YOUR REACTIVE DOG CANNOT HELP ITSELF
Many of you will have heard me explain that reactive dogs are not naughty, they are not making a choice and they absolutely cannot help their behaviour - this is why they need owners who can help them!
Reactive behaviour is much more than a habit or choice that a dog makes, in fact there really is no choice-making involved and instead these behaviours stem from deep physiological processes.
Whenever a dog is exposed to a trigger, a part of the brain, the amygdala, is activated. The amygdala is a section of the limbic system, located in the forebrain, that receives information from all the sensory systems in the body. This sensory information is translated into emotional responses and other parts of the brain are activated by it autonomously.
So when a dog perceives danger, this sensory information is dealt with directly by the amygdala without going to the cerebral cortex first. The relationship between the “thinking brain” and the limbic system is very important to understand. Once the latter is activated, the cerebrum is by-passed. The dog will no longer “think” on how to handle the situation but will react in an impulsive, automated way.
If the amygdala is activated it will trigger the release of stress hormones and activate the sympathetic nervous system. The body tries to re-find its balance by switching between the sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous systems and strives continuously towards an equilibrium.
Stress is a collective term used for being in a state of high alert. It’s the body’s response to danger or a stress-provoking event.
If a dog is exposed to a stressful situation, the level of hormones will become unbalanced. Once the situation has passed, the body will strive to return to a balanced state. The level of adrenaline may be cleared out of the system swiftly, often within 15 minutes. The effects of an increased cortisol level on the other hand can take from 48 hours up to 6 days.
If the dog would be exposed to another stressful situation during this recovery period, the cortisol level will not be able to return to the normal level and the dog will eventually become chronically stressed. As a result of this constant increased cortisol level, the body will undergo certain changes, common side effects of ongoing stress are a reduction of “feel good” brain chemicals, resulting in a tendency to be more irritable, become more reactive and have less self-control.
Showing reactive behavior is often a self-sustaining cycle.
As described above: if a dog feels threatened by a certain trigger his brain, nervous and endocrine system kicks-in to anticipate on this perceived threat. The “thinking brain is bypassed and the sensory information is sent directly to the amygdala, which in its turn activates the brain stern for one of the 4F responses. All this happens in the blink of an eye.
The dog is ready to react to the threat.
In the end, the dog will form a “neural pathway” telling him how to react when being exposed to a certain trigger. Every time the dog is confronted with the same situation, the same neural pathway will be activated, strengthening the neural connection. This is called “long-term potentiation”.
If on the other hand, this neural pathway is used less the neural connections will become weaker, being “long-term depression”. An organism will always choose the path of least resistance, it is thus our task as owners of a reactive dog to “weaken” the reactive brain path and strengthen the new “normal behaviour” one.
So, I hope that I have been able to provide a little basic insight as to how and why a dog might develop reactive behaviours and why a reactive dog simply cannot help itself.
The rehabilitation of a reactive dog is a complex and multi-approach process that I would describe as recovery. Many of the popular approaches to dealing with reactivity tend to focus on addressing the symptoms as a method of solving the cause. I get a lot of worried dog owners who believe that they have tried everything to stop their dog from reacting and barking at other dogs for example.
These owners will usually explain that they have tried distracting the dog away from the trigger, perhaps with high-value treats. often they have combined a bit of distraction with exposure to the trigger, in the hopes of getting the dog used to it.
My opinion is that in some cases, elements of the above might be helpful, or in some cases, in fact, these methods can be harmful and exacerbate the problem. Either way, these approaches are simplistic and fail to get to the heart of the matter - this is why so many people try hard and fail to get real results for their dog.
I would encourage owners of reactive dogs to be very hopeful that they can achieve amazing transformations, however, the process of recovery for a reactive dog will be complex and will require:
Dogs cannot help these behaviours BUT owners can learn to help their dogs.
It is not always easy to solve a problem such as reactivity and it is nearly always easier to avoid these behaviours...but that is another subject.
My final comment is that even if helping your dog to recover from being severely reactive is hard work, surely that is still easier than living with the problem for the dog's lifetime?
Reactive behaviour is much more than a habit or choice that a dog makes, in fact there really is no choice-making involved and instead these behaviours stem from deep physiological processes.
