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Printable log

7-day reactivity signs log

After each walk, tick the signs you saw. A week of ticks shows your dog's pattern.

Or fill it in on your phone.
Dog's name
Start date

The signs, on a walk

  1. Same trigger. The same trigger sets your dog off: other dogs, people, bikes or cars.
  2. A distance. Fine across a field, explodes when a dog passes on the same sidewalk.
  3. Stiff, staring, loud. A fixed stare and a still body before the bark or the lunge.
  4. Treats stop working. Close to the trigger, won't take food it loves at home.
  5. Slow come-down. Minutes of panting, pulling or scanning after the other dog has passed.

Tick each day

SignD1D2D3D4D5D6D7
Same trigger
A distance
Stiff, staring, loud
Treats stop working
Slow come-down
What set it off

D1 = day 1. Write D, P, B or C (dog, person, bike, car) in the last row.

Rule out pain first: tell your vet

Around a third of dog behavior cases in one review involved a painful condition. See your vet before you train if:

Has your dog bitten, or snapped and made contact? See a board-certified veterinary behaviorist first, not a plan.

Next: the free dog check (10 questions, about 3 minutes) finds the distance where your dog starts to react.

From the guide: is my dog reactive?
Sources: ASPCA, Dogs who are reactive on-leash (updated May 4, 2020); Mills DS and colleagues, Pain and problem behavior in cats and dogs, Animals (2020); American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (dacvb.org).