Field Guide · Glossary
Environmental sensitivity
Reactivity and fearA tendency to be startled, worried or overwhelmed by features of the surroundings, such as sounds, surfaces, new objects or busy places, more than by people or other dogs.
How it works
It describes a pattern across the physical world: a dog who flattens at a dropped pan, refuses to cross a shiny floor, swings wide of a trash can that was moved, or stalls at the edge of a parking lot. Puppies approach new things readily early in development and become increasingly wary of novelty as they grow, so what a dog met during that period shapes how they meet things later. Genetics, early environment, pain and past frightening experiences all play a part, and the mix differs from dog to dog. The work usually involves gradual, low-intensity exposure paired with things the dog enjoys, with the dog choosing when to approach.
What it looks like
A dog walks calmly past people and dogs on the sidewalk but freezes at a storm drain grate, then refuses to pass a sandwich board outside a cafe that was not there yesterday. Given room and time, they stretch forward to sniff the sign, and walk on.
Commonly confused with
- Under-socialized
- Under-socialized describes a history: too little exposure to the world while young. Environmental sensitivity describes the present pattern, whatever caused it. A dog with plenty of exposure as a puppy can still be environmentally sensitive.
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