Whenever a dog is exposed to a trigger, a part of the brain, the amygdala, is activated. The amygdala is a section of the limbic system, located in the forebrain, that receives information from all the sensory systems in the body. This sensory information is translated into emotional responses and other parts of the brain are activated by it autonomously.
So when a dog perceives danger, this sensory information is dealt with directly by the amygdala without going to the cerebral cortex first. The relationship between the “thinking brain” and the limbic system is very important to understand. Once the latter is activated, the cerebrum is by-passed. The dog will no longer “think” on how to handle the situation but will react in an impulsive, automated way.
If the amygdala is activated it will trigger the release of stress hormones and activate the sympathetic nervous system. The body tries to re-find its balance by switching between the sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous systems and strives continuously towards an equilibrium.
Stress is a collective term used for being in a state of high alert. It’s the body’s response to danger or a stress-provoking event.
If a dog is exposed to a stressful situation, the level of hormones will become unbalanced. Once the situation has passed, the body will strive to return to a balanced state. The level of adrenaline may be cleared out of the system swiftly, often within 15 minutes. The effects of an increased cortisol level on the other hand can take from 48 hours up to 6 days.
If the dog would be exposed to another stressful situation during this recovery period, the cortisol level will not be able to return to the normal level and the dog will eventually become chronically stressed. As a result of this constant increased cortisol level, the body will undergo certain changes, common side effects of ongoing stress are a reduction of “feel good” brain chemicals, resulting in a tendency to be more irritable, become more reactive and have less self-control.
Showing reactive behavior is often a self-sustaining cycle.
As described above: if a dog feels threatened by a certain trigger his brain, nervous and endocrine system kicks-in to anticipate on this perceived threat. The “thinking brain is bypassed and the sensory information is sent directly to the amygdala, which in its turn activates the brain stern for one of the 4F responses. All this happens in the blink of an eye.
The dog is ready to react to the threat.
In the end, the dog will form a “neural pathway” telling him how to react when being exposed to a certain trigger. Every time the dog is confronted with the same situation, the same neural pathway will be activated, strengthening the neural connection. This is called “long-term potentiation”.
If on the other hand, this neural pathway is used less the neural connections will become weaker, being “long-term depression”. An organism will always choose the path of least resistance, it is thus our task as owners of a reactive dog to “weaken” the reactive brain path and strengthen the new “normal behaviour” one.
So, I hope that I have been able to provide a little basic insight as to how and why a dog might develop reactive behaviours and why a reactive dog simply cannot help itself.
The rehabilitation of a reactive dog is a complex and multi-approach process that I would describe as recovery. Many of the popular approaches to dealing with reactivity tend to focus on addressing the symptoms as a method of solving the cause. I get a lot of worried dog owners who believe that they have tried everything to stop their dog from reacting and barking at other dogs for example.
These owners will usually explain that they have tried distracting the dog away from the trigger, perhaps with high-value treats. often they have combined a bit of distraction with exposure to the trigger, in the hopes of getting the dog used to it.
My opinion is that in some cases, elements of the above might be helpful, or in some cases, in fact, these methods can be harmful and exacerbate the problem. Either way, these approaches are simplistic and fail to get to the heart of the matter - this is why so many people try hard and fail to get real results for their dog.
I would encourage owners of reactive dogs to be very hopeful that they can achieve amazing transformations, however, the process of recovery for a reactive dog will be complex and will require:
- Canine skills - the dog will need to learn the skills that a non-reactive dog has.
- Owner skills - the ability to help a reactive dog is not easy and takes understanding and practice - but you can do it!
- Time and patience - the changes you require will take a lot of time, patience and work - aside from practical skills, your dog needs time to adjust on the deepest physiological level.
- Confidence - this will be super important for both the dog and the human.
- Management - every aspect of the dog's lifestyle must be managed super well, this includes everything from diet, to sleep and rest and everything else!
- An individual approach that take into account the individual dog as well as the owner and so many other factors.
- Appropriate progression that is based entirely on the dog's ability to cope and succeed - this of course requires the ability to understand the dog as well as the ability to respond to the need at every step.
