Be Aware of Trigger Stacking this Holiday Season
During the holidays we must be especially careful to manage the stress our furry friends experience to avoid what is commonly referred to as Trigger Stacking. Trigger stacking occurs when a dog experiences multiple stressful events in a short period of time, which can lead to an extreme reaction to a small stimulus. This can happen during the holidays, when there are many guests, a change in routine, or other stressors.
On a calm day, your dog might ignore a person coming to the door. When your dog is at their comfort level, they are said to be “below threshold.” On another day, though, perhaps they experience a series of successive triggers, such as meeting barking canines, a doorbell ringing, and multiple strange guests. In response to meeting another guest, a final stimulus that pushes them over the anxiety threshold, your dog might suddenly get overly anxious or react uncharacteristically, your pet has gone “over threshold.” Trigger stacking happens when dogs experience triggers back-to-back without having an opportunity to recover from previous stimuli.
The two major causes of aggression in dogs according to dog trainer, Paul Lasky, are fear and frustration. An accumulation of stress over time that results in the straw that breaks the camel’s back can sometimes take days to come down from. Sadly, whereas in humans the explosion to over-stress is usually an argument, with dogs it could be a growl or a bite. When this happens without the awareness of trigger stacking, we say “oh the dog has become aggressive and unpredictable.” When we are aware of what our furry friends are experiencing, aggressive behavior is very predictable. Dogs don’t do things without reason, there is always a reason.
And don’t be fooled by past tolerance levels. We cannot know what our dogs are always feeling inside. Just because your dog is tolerating a lot of stimuli now or in the past doesn’t mean it will tolerate it forever. Here at Scoopology we know this all too well. Our scoopologists are especially careful around the holidays since even familiar dogs may be over stimulated and easily triggered.
Here are some tips to help avoid trigger stacking with your dog during the holidays:
- Prepare ahead of time: Don’t rush around or clean right before guests arrive.
- Take your dog for a walk: Before guests come, take your dog for a walk to help them relax.
- Manage the environment: Create a safe space for your dog, such as a playpen or crate, where they can get away from guests.
- Ask guests to ignore your dog: Let your dog choose whether or not they want to interact with guests.
- Be flexible: If your plans change, you can go home early or to a less crowded location.
- Get your dog used to other dogs: If you’re having guests over who have dogs, get your dog used to them before bringing them into the house.
Canine Body Language
When we learn about canine body language you can identify low level whispers from your dogs and adjust accordingly. Understanding dog body language includes looking at body posture as well as facial expressions. This will help you gain a deeper understanding of a dog’s emotional state as well as overall comfort.
Becoming fluent in canine body language can also help you to be a better advocate for your dog in a variety of situations like greeting other dogs, meeting new people, visits to the vet, or adapting to a large gathering during the holidays.
We all know a wide wagging tail wag that extends through the whole body, combined with the dog’s face being relaxed, means a dog is happy. A tight swishing tail wag, however, can be a sign of stress. A stiff wag, when accompanied by hard starting and/or a tense, tight face and body, actually means that dog is very agitated and aroused. Depending on the dog and the situation, this could escalate into an aggressive incident.
Dogs who are stressed or fearful will often look as though they are avoiding something. These dogs may turn their head away, avoid looking at you or whatever is upsetting. They may also deflect or self-soothe by suddenly becoming very interested in sniffing the ground.
Dogs who are feeling uncertain or anxious about a situation may also randomly begin scratching or licking themselves. Scared, stressed, or anxious dogs may pace, cower, shake or tremble.
People may mistake a dog rolling over as asking for a belly rub. In reality, they may be very afraid. At this point, some dogs will involuntarily urinate, attempt to hide behind their person or try to escape the situation.
A scared or stressed dog may yawn frequently and round its back cowering almost into a ball. They may flatten their ears back against their head, and their tail may also be tucked tightly up between their rear legs. A tense and still body that isn’t followed by play is another physical indicator that your dog may be concerned about its environment.
A fearful dog may respond by licking its lips often or drooling and panting when it’s not hot out. This is often accompanied by pinned ears, a tense or tight face, and what is referred to as “whale eye.” When your dog’s eyes are making a whale eye, their pupils are very dilated and bulging with lots of white showing.
Resources
Illustrator Lili Chin of Doggie Drawings has written and illustrated an amazing visual guidebook for understanding canine body language.
The book “On Talking Terms With Dogs Calming Signals” by Turid Rugaas, a Norwegian dog trainer, is an excellent resource for gaining a deeper understanding of the ways dogs might be trying to communicate they are stressed, and the ways that dogs self-soothe.
If you’re a dog owner looking for body language tips on the go, the Dog Decoder App is available for Android and iOS. The app lets you look up different dog body language behaviors and their meanings anywhere. There are even quizzes built into the app if you want to test your knowledge.
Be An Advocate for Your Dog During the Holidays
Unlike for our dogs, canine body language doesn’t come naturally to us. Stressful events can impact a dog’s behavior for days. When a dog experiences a stressful event, their cortisol levels increase, which can make them more sensitive to additional stress.
Learning canine communication is an ongoing process. Putting in the work to learn their natural body language can help us to better care for and advocate not just our dogs, but all dogs this holiday season.
And, if you need poop scooping services to ease your own stress this holiday season give us a call at 360-612-7667 (POOP) or visit our website at scoopologypr.com and let us take care of the doody work for you so you have one less thing to worry about. Picking up dog waste is no way to spend the holidays.
