Self-Awareness with a reactive gundog

How self-awareness can transform your relationship with a reactive gundog

Living with a reactive gundog can feel like walking a tightrope. You become finely tuned to their body language, the environment, and potential triggers. But here’s the question: how often do you tune into yourself?

Our dogs are incredibly perceptive creatures. They pick up on the smallest cues, from a shift in posture to the pace of our breathing and even our energetics.

When we’re hyper-focused on what might go wrong, we often unknowingly send signals that can reinforce their anxiety. The good news? By becoming more self-aware, you can use your energy to guide your gundog toward calmness and confidence.

Start With a Self-Check

On your next walk, when a situation arises that might trigger your dog’s reactivity, pause for a moment. Ask yourself:

• Am I tensing my body, holding my breath, or speeding up?
• Is my heart racing or my energy becoming “tight”?
• Am I pulling the lead or giving off subtle signals of worry?

Replace Stress with Calm Energy

Once you’ve identified your personal cues, work on replacing them with intentional actions:

• Open your body language. If you notice you’re constricting, stand tall, relax your shoulders, and create an open posture.
• Focus on your breathing. Deep, slow breaths help regulate your heart rate and communicate calmness to your dog.
• Shift your mindset. Instead of “bracing” for what’s coming, visualise guiding your gundog through the situation with confidence.

Small Changes, Big Impact

These subtle shifts can have a profound impact on your gundog. When you remain centred and calm, your dog senses your confidence and begins to mirror it. This builds trust and can significantly reduce reactive behaviours over time.

The Power of Awareness

By checking in with yourself, you’re not just addressing your gundog’s reactivity—you’re strengthening the partnership between you. Your gundog doesn’t just need you to lead; they need you to lead with calm, clear energy, whilst this can be difficult with a reactive gundog, it isn’t impossible, every small change will take you closer to your goals!

Take the first step today.

Check-in, breathe deeply, and see how small adjustments in your energy can transform your walks and your relationship with your gundog.

Content Disclaimer

The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this article is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this article. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this article. Nina Fotara T/as Confident Canine disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this article.