Managing leash reactivity starts with data. Most owners guess at what triggers their dog — distance, speed, size of the other dog, time of day — but guessing leads to inconsistent progress. This trigger diary helps you spot the real patterns. After two to three weeks of honest logging, most owners can see clearly which variables matter most for their specific dog.
What to Track and Why
- Trigger: what caused the reaction — dog, person, bike, squirrel, etc.
- Distance: how far away the trigger was in metres/feet when your dog first noticed it and when the reaction started — these are often different
- Reaction level (1–5): 1 = glanced and looked away, 3 = stiffened and stared, 5 = lunged and barked non-stop
- Technique used: what you did — u-turn, counter-conditioning, emergency u-turn, scatter feed, look-at-that game
- Outcome: did it work? Could the dog re-engage with you after? How long to settle?
How to print: Click the button below, or press Ctrl+P (Windows) / Cmd+P (Mac). Landscape orientation recommended.
Reactive Dog Trigger Diary
dogguidediary.com — free printable| Date | Time & Location | Trigger (what it was) | Distance noticed / reacted | Reaction 1–5 |
Technique Used | Dog re-engaged? (Y/N / time) | Notes / what changed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reaction scale: 1 = glanced away · 2 = looked and refocused · 3 = stiffened/stared · 4 = barked/pulled briefly · 5 = full lunge/bark, couldn’t redirect
How to Use Your Data
- Threshold distance: as training progresses, the distance at which your dog first reacts (column 4) should shrink. Track it weekly.
- Most common trigger: if 80% of entries say “other dog,” that’s your priority. Work sub-threshold with that specific trigger, not a mix of everything.
- Best technique: scan the outcome column. One technique probably works better than the others. Do more of that.
- Time of day patterns: dogs are often more reactive when tired or over-aroused. Morning walks tend to go better than late evening ones for high-energy reactive dogs.
For a step-by-step management guide to use alongside this diary, read Leash Reactivity: Managing a Reactive Dog — it covers counterconditioning, threshold management, and the Look At That game.