Reactive Dog Training in Huntsville & North Alabama
For dogs that bark, lunge, growl or pull toward other dogs on walks. Serving Huntsville, Madison, Athens, Harvest, Hampton Cove, Meridianville and Owens Cross Roads.
If you're crossing the street every time another dog shows up, or only walking your dog when nobody else is out, call me. Don't give up on your dog. Reactive dogs are a big part of what we do at Impactful Canine, including many dogs other trainers turned away. We train them one-on-one in all seven towns we serve.
Impactful Canine Training received an average rating of 5.0 out of 5 Stars from over 100 Google Reviews. 5.0 ★★★★★ Read Google Reviews.
The Short Version
What it is:
One-on-one training for dogs that lose it at other dogs on leash: barking, lunging, growling, spinning, hitting the end of the leash. We also work with dogs that react to people, bikes or cars.
Who it's for:
Dogs that react on walks, through the fence or window, or at the vet. Dogs another trainer turned away. Owners willing to put in the practice between sessions.
Who it's not for:
Anyone hoping to put a reactive dog in a group class or a board and train. Reactive dogs start one-on-one with us. We do not accept dogs that have injured another dog badly enough to require veterinary care. If I don't believe we can help your dog safely, I'll tell you that straight and point you toward who can.
Where:
Huntsville, Madison, Athens, Harvest, Hampton Cove, Meridianville and Owens Cross Roads. Sessions happen at your home, at our facility at 1860 Sparkman Dr NW in Huntsville, and in public once your dog is ready.
The practice dog:
One of our own trained dogs at your home sessions. We handle both dogs and keep the distance where your dog can cope.
Between sessions:
You send us homework videos three times a week. We watch them and tell you what to keep and what to fix. Text us or message us in the app.
Price:
Reactivity, leash reactivity, fear and confidence programs run $1,200–$1,800, depending on the work your dog needs. Training outside the facility costs more than training inside. Aggression costs more, because of the danger that comes with it.
First step:
A free phone consultation. After that, a private evaluation, and we schedule those personally.
Who trains:
I'm Rick Markum, the owner. I hold a NePoPo Silver School certification. I've trained dogs in North Alabama for more than 10 years, and I'm an active search-and-rescue dog handler with NASAR certification. Lisa Harrison is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through National K9 Learning Center and an AKC CGC Evaluator.
When your dog is ready:
Weekly group obedience practice and public pack walks, plus free Canine Connections meetups.
"Everyone who has a reactive dog knows the daily struggle of trying to do anything at all with your dog. Gaining the ability and confidence in yourself and your dog to get back out there again (even if it isn't perfect) has been a truly amazing experience."
Reactive or Aggressive? They're Not the Same Thing
Reactivity is any kind of reaction when your dog sees something that sets it off. Another dog, a person, a bike, a car. Your dog barks, lunges, growls, spins, whines or hits the end of the leash. "Reactive" tells you what your dog does. It doesn't tell you why.
Aggression is when a dog intends to do damage or harm to another dog or a person. That's a different problem. The warning signs I watch for are a stiff or frozen body, weight forward, a hard stare locked on the target, a growl and a snap. When a tense dog suddenly goes still, that freeze is often the last thing before a bite.
From across the street the two can look exactly the same, and some dogs are both. That's why I sort it out in person at the evaluation, not from a phone call or a short video. If your dog has bitten or tried to, tell us on the phone.
Scared or frustrated?
Same Noise, Different Dog
Two dogs can look the same at the end of the leash for opposite reasons. A scared dog usually wants distance: weight back, tail low, trying to get away. A frustrated dog usually wants to get to the other dog: weight forward, tail high and loose, often wagging while it barks, and calm soon after the other dog is gone. Those are common signs, not proof. Pain, or protecting the yard or the house, can look like either one.
The scared dog needs distance and a new feeling about other dogs. The frustrated dog needs to learn what to do when it can't go say hi. Train one like the other and you can spend months working on the wrong thing. Figuring out which one you've got is the first thing we do at the evaluation.
And you're not the only one dealing with this. A study of 13,715 pet dogs in Finland found 17% were afraid of other dogs (Salonen and colleagues, Scientific Reports, 2020).
If this started suddenly or it's getting worse fast, have your vet check for pain or other medical causes too.
How Reactive Dog Training Works
- Call us. The phone consultation is free. Call (256) 924-5617 and tell us what sets your dog off, how close it has to be, and how long this has been going on.
- Private evaluation. We watch your dog and look at what sets the behavior off, the situations you need help with, and what your dog already understands. Then we walk you through the plan and the quote.
- Stop the accidental practice. Every blow-up on a walk is practice at blowing up. We help you set up your walks so your dog isn't rehearsing it while we build new skills.