- Committment to look further and deeper than the obvious symptoms. I do not blame anyone for feeling distressed by frequent and excessive barking and I do not blame anyone for wanting to stop the barking! However, it is crucial that we focus beyond the barking and work toward treating the causes so that we achieve real and permanent results.
Dogs cannot help these behaviours BUT owners can learn to help their dogs.
It is not always easy to solve a problem such as reactivity and it is nearly always easier to avoid these behaviours...but that is another subject.
My final comment is that even if helping your dog to recover from being severely reactive is hard work, surely that is still easier than living with the problem for the dog's lifetime?
CHRONIC STRESS IN DOGS
Acute stress is a physiological response to certain environmental factors and this is something that every dog and every living creature will experience throughout life and is in fact an important part of the survival function.
For all kinds of reasons, some dogs may experience chronic or sustained stress which is when they are subjected to regular or continuous stressors that they cannot control or cope with.
I wrote a little about the subject of stress and hormones in dogs recently in order to provide some insight into some of the many factors that are involved in canine reactivity - "YOUR REACTIVE DOG CANNOT HELP ITSELF". This post can be found on my page and serves to explain the physiological responses that occur when a dog is subjected to stress and how this can result in behavioural problems that do not always have a simple or fast solution.
Chronic stress affects every part of a dog's life including both its physical, mental and emotional health. Just a few examples of the many possible symptoms of a chronically stressed dog include:
The above list is by no means exhaustive and the reasons and causes for chronic stress in dogs are both complex and numerous.
I hear about the symptoms of chronic stress from dog owners every day of the week. The main couple that I am asked to help with are excessive barking at home and reactive behaviours when out and about. These are the two problems that perhaps cause the greatest distress for the humans, however, the consequences of living through sustained stress for a dog are incredibly detrimental.
It is much easier to take actions to prevent a dog from becoming chronically stressed and that is why in classes and training sessions many of you will hear me talking about appropriate management, building resilience etc. In fact, a lot of the important work in producing a happy dog starts with the breeder and the earliest days of a puppy's life.
A HUGE factor in achieving a calm and happy dog and avoiding a stressed dog is in fact choosing a dog whose temperament and genetics suit the owner's lifestyle and abilities.
So, avoiding problems is important. All dogs present challenges from time to time and attention to detail and excellent management, especially as dogs develop through puppyhood and adolescence are crucial.
Unfortunately, I meet many dogs and owners at a point when unwanted behaviours have become seriously entrenched. Owners are understandably stressed and some of these dogs are chronically stressed and basically living through a constant state of elevated cortisol levels. These are the dogs who have little ability to self-calm, they cannot cope and they CANNOT help their behaviour.
The route out of these problems can only be described as RECOVERY. Recovery will require a multi-dimensional approach that will include many interventions, just a few might include:
OBVIOUS PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS:
For example, the dog is bored = improve lifestyle management to provide appropriate enrichment, mental stimulation, exercise etc. If the dog is chronically stressed as a result of boredom, the improved lifestyle management might not provide a complete and immediate fix and other behavioural work will likely be required BUT nothing will do the trick if the underlying problem persists for the dog.
REDUCE/ELIMINATE/MANAGE STRESSORS
Nope - this is not a cop-out and is unlikely to be permanent. I shall use the example of a dog who cannot tolerate the sight of other dogs on a walk and has reached the point where it is on constant alert on walks and even the sight of a dog at distance provokes an immediate and extreme reaction of fear and distress.
There is no point in practising this type of behaviour, additionally, placing the dog under this level of stress on a regular basis will NOT get the dog used to the dogs. In fact, the physiological processes over which the dog has ZERO control will simply strengthen(more info about this will be posted in the comments).
This does not mean that the dog cannot become able to enjoy peaceful walks and become able to cope well with seeing and passing other dogs on walks. Instead, there will be a process that will involve building skills and changing physiological responses so that you get your dog to where he or she needs to be on all levels.
In the meantime, remember that if your dog cannot cope with a particular stressor or multiple stressors and has reached a point where the unwanted behaviours are constant and extreme, the problems are way more than a thought in a dog's head or an annoying habit. Reaction to stress does not in any way involve thoughts or reason.
