??)

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  2. OMD Number 2 made us howl with laughter as peeps does that all the time.
    Have a tremendous Thursday.
    Best wishes Molly

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    1. Molly's not very threatening looking though, but I bet she can raise a fuss, like Rita does!

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  3. LOL. Jeffie was particularly pleased to see numbers 2 and 3. He does not allow solicitation at our house, especially those folks who want to pray with his peeps. Of course, he takes home security very seriously and is relieved that Rita does, too :-)

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    1. They have so much in common! Rita is very happy about that too!

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  4. That is such a great, positive way to look at it! And of course, I'm with you 100% on all of those things (no surprise there).
    So glad you joined the hop!

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  5. Oh Jackie, this post gave me the giggles. What a great way to look at living with a reactive dog. I am with you on the great watch dogs when the hubby is away. I can always trust Oz to let me know when something - anything - is moving on our property (even a leaf blowing in the wind - LOL).

    Thank you for joining the hop! Again, great post!
    Gina and Oz

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    1. Ha! Yes, Rita is the same - those leaves blowing in the wind must be monitored!! :)

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  6. Keeping solicitors away is the very best thing. And ya, I am not one for talking to people either. especially when I'm on a walk.

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    1. Me too - I hate to stop walking and chat. I'm trying to get my exercise in!

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  7. What a great list Jackie, funny I never took you for an introvert, maybe the internet helps you with that shyness? I do like the solicitor idea, perhaps I'll use Delilah in that manner the next time my doorbell rings. :-)

    And can I tell you HOW MUCH I LOVE that you wrote "siriusly?" OMG I smiled from ear to ear.

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    1. Yes, it's easier to interact with others online. although I'm still a bit introverted online as well (I only post about 1/3 of the things I *think* about posting...)

      And, yes, I recommend using Delilah in this manner. :) I almost thought I should give you credit for the "siriusly" - totally stole it from you.

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  8. I love that you accept Rita as she is and makes her part of your living without trying to change her.

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    1. I should have also said in the post that in addition to loving these qualities of abstract dogs in general, I specifically love our little reactive girl. She's actually super sweet with us and is mostly a very good, actually very calm girl!

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  9. As Jodi said, I wouldn't have taken you for an introvert. I consider myself to be one as well, but mainly because I like (and need) A LOT of alone time. Dogs are always welcome, but people, not so much.....

    The earplug thing is funny. I use them too because John snores so loudly, it is impossible to sleep! Even the earplugs don't help sometimes. Lately I've been trying to train myself to tolerate a bit more noise while sleeping. Earplugs really do drown out safety noises....

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    1. I also like and NEED a LOT of alone time. And, yes, that doesn't mean no dogs. "Alone time" means all dogs welcome. :)

      I got addicted to earplugs like 20 years ago because my sis and I had an apt that was right over the building's garage, and my bed was RIGHT over the auto garage door. So when folks came home at all hours of the night, it would wake me up. Now I can't sleep without them. (Luckily the hubs is NOT a snorer!) :)

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  10. I am the most introverted person I know, so I can understand your point about not having to stop to talk to neighbors! My dog is very friendly and loves to greet everyone, so he forces me to socialize, which is probably a good thing for me.

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    1. Yeah, my last dog was like that. I thought it was probably a good thing for me too, but I've been happy to return to my little bubble now that I have Rita. :)

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  11. I love the positive things you found about having a reactive dog!

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    1. Maybe they could market these dogs with some of these "positives" at the shelters. :)

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  12. As a reactive dog parent, I love that you are looking on the positive of our situation! Kudos!

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    1. I didn't know Coco is reactive too. Next time you should join the hop!

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  13. Mom lets us bark and howl when the doorbell rings because she doesn't like those people coming by selling stuff. She cracks the door open as we are going nuts and says it is not a good time and closes it. No one has objected yet ;)

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  14. Loved this. Way to look on the bright side! :-)

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  15. What a great spin to put on such a "controversial" topic! Love this!

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  16. Oh, boy, are you gong to hate walking Reggie when the time comes! Everyone asks about him, and he loves everyone. We always feel like a walking "Meet the Breed" demonstration. Complete strangers ask ... what is he?, are they all that fluffy?, may I please take his picture? Before Reg, we had never had that many conversations with the "man on the street." Not a good walking partner for an introvert, but we have fun with him.

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    1. Oh no! Well... Rita will make it difficult for folks to get close, so should be interesting walking them both together! Hope he'll be a good influence on her!

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  17. Ha ha ha! Morgan has scared off her share of solicitors, Jehovah's Witnesses and weirdos. I'm sad that the Schwann's man stopped coming by, though. You'd have thought she'd give him a pass since he brought the doggie ice cream, but no. She did almost eat a DirecTV salesman last summer, and the man was probably so stupid that he deserved to be taken out before he could pollute the gene pool. She has scared a couple of very unsavory types away, though, who didn't belong here. I sleep like a baby when hubby's away!

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    1. Yes! We just scared off a Jehovah's Witness the other day! Bummer about the ice cream guy though... Love your comment about the guy polluting the gene pool. Yes, those folks should be taken out, right?! :)

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  18. Great three things to love, my gang goes nuts also when the church people come a knocking, I hide upstairs and let the dogs bark bark bark.

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    1. Does that church thing ever work?? Do they ever actually convert someone on the porch step??

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  19. Haha--fantastic! True, too. I feel much safer alone at home with seven reactive dogs (okay, there's only three, but the other four pick it up purty fast). And that trick with the salespeople--I thought I was the only one doing that. I felt so bad. But not bad enough to stop :D Same with using the dog excuse to avoid people, especially--ahem--visitors.

    Guilie @ Life In Dogs

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    1. Wow, 7 dogs - 3 reactive! That's a full house! Glad you are also reaping the benefits of having a reactive dog! :)

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  20. Oh Rita you are our kinda gal!! we have two here always on guard for Murdulators bwahahaa and I agree the reactive pup has some wonderful qualities :) lovely post for the bloggie hop :) Fozziemum x

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  21. I know what you mean about the door-to-door types. Storm is the watch dog here. Although I don't think of her as reactive. A Chessie breed trait is protective so really she is doing her job. Thunder and Freighter are her back up. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago we a couple of Jehovah's Witnesses stopped by. Bad idea in Storm's book...lol. I bet Storm and Rita would get along. :)

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  22. Fantastic post! This is all so very true. I love that I can just keep on walking, because Rodrigo is kind of scary at times and the puppies just aren't friendly - I wonder if other Aussie owners experience the same thing.

    No one comes on our property with 4 dogs barking and snarling. :) Not all are reactive, but the leader of the pack (the canine leader) is :)

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  23. Ha! Yes to all of these!
    Moses and Alma are okay with house visitors, but I still get a kick out of opening the door wider so the salespeople can see who is sitting at the top of the stairs. Their presence alone is a decent security system!

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  24. LOL!! The up side of having a reactive dog! I'm with ya!!

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