Life with a reactive dog can be an educational journey – learning more about their triggers, how to strengthen communication, and training techniques. But, more often than not, it’s also a long, bumpy emotional rollercoaster skirting around the path to acceptance.Many reactive dog parents thought they were welcoming a confident, gentle, friendly sidekick into their family. A dog who could join them on hikes and at breweries, loving every other dog and human they meet. For us, however, all of that was a dream that would never come true.Instead, we met with a different path of life. One of stress, sacrifice, and a sense of judgement from the world around us. Accepting life with a reactive dog isn’t always easy. For myself and my partner Zach, accepting Willie, our Australian Shepherd, for what he is took months. The journey to acceptance wasn’t easy, but it was an important first step to taking back control over our lives.