Trigger Stacking: Recognising and Managing Everyday Stress - For Dogs!

We’ve all had those days where little things just build up; small inconveniences and unexpected challenges keep us on edge and we become more and more stressed out until one final moment catches us wrong, and we let it all out with a shout, a curse, or a cry as our stress levels peak and the resulting response is disproportionate to the immediate trigger. We have reacted badly, we’re even more annoyed now and our stress levels have not dropped. This is Trigger Stacking. And it sucks. We experience it, and dogs experience just as much (if not more) Trigger Stacking on a daily basis. Think about it: the things that stack up and stress us out can at least be understood on a basic level since we, in general, understand the world around us. Dogs don’t have that privilege. The world hasn’t been built for them and every new sound is a surprise to be processed - where a knock at the door could mean a stranger or a friend, or even a mysterious package! What’s in the package? Is it for me? Wait, who’s walking on the staircase now? What’s that smell? And why is the washing machine shaking the flat? It’s honestly a surprise that any dog can settle in the modern world! Therefore, anything that we as the responsible dog owner can do to manage our pup’s trigger stacking experiences, the better. 

A really easy thing we can do is to learn what some common triggers are:

• Loud and unexpected sounds; particularly if the source can’t be immediately identified.
• Other dogs being close to them or you.
• Children playing nearby or running towards them (honestly, this would scare anyone!)
• Visiting new places!
• Visiting stressful areas, like a trip to the vet!
• Traffic and busy streets.
• Disruptions to normal routines.

Your dog will have a Stress Threshold, which is essentially a limit to which they can handle stressful and triggering events. Once it’s reached, expect a reaction…so keep an eye on some examples of Trigger Stacking:

• Lip licking or lip curling.
• ‘Whale eyes.’
• Heavy panting.
• Excess drooling.
• Growling and snapping.
• Turning their head away.
• A stiff upper body and an ‘on edge’ stance.

These are all stress and/or self-soothing responses. Making sure you are aware of   these sometimes subtle signs will vastly improve your ability to recognise and regulate your dog’s Trigger Stacking. This is important because:

• Stress overwhelms them and they can find settling down as normal nearly impossible.
• Following instructions can be harder for them.
• Basic cues are missed from you and others around them.
• They might start avoiding areas that they associate with stress which might be at odds with a normal day.
• Learning takes longer for a stressed dog, and they might struggle with enrichment activities that would ordinarily bring them a lot of fulfillment.

As a result, it’s really important that if you notice your pup is overwhelmed that you take steps to regulate and lower their stress levels:

• Take them to a favourite decompression spot and encourage their natural self soothing in a neutral environment.
• Reward them once they start to calm down as this will reinforce that calm mentality.
• Give them a chew toy or bring their favourite toy to play with.
• Take them for a walk if their indoor environment is causing too much stress.
• Going out in nature or just outside can help.

By being aware and proactively helping your Trigger Stacked dog, you’ll enter a new phase of communication and co-habitance that will benefit both pup and owner as you take on this crazy world together! For more advice on specific triggers for your canine companion, please reach out to us here at What Dogs Want as we are more than happy and willing to help each dog on a case by case basis!

Written by C.W. Swan



References

https://foha.org/general-information/dog-trigger-stacking-safety/

https://www.battersea.org.uk/pet-advice/dog-advice/trigger-stacking-dogs

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-avoid-trigger-stacking-in-dogs/

https://outwardhound.com/furtropolis/dogs/trigger-stacking

https://www.fidobehaviour.com/blog/9-common-mistakes-to-beware-of-when-dog-training

Meet Your Dog by Kim Brophey