DOG TRAINING:
Dog training is not enough to solve every problem, however, dog training and controlled, interactive work and exercise are an important route out of problems. When I talk about dog training, I don't just mean things like teaching a dog a cue to a sit or a high five! I am talking about taking some time each day to work in a calm and interactive manner with your dog, this starts with the heel work and so much more because the benefits are HUGE:
1: Develops a partnership between you and your dog that is based on mutual understanding, communication and trust.
2: Develops a dog's responsiveness to YOU and removes the conflict so that YOU are in a position to HELP YOUR DOG.
3: Improves your dog's cognitive function - if your dog has had months or years of running on cortisol and responding to stimuli through impulse and instinct then this is an area that you need to strengthen. This is one of the biggest game changers in altering reactivity and helping dogs who suffer from chronic stress.
4: Improves your ability to influence your dog's physical behaviour and mental responses. If you leave your dog to deal with the world according to natural instinct and impulse then they will of course respond with all those natural behaviours that humans don't like. If you need different responses from your dog then it will ultimately be your example, influence and guidance that makes the difference.
5: Provides opportunity for your dog to learn and for you the owner to become organised in terms of developing your dog's skills. Regular formal training helps your dog to learn the skills you require so that you can ultimately improve your dog's life right across the board. Novice dogs cannot learn under distraction and neither can stressed dogs - so training and activity within quiet environments are crucial to success. Progression of distractions as well as a dog's ability to cope well with challenges or stressors should be managed according to a dog's ability to succeed.
6: Ths sort of work is very helpful for reducing stress and is massively helpful for improving a dog's ability to produce, " feel good chemicals." Dogs who have spent some time living under chronic stress lack the ability to produce those chemicals that aid calming etc - so a massive part of their recovery involves improving this physiological response. Products such as nutracalms can be very useful in supporting this process but in decades of rehabilitating rescue dogs I have always found that the training, the drills and various other activities and disciplines are the ingredients that truly provide the most significant improvements.
ALLOW YOUR DOG TO BE SAFE, HAPPY AND TO RECOVER AT HIS OR HER OWN PACE
I think that I have perhaps made the above statement very clear in all that I have written above, however, I feel the need to emphasize the fact that dogs will progress only according to their ability and their owner's ability to help them.
I totally get that owners want to solve problem behaviours swiftly as possible and sometimes we can do this. However, solving a dog's problems and providing an owner's goals can be two rather different things. I am afraid the dog's NEEDS must come first, and then, very often the owner will achieve their goals subsequently.
Using the example of the dog who is super reactive and massively stressed on walks we can understand that the dog's problem is that he or she is super stressed by other dogs. The owner's problem is that they just want a peaceful walk - so the owner's problem is the dog's behaviour spoiling the walk.
There is not a simple trick that persuades such a dog that his behaviour is unfounded and that he should be happy to see other dogs, or even just ignore them. The dog's reaction is a stress reaction and he or she cannot help it. So, we have discussed some of the processes we might use to change the reaction and place the owner in a position where they can actually help the dog. At this stage we progress the work in such a way that develops the dog's ability to cope well and to gain confidence around other dogs and in controlled settings.
From my point of view and in terms of prioritising the dog's needs, I am very pleased when the dog is not only behaving calmly but also ENJOYING training activities within a class setting. This in itself can take some careful work and careful preparation but it is a huge stage in progress. This is because finally, the dog has reached a point where he or she feels safe within a setting that he or she could previously not cope with. This is not the point where the dog is cured, it is a point where progression becomes possible because sufficient skills and physiological processes are starting to support the bits the owner wants.
For the type of dog we are talking about in this example, it is true that the owner's goal of a peaceful walk is not the easiest thing to achieve. Getting the dog to feel safe in a controlled environment is easier and is the stepping stone to everything else and is a process that you might not be able to rush.
Remember that while the reactive, stressed and anxious dog is having fun in a controlled environment such as a class you are doing so much more than simple and rather crude desensitization. You are building resilience, you are changing hormonal and chemical responses to stress. You are not so much focused on whether your dog likes other dogs or every dog, you are giving your dog the skills to cope with everyday stressors.
Dogs NEED to feel safe and it is our job to ensure that they are safe and that they are not suffering from stress - this is the first and most important priority, it is the solution to problems and the route to our goals.
