Reactive Dog Training in Kansas City, MO
In-home training for dogs that bark and lunge on the leash, across the Kansas City metro.
5.0 from 132 Google reviews
What sets your dog off?
Pick all that fit
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You see another dog up ahead.
The leash goes tight, your dog is barking and lunging, and you are holding on with both hands while the other owner crosses the street. A dog with unmet needs has a hard time listening on a walk. Time outside sniffing gives that energy somewhere good to go, and a calm dog on a loose leash is where we are headed. I'm Andrew, owner of Good Dogz KC, and I do reactive dog training in homes across Kansas City, MO.
Sound familiar?
- Barks and lunges at other dogs on the leash
- Goes off at the dog behind the fence on your street
- Is fine meeting a dog off leash, then loses it on the leash
- Stops taking treats the second another dog shows up
- Barks out the window at people and dogs walking by
- Has you walking at odd hours just to avoid other dogs
You've tried the internet
Your dog still goes off. Reactivity takes exact timing, and that's where I come in.
The internet is full of dog training. Some of it is really good. Where people get stuck is making it work for their dog. I've done the trial and error thousands of times, and I've built a system that works for most dogs.
How I train
Management
Stop the bad moments before they happen, so your dog stops practicing them.
Obedience
A language your dog understands, built at home, then tested on your street, at the park and in stores like Home Depot.
An outlet
When people say give your dog a job or an outlet, this is what they mean: your dog's natural needs to sniff, run, chase and catch get met, so the energy goes somewhere good.
It's easier than you thinkWith the right coaching and just 10 to 15 minutes a day, you'll be amazed how much your dog can learn
Why Your Dog Lunges on the Leash
A lot of the time the leash itself is part of it. Barriers cause frustration, which causes reactivity. A scared dog and an excited dog both stiffen up, and they are almost always barking, so the bark alone does not tell you much. If your dog looks wild on the leash and is fine the second it meets the other dog, that is usually barrier frustration, not aggression. Another clue: if your dog normally loves treats and stops taking them, something in that moment is scaring them. Reactivity, fear and aggression can look similar. If your dog has bitten, guards food or space, or you are managing real safety concerns at home, start on my behavior problems page instead.
How I Train a Reactive Dog
Everything starts on the leash. It is the main way I talk to your dog, like holding their hand. We start inside your house and only move to busier places once your dog is ready. The goal is always getting back to a loose leash, because a loose leash creates a calm dog. When your dog spots another dog, we step in at the lock-on stare, before the lunge, because a dog mid-lunge is learning nothing. Freedom becomes a reward too.
The Oval Game for Dogs That React to Dogs
If your dog goes off at other dogs, I use what I call the oval game. It is a game of getting closer to another dog over time, until your dog can walk calmly behind another dog, and then lead. Your dog needs to walk on a leash inside first, so we build that before we ever bring in a second dog. I walk you through it in our sessions.
What About E-Collars and Harnesses?
E-collars are an amazing tool. I call it the off-leash leash, and it comes after the leash, because once your dog understands the leash, the collar is much easier to learn. I start at a level that should feel like a fly landing on them, not a jump. I do not recommend a harness except for very small dogs. It kind of lets a dog just pull.
Google reviews
Andrew did a great job with my super leash reactive Doberman.
She has a history of being fearfully aggressive, reactive towards people and dogs, being overly protective over me, and pulling her leash on walks. Working with Andrew has given us what we need to help Nova be more confident in the world and after 3 sessions, we've already noticed a difference!
Storm went from being insanely reactive losing her mind over everyone, every dog pulling me all over the place barking and in defense mode ready to go after anyone we would come across. Called andrew at Good Dogz KC in August, we are now only 3 sessions in and I feel like I have a brand new dog, we can peacefully go on walks everyday, close encounters with neighbors in our apartment, dogs, bicycles with no problem.
Pricing
- 3 visits $500
- Most families pick this 6 visits $800
- 8 visits $1,200
Questions I get asked
Why is my dog fine off leash but reactive on the leash?
The leash is a barrier, and a lot of what you see is frustration with it. It is not only excited dogs, either. A scared dog can be barrier reactive, and so can a confident one.
Is reactivity the same as aggression?
No, though they can look similar. Most owners struggle to tell a scared bark from an excited one, so I ask a simpler question: is your dog scared in that moment? I ask it one situation at a time, and the answer tells us which one we are dealing with.
Do you train at a facility or at my house?
At your house, because that is where the behaviors happen. Home is where your dog spends 90% or more of their time, and a facility starts your dog out distracted.
How much time will this take me each day?
Keep it to 1 or 2 games at most. Take full days off too. The next day, your dog will be way more interested.
Do you offer board and train?
Yes. Your dog lives with me, my family and my own dogs, not in a kennel, for 3 weeks ($3,500) or 4 weeks ($4,500). You get sessions with me during the stay and after your dog is home.
What is leash reactivity, and why is my dog fine off leash?
That off-leash version of your dog is real, and it tells you something important: most of the time this is frustration, not aggression. The leash is a barrier. Your dog sees another dog, wants to get there, can't, and all that stuck energy comes out as barking, lunging, and spinning. Every walk where that happens is a rehearsal, so the habit gets stronger even though nothing bad ever comes of it. I teach your dog a different job at the end of the leash, checking in with you instead of exploding, and I teach you how to run the walk so the rehearsals stop.
Will my dog ever walk calmly past other dogs?
Yes, and I want to be honest about what that looks like. The goal is neutrality: other dogs become background noise, not a party and not a threat. We get there in stages. First we work at a distance where your dog can still think, and they learn that noticing a trigger and looking to you pays better than losing it. Then we close that distance over real walks in your actual neighborhood, on the streets where the problem lives. Most families feel the walk start to change inside the first few sessions, and the rest of the package is there because replacing a rehearsed habit takes repetition.
Why train at home instead of a group class?
A group class asks a reactive dog to learn calm in the most overwhelming room in town. Most reactive dogs are over threshold before the first sit, and nothing sticks when a dog is over threshold. I come to you instead. We start where your dog can actually think, your living room and your own street, and we work the real triggers: the neighbor's fence dog, that one corner, the apartment stairwell. Then I coach you, because you hold the leash the other six days of the week. The homework is built into walks you were already taking, so the walk you practice is the walk you live with.
Start with a quick call
I call you for 10 minutes, hear about your dog, and set up your free in-home visit. Or call
(816) 608-8483.