Anyone else's rescue become dog-reactive as an adult? It honestly breaks my heart.
This is Tokyo. We rescued her when she was about 7 months old, and for the first few years she absolutely loved other dogs. Dog parks, daycare, meeting dogs on walks....she was always happy and social.
Around the time she turned 3, everything changed. It happened around the same time our cat passed away and we moved to another state. I honestly don't know if it was one event, the stress of both, or if she was simply reaching social maturity. Maybe it's a combination of all of those things.
Now she's dog-reactive, and it honestly hurts my heart.
One thing that's always been interesting is that she does amazing in large, open, ungated parks. She'll happily stay off leash, chase her ball, ignore other dogs completely, and stick close to me. She has zero interest in running up to strange dogs.
The problem starts when another dog approaches her or when I try to introduce her. She'll often give a little tail wag at first, and I'll think, "Maybe this one will be okay." Then almost like a switch flips, she goes into what I jokingly call "punk mode." That's when I know it's time to end the interaction.
When the reactivity first started, it was mostly with male dogs, Huskies, and dogs that seemed timid or fearful. She actually seemed to prefer other pit bulls. But over the years it's spread, and now she has issues with almost every dog. There are a very small handful she tolerates, but I never count on it anymore.
The hardest part isn't even managing her. It's when strangers see this beautiful, goofy pit bull and ask, "Can my dog say hi?" or "Is she friendly?" Every single time I have to smile and say, "No, I'm sorry. She's not friendly with other dogs."
It genuinely breaks my heart because I know the dog she used to be. I miss that version of her, and I wish other people could meet her the way we know her at home. She's incredibly affectionate with people, obsessed with playing ball, loves hiking, and is the sweetest cuddle bug. She's just not a dog that enjoys other dogs anymore, and I've had a hard time accepting it.