Sometimes, I help teach reactive dogs. Dogs that bark and lunge and act out. These are NOT bad dogs. They are dogs who are struggling. Lately, I see a lot of reactive people. On all social media platforms. People who make mean comments, use slurs, or try to act tough. I don't think they're bad people. I think, like reactive dogs, these humans are struggling. They're either fearful, insecure, or they don't have the skills to control their impulses. Or maybe they were never taught that when someone barks at them, they don't need to start lashing out.Maybe they're hurting, and it shows up as anger. Some trainers will just punish the reactive dog, and while that can stop a dog from barking or lunging, it doesn't address the issues causing it, and often, other problems arise. Instead, teaching them to control impulses, doing confidence building exercises, and helping them learn that they don't have to lash out, can help them significantly more. Perhaps those methods would help the many reactive humans on social media, especially those lacking impulse control. If nothing else, showing a little kindness and reinforcing the behaviors we'd rather see, isn't going to make them worse, and it just might be the help they need to get unstuck from those cycles they're in. #DogThoughts

Excuse me, but I need some extra love right now. Can you help?