Not All Reactive Dogs Bark and Lunge: Understanding Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn

When most people think of a “reactive dog,” they picture barking, lunging, and big, dramatic displays. But not all reactivity looks like that.

Reactivity is simply a dog’s response to a perceived threat or overwhelming situation. And just like humans, dogs have a range of stress responses, commonly referred to as the Four F’s: Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn.

Understanding which response your dog shows (and why) can shift everything from your training approach to how you advocate for them in public spaces.

Fight: The Classic Outburst

This is the one most people recognize: barking, growling, lunging, snapping. Dogs who go into “fight” mode are usually trying to create distance, often because they feel unsafe or overwhelmed.
But it’s not about being aggressive. It’s about survival and self-protection.

Flight: Let Me Get Out of Here

Some dogs try to flee instead of fight. They might try to escape the leash, avoid eye contact, or attempt to dart away when another dog approaches.
Flight responses are just as rooted in stress as fight responses. But they often get misread as fearfulness or stubbornness.

Freeze: Still on the Outside, Boiling on the Inside

This one can be the easiest to miss. A freeze response might look like a dog going still, staring, or “locking on” to a trigger. Some dogs will hold their breath or close their mouths. These are tiny signs that their nervous system is in overdrive.

Ruger, my oldest German Shepherd, used to do this when he was younger. He wouldn’t bark or lunge right away. Instead, he’d freeze and stare when he saw another dog. If the other dog lunged first, then Ruger would erupt. His stillness wasn’t calm. It was a loaded pause before things escalated.

Understanding that helped me work with him before the reaction happened, instead of waiting until it was too late.

Fawn (Appease): If I’m Nice, Will You Go Away?

Some dogs try to keep the peace by displaying appeasement behaviors. This could look like rolling over, excessive licking, low tail wags, or even hyper-friendly behavior toward a trigger.

Fawning dogs aren’t just being sweet. They’re managing stress by trying to diffuse tension. And just like the other responses, it’s a form of reactivity.

Why This Matters

Every reactive dog is trying to cope with something that feels too big, too fast, or too scary. Their response, whether that’s fighting, fleeing, freezing, or fawning, isn’t bad behavior. It’s a survival strategy.

Recognizing the signs early gives us the opportunity to help our dogs feel safer, build resilience, and make better choices. It also helps us meet them where they’re at rather than pushing them into a training box they don’t fit in.

At Freedom Found, I use a whole-picture approach that considers your dog’s stress response style, their natural instincts, and their life experiences. We don’t just stop reactions. We support the dog behind them.

Want to learn more about how your dog experiences the world?
Reach out to book a behavior consult or join one of our upcoming group offerings focused on reactivity and regulation.

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