- Practice around a real dog, on purpose. When it fits the plan and we can set it up safely, one of our own trained dogs comes to your home session. We manage both dogs and the distance, start where your dog can still think, and move closer as it's ready. That's how we desensitize and countercondition your dog to other dogs, without waiting around for a stranger's dog to show up at the right moment.
- Build skills you'll use on every walk. Focus on you, impulse control, distance management, obedience, and a new response to the things that set your dog off.
- Take it out in public. Once your dog is ready, sessions move to the right public settings, around real dogs, people and distractions.
- Homework, with feedback. Three homework videos a week. We tell you what to keep and what to change. The Pack app has training videos for practice between lessons.
- Keep it going.
When your dog is ready, weekly group obedience practice and public pack walks give you a place to keep working around real life. Canine Connections is free and open to everybody, including after formal training ends.
How I Train
I use rewards and marker training to teach the behaviors we want, and I coach you on timing and clear communication. I offer more than one training approach and aim to keep aversion as low as possible. We aren't a force-free-only business. We take each dog as it comes and choose the approach around that dog's needs.
Some individual plans include leash guidance or corrections. If you want force-free training, tell me and we can start there. If we reach a point where I believe it isn't going to work for your dog, I'll be straightforward with you and explain why.
Reactive dog training across North Alabama
We train reactive dogs in all seven towns we serve. Our facility is at 1860 Sparkman Dr NW in Huntsville. Each town page has more about training there.
Don't see your town? Call (256) 924-5617 and ask.
What To Do on Walks Until Your First Session
- Give your dog more room. Cross the street, turn around, or step behind a parked car before your dog reacts.
- If your usual route is full of dogs, change the time or the route.
- Skip the dog park and the on-leash meet-and-greets for now.
- Pay attention to what sets your dog off and how far away it starts. That's one of the first things I'll ask you.
Common Questions About Reactive Dog Training
Understanding your reactive dog is the first step towards effective training. Here, we address some of the most frequently asked questions to help you navigate this journey.
What is a reactive dog?
It's a dog that reacts to something it sees, most often another dog on a walk: barking, lunging, growling, spinning, pulling hard on the leash. "Reactive" describes what the dog does, not why it does it. The why can be fear, frustration, pain or something else, and that's what the evaluation sorts out.
What is the difference between a reactive dog and an aggressive dog?
Reactivity is any kind of reaction to seeing something that sets your dog off. Aggression is when a dog intends to do damage or harm to another dog or a person. From the outside they can look the same, and some dogs are both, so we sort it out in person at the evaluation. If your dog has bitten or tried to, tell us on the phone.
How much does reactive dog training cost in Huntsville?
Reactivity, leash reactivity, fear and confidence programs run $1,200–$1,800. Where your dog lands depends on the work it needs. Training outside the facility costs more than training inside. Aggression costs more, because of the danger involved. You get the quote after the evaluation.
Do you bring your own dog to the training?
Yes, when it fits the plan and we can set it up safely. At your home sessions, one of our trained dogs gives your dog a real dog to practice around, at a distance your dog can handle, instead of a stranger's dog showing up at the worst possible moment. We manage both dogs and the distance the whole time.
Can my reactive dog join a group class or board and train?
No. Group classes are for dogs that aren't reactive to people or dogs, and board and train happens in a trainer's home, so we don't take reactive dogs into either one. Reactive dogs train privately. When your dog is ready, behavior clients join our weekly group obedience practice and public pack walks.
What areas do you serve for reactive dog training?
Huntsville, Madison, Athens, Harvest, Hampton Cove, Meridianville and Owens Cross Roads. If you don't see your town, call (256) 924-5617 and ask. Sessions can be at your home, at our Huntsville facility, or in the right public setting, depending on your dog and the plan.
Do I need to be at the sessions?
Yes. You're the one walking this dog every day, so we coach you during sessions and in between. You send homework videos three times a week, and we tell you what to keep doing and what to change.
Can I ask for force-free-only training?
Yes, you can ask. We aren't a force-free-only business. We take each dog as it comes and choose the approach around that dog's needs. Some dogs train with positive reinforcement only; some individual plans also use leash guidance or corrections. Our goal is to use as little aversion as possible. If you ask for force-free training, we can start there. If we reach a point where I believe it isn't going to work for your dog, I'll be straightforward with you and explain why.
How do I get started?
Call (256) 924-5617 for a free phone consultation, or send us a message through the contact page. We're open every day, 7 AM to 7 PM. After the call, we schedule your dog's private evaluation personally.
let's connect
Start with a free phone consultation
Call (256) 924-5617 and tell us what your dog does, where it happens, and how close another dog has to be before it starts.
WHAT THEY SAY
Client Reviews