For all kinds of reasons, some dogs may experience chronic or sustained stress which is when they are subjected to regular or continuous stressors that they cannot control or cope with.
I wrote a little about the subject of stress and hormones in dogs recently in order to provide some insight into some of the many factors that are involved in canine reactivity - "YOUR REACTIVE DOG CANNOT HELP ITSELF". This post can be found on my page and serves to explain the physiological responses that occur when a dog is subjected to stress and how this can result in behavioural problems that do not always have a simple or fast solution.
Chronic stress affects every part of a dog's life including both its physical, mental and emotional health. Just a few examples of the many possible symptoms of a chronically stressed dog include:
- Frequent reactive behaviour
- Unable to settle within the familiar home environment and reacting to every sound or movement.
- Excessive vocalisation such as barking, whining and crying.
- Aggressive behaviour
- Digestive issues such as diarrhoea.
- Toileting and house training issues
- Regular self-calming behaviours such as excessive licking, grooming, self-mutilation, yawning, sneezing, spinning etc.
- Physical problems such as skin disorders, and excessive shedding of the coat to name a couple.
- Hyperactivity
- Destructive behaviours
- Various signs of depression such as lethargy, a lack of appetite, and avoiding interaction with other dogs or humans.
- Obvious visible signs of stress such as dilated pupils, sweaty paws and panting when you know your dog has not been exercising.
The above list is by no means exhaustive and the reasons and causes for chronic stress in dogs are both complex and numerous.
I hear about the symptoms of chronic stress from dog owners every day of the week. The main couple that I am asked to help with are excessive barking at home and reactive behaviours when out and about. These are the two problems that perhaps cause the greatest distress for the humans, however, the consequences of living through sustained stress for a dog are incredibly detrimental.
It is much easier to take actions to prevent a dog from becoming chronically stressed and that is why in classes and training sessions many of you will hear me talking about appropriate management, building resilience etc. In fact, a lot of the important work in producing a happy dog starts with the breeder and the earliest days of a puppy's life.
A HUGE factor in achieving a calm and happy dog and avoiding a stressed dog is in fact choosing a dog whose temperament and genetics suit the owner's lifestyle and abilities.
So, avoiding problems is important. All dogs present challenges from time to time and attention to detail and excellent management, especially as dogs develop through puppyhood and adolescence are crucial.
Unfortunately, I meet many dogs and owners at a point when unwanted behaviours have become seriously entrenched. Owners are understandably stressed and some of these dogs are chronically stressed and basically living through a constant state of elevated cortisol levels. These are the dogs who have little ability to self-calm, they cannot cope and they CANNOT help their behaviour.
The route out of these problems can only be described as RECOVERY. Recovery will require a multi-dimensional approach that will include many interventions, just a few might include:
OBVIOUS PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS:
For example, the dog is bored = improve lifestyle management to provide appropriate enrichment, mental stimulation, exercise etc. If the dog is chronically stressed as a result of boredom, the improved lifestyle management might not provide a complete and immediate fix and other behavioural work will likely be required BUT nothing will do the trick if the underlying problem persists for the dog.
REDUCE/ELIMINATE/MANAGE STRESSORS
Nope - this is not a cop-out and is unlikely to be permanent. I shall use the example of a dog who cannot tolerate the sight of other dogs on a walk and has reached the point where it is on constant alert on walks and even the sight of a dog at distance provokes an immediate and extreme reaction of fear and distress.
There is no point in practising this type of behaviour, additionally, placing the dog under this level of stress on a regular basis will NOT get the dog used to the dogs. In fact, the physiological processes over which the dog has ZERO control will simply strengthen(more info about this will be posted in the comments).
This does not mean that the dog cannot become able to enjoy peaceful walks and become able to cope well with seeing and passing other dogs on walks. Instead, there will be a process that will involve building skills and changing physiological responses so that you get your dog to where he or she needs to be on all levels.
In the meantime, remember that if your dog cannot cope with a particular stressor or multiple stressors and has reached a point where the unwanted behaviours are constant and extreme, the problems are way more than a thought in a dog's head or an annoying habit. Reaction to stress does not in any way involve thoughts or reason.
