Why Reactivity Seems to Be Everywhere with Valeria Rapezzi

Rethinking Reactivity with Jessica Wheatcraft · Nov 12, 2026 · 1h 7m

Reactive dogs are everywhere, and that is in part because barking and lunging at things are normal pieces of dog behavior. But why does it seem like leash reactivity is increasing, in the U.S. and abroad? I wanted to explore this topic with Valeria Rapezzi, a trainer and behavior consultant living in Italy. We discuss:

➡️ Life for dogs in Italy compared to dogs in the U.S. - surprise - it's not the European vacation we tend to romanticize

➡️ Factors that lead to reactive behaviors - with some interesting overlaps in both countries

➡️ Tellington TTouch and how it helps reactive dogs

➡️ The…