Why is it...

....that Abby is much better at warming to other dogs when in her own home and yard?

Dizzy's thread has got me thinking.

Conventional wisdom says dogs should meet on neutral territory. I always figured that this was because it lessened the degree of territorial aggression? But I also figured that territorial aggression wasn't all that common, although I have no idea if this is truly the case.

Abby, who is reactive, has never warmed to another dog out of my home or my close friend's home (but we have spent hours and hours there). If I wanted her to get to know a dog - if I was getting another or I had a friend/relative with a dog that would suit her as a companion - I'd definitely have them get to know one another at Abby's home.

Abby is much more comfortable there. Outside of the home I just cannot justify putting her under that kind of pressure. Is this normal for a reactive dog? Or does the neutral territory idea still apply?

Honestly, maybe it's wrong, but my dogs have often met other dogs in their homes and I've often had strange dogs come into my home and the dogs are perfectly fine. We've met on neutral territories as well, and that works just as well if my dogs actually pay attention to the new dog (which they often don't). But yeah, none of my dogs ever have ever had an issue meeting other dogs either in their home/yard or the other dog's home.

YOU may be more comfortable as well because you are in more control in your home. Giving off good vibes. Maybe out and about you choke up on the leash, stare at the other dog, get nervous about Abby reacting. I think your vibe plays a huge part in how the dog acts.

When we had Casey, she was quite reactive on 'walks', but not say...if we went to a boarding kennel. Reactiveness could come out more if she is say watching a dog approach, just the buildup, versus being kind of 'plopped' in the middle of dogs or all of a sudden having another dog in her house.

Chloe is also dog reactive, and she does the same thing. If she meets a dog in our yard or in the home environment, she's typically okay after an introduction (if the dog is "her type", that is - aka, a large adult female dog is not going to be befriended even if she's introduced). In public, though, she just screams at any dog that comes near her.

I don't know why she's that way, and it doesn't really bother me. I think the only reason it could be an issue is that if I were ever to adopt a dog that required me to bring her to the shelter for a "meet and greet". That would not work. At all.

Dally is like this. Not territorial at all - the neighbour's Lab came over one day and they played for like an hour and a half! Our old farrier also had her litter sister (we found this out when they were older, like 1.5 or 2 years) and he would bring her over to play when he had to do the horses. She is also friendly on very familiar territory, like close friends' properties.

It's because she is relaxed in places she's familiar with. She is a very anxious dog off property and that translates into leash reactivity and sometimes even motion reactivity (bikes, etc) that isn't apparent at home.

I would never let Tucker meet a dog for the first time on our property, he completely looses it when a dog walks by the house, I think he'd attack one if he got off leash. But he also wouldn't do well meeting a dog in a strange place, he'd be too nervous to want to socialize and would snap at a dog who pushed it. So for him the ideal place to meet a dog would be off property somewhere he is comfortable, like the parks we frequent or on his walking routes.