DOG TRAINING:
Dog training is not enough to solve every problem, however, dog training and controlled, interactive work and exercise are an important route out of problems. When I talk about dog training, I don't just mean things like teaching a dog a cue to a sit or a high five! I am talking about taking some time each day to work in a calm and interactive manner with your dog, this starts with the heel work and so much more because the benefits are HUGE:
1: Develops a partnership between you and your dog that is based on mutual understanding, communication and trust.
2: Develops a dog's responsiveness to YOU and removes the conflict so that YOU are in a position to HELP YOUR DOG.
3: Improves your dog's cognitive function - if your dog has had months or years of running on cortisol and responding to stimuli through impulse and instinct then this is an area that you need to strengthen. This is one of the biggest game changers in altering reactivity and helping dogs who suffer from chronic stress.
4: Improves your ability to influence your dog's physical behaviour and mental responses. If you leave your dog to deal with the world according to natural instinct and impulse then they will of course respond with all those natural behaviours that humans don't like. If you need different responses from your dog then it will ultimately be your example, influence and guidance that makes the difference.
5: Provides opportunity for your dog to learn and for you the owner to become organised in terms of developing your dog's skills. Regular formal training helps your dog to learn the skills you require so that you can ultimately improve your dog's life right across the board. Novice dogs cannot learn under distraction and neither can stressed dogs - so training and activity within quiet environments are crucial to success. Progression of distractions as well as a dog's ability to cope well with challenges or stressors should be managed according to a dog's ability to succeed.
6: Ths sort of work is very helpful for reducing stress and is massively helpful for improving a dog's ability to produce, " feel good chemicals." Dogs who have spent some time living under chronic stress lack the ability to produce those chemicals that aid calming etc - so a massive part of their recovery involves improving this physiological response. Products such as nutracalms can be very useful in supporting this process but in decades of rehabilitating rescue dogs I have always found that the training, the drills and various other activities and disciplines are the ingredients that truly provide the most significant improvements.
ALLOW YOUR DOG TO BE SAFE, HAPPY AND TO RECOVER AT HIS OR HER OWN PACE
I think that I have perhaps made the above statement very clear in all that I have written above, however, I feel the need to emphasize the fact that dogs will progress only according to their ability and their owner's ability to help them.
I totally get that owners want to solve problem behaviours swiftly as possible and sometimes we can do this. However, solving a dog's problems and providing an owner's goals can be two rather different things. I am afraid the dog's NEEDS must come first, and then, very often the owner will achieve their goals subsequently.
Using the example of the dog who is super reactive and massively stressed on walks we can understand that the dog's problem is that he or she is super stressed by other dogs. The owner's problem is that they just want a peaceful walk - so the owner's problem is the dog's behaviour spoiling the walk.
There is not a simple trick that persuades such a dog that his behaviour is unfounded and that he should be happy to see other dogs, or even just ignore them. The dog's reaction is a stress reaction and he or she cannot help it. So, we have discussed some of the processes we might use to change the reaction and place the owner in a position where they can actually help the dog. At this stage we progress the work in such a way that develops the dog's ability to cope well and to gain confidence around other dogs and in controlled settings.
From my point of view and in terms of prioritising the dog's needs, I am very pleased when the dog is not only behaving calmly but also ENJOYING training activities within a class setting. This in itself can take some careful work and careful preparation but it is a huge stage in progress. This is because finally, the dog has reached a point where he or she feels safe within a setting that he or she could previously not cope with. This is not the point where the dog is cured, it is a point where progression becomes possible because sufficient skills and physiological processes are starting to support the bits the owner wants.
For the type of dog we are talking about in this example, it is true that the owner's goal of a peaceful walk is not the easiest thing to achieve. Getting the dog to feel safe in a controlled environment is easier and is the stepping stone to everything else and is a process that you might not be able to rush.
Remember that while the reactive, stressed and anxious dog is having fun in a controlled environment such as a class you are doing so much more than simple and rather crude desensitization. You are building resilience, you are changing hormonal and chemical responses to stress. You are not so much focused on whether your dog likes other dogs or every dog, you are giving your dog the skills to cope with everyday stressors.
Dogs NEED to feel safe and it is our job to ensure that they are safe and that they are not suffering from stress - this is the first and most important priority, it is the solution to problems and the route to our goals.
