You may have witnessed an 'out of the blue' reaction from your dog at some point. It can happen to any animal and although it may seem strange to us and have no explanation, there is always a reason for the behaviour. Trigger stacking can affect even the calmest, most well-rounded dog. You would never imagine him engaging in aggressive behavior. Dogs, humans, and any other living things all have a breaking point. Understanding trigger stacking can help us understand the effects it has on our dogs so we can take the steps necessary to manage their environment and hopefully stop them from reaching that breaking point. We've all experienced trigger stacking at some time. Maybe you had a day or a week when one bad thing after another kept happening. You got into an argument with your friend, then you ended your work day upset about a mistake you made or an unpleasant meeting, then you get stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on your way home. You are tired. You are irritated. Your muscles are still tense. And then, when you stop at the corner shop on your way home and the person in front of you in the queue needs to have a price checked, you shout out in frustration, “Come on. This is ridiculous. Why don’t you have enough staff in this place?” This is trigger stacking. For a dog, there are so many ways this could present itself. Triggers may include medical issues (a pain, upset stomach, allergies, etc.), lack of sleep or rest, a vet visit, having a collar pulled, a leash yank, the hoover, a thunderstorm, people shouting, chasing or pestering children, loud noises, over exposure to large crowds, lack of control, etc. There are so many examples to list here. Any one of those stressful events, when occurring individually may be tolerable for that dog (depending on how stressful that event is), but when they occur in close proximity, there is a cumulative affect that causes a greater likelihood of going over a threshold – and, in a dog’s case, causing a reactive response. It could take as long as 8-12 hours or even more for the body to recover from the release of hormones, depending on the stress level.
Tips for preventing, recognising, and helping your dog when it comes to trigger stacking.
LEARN HOW TO UNDERSTAND YOUR DOG'S BODY LANGUAGE: Your dog may communicate in very subtle or very obvious ways that it is stressed. A few examples to watch for include yawning, raising of one paw, stiffness in body muscles, lowered and tucked tail, avoidance behaviors (or straight stare at trigger), lip licks, or growling.
GET TO KNOW WHAT YOUR DOG'S TRIGGERS ARE: These can be anything that might cause your dog even a small amount of stress - remember that they may also may be less obvious such as a change in routine, hunger, or lack of sleep. Other factors that contribute to trigger stacking include closeness, intensity, and duration of a stimulus.
PRACTICE, PREVENTION & MANAGEMENT: If your dog experienced a stressful event, provide it with a quiet alone place that is void of stress. If you are having guests over and you know your dog can become nervous around new people or children, keep your dog in a place where it does not have to interact. Avoid bringing your dog to large crowds or dog parks if those settings can be stressful.
Do what you can to reduce stress. Your dog – and everyone with whom it comes in contact – will thank you for it.
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