How dog's communicate: Emotional Thresholds

Dog trainers and behavior experts often talk about threshold when they talk about working through a behavior problem.  You may have heard about working with your dog under threshold.  When working with a dog with a reactivity, fear, phobia, or an aggression issue, the recommendation is to work with the dog under threshold.

Understanding  a behavior “threshold” is helpful not only for professionals but pet parents as well.  Keeping your dog under threshold keeps him/her in an optimum state of learning.  Training happens faster and you and your dog are less stressed.  In addition, this element can be useful in teaching calm behaviors in excitable dogs and even confidence for insecure dogs.  Understanding thresholds helps you and your dog to be calm and confident. 

What is a threshold?

Picture a threshold of a door.  When you step over the threshold, you move from one space to another.  This is a similar concept for a behavior threshold; it’s when your dog moves from one emotional state to another.  If you have seen a dog who is concerned about other dogs then you have probably experienced the moment when he/she moves from a seemingly okay state into an out of control state of mind.  This is going over threshold.

Below is an overview of signs of stress that your dog may display.  I recommend using the guide to determine your own dog’s threshold.  These indicators are a great way to tell what your dog is experiencing. 

Threshold Indicators Guide

The threshold indicators are color coded green for calm, happy dog, yellow for stress and red for remove immediately or over thresholds.

Happy dogs have a soft mouth, soft eyes and ears.

Green = Calm happy dog

Dogs communicate through body language and barking.    

This list is not exhaustive and should be looked at as a tool.  Some dogs may display more than one sign of stress at a time and may display some of these indicators at other times.  

For example, lip licking could be displayed after eating or drinking.  Use the context of the situation, the knowledge of your dog and other cues to evaluate your dog’s emotional state.  

Take action when necessary.  

Physical Indicators

A relaxed dog is a floppy looking dog

Relaxed body

Play bow

Mouth open

Looks at you

Soft gaze

high waggy tail

Natural ears and eyes

Weight balanced

Bouncy

Hair normal

A yawn and looking away could be signs of stress

Yellow = Stressed Dogs

Evaluate the situation when you see yellow signs of stress.

The indicators below display the first signs of stress.  You may see 1 or multiple signs.  If you see many signs  (3 signs) of stress from your dog, it is time to evaluate the situation.  

Example 1: Your dog is scared of a new environment.  Some choices are leave the new place or allow your dog time to take in the new environment and relax.

Example 2: Your dog’s head turns away from another dog trying to greet him/her.  Say thank you for the greeting and use “this way” to move your dog away.

Example 3: Something falls and crashes to the ground.  Your dog tries to run away from the noise and pulls on the leash.  Move away with your dog and allow your dog to calm down.  Once your dog is calm, encourage (do not force) him/her to check out the disturbance as long as it is safe. 

Note: If a situation is safe or benign there isn’t a need to console, hold or baby your dog.  We don’t want to reinforce fearful behavior.  Note: Science is inconclusive about reinforcing fear.

Physical Indicators

Pilo-erection or hair on back standing up

Closed mouth

Scratching

Dilated pupils

Sniffing or checked out

Stretching

Whale eye/half moon

Shaking off

Lip licking

Yawning

Looking away or head turn

One front leg tucked up

Panting/breathing change

Ears to side or flat

Creeping or slow motion

Hyper-vigilant

Suddenly won’t eat

Moving away

Pacing

Tail Tucked

Body low and back

Nose licking

Repeatedly blinking

A red dog will to bite

Red = Over threshold

Calmly and quickly remove your dog from the situation

The indicators below are red signs of stress.  You may see 1 or multiple signs.  When seeing red signs of stress, calmly remove or (move away) your dog.

Example 1: Your dog is scared of a new environment.  Your dog is clawing at you and jumping up at you for help.  Access the situation, your dog may need time to adjust.

Example 2: Your dog snaps at another dog trying to greet him/her.  Move away immediately.  Do not punish.

Example 3: Something falls and crashes to the ground.  Your dog starts barking uncontrollably.  Immediately leave the environment so your dog has a chance to calm down.

Physical Indicators

Stiffness

Freezing

Direct stare/hard stare

Snarling

Lunging

Muzzle Punch

Straight spinal alignment

snaps or snapping

Lip curl

Growling

Whining

Vomiting 

Barking or howling

Urination or defection

Clawing or jumping - asking for help

Drooling

Sweaty paws

Trembling

Shedding

Cowering

Panting/breathing change

Suddenly won’t eat for over 2 seconds

More on thresholds 

1.  Lunging or barking does not always mark a dog’s threshold.

When going over threshold most people picture a dog that suddenly becomes reactive: lunging, barking or snarling.  There are many other signals of moving over threshold.  This is the yellow category mentioned above.

Examples are shutting down, freezing, overly distracted and unable to connect with you, puppy crazies or zoomies, being overexcited to the point of jumping or mouthing.  

When a dog stops taking food, stops playing, or is suddenly calmer than usual, these are signs your dog is moving towards threshold or has already past it.  This state should communicate that your dog is no longer in a comfortable emotional state.

2.  Bad behavior (unwanted behavior) vs. over-threshold 

As your dog moves past threshold, generally you will see unwanted behaviors.  More importantly it means your dog is in a state of distress.

A dog experiences physiological and psychological effects when he/she has crossed an emotional threshold.  The dog’s heart rate may increase and the dog may be breathing heavily.  Any dog over threshold is reacting rather than thinking; fight, flight, freeze or fool around state.  A dog may not be able to hear you and generally is no longer listening.  When a dog is over threshold the learning part of the brain shuts off so teaching the dog to behave better will fail.  The dog must be brought back under threshold first. 

3.  How thresholds change:

A behavior or emotional threshold changes from minute to minute.  It will change based on different situations as well.  A variety of criteria needs to be met at a particular moment for a dog to be triggered. 

Example: Daisy is an insecure dog, is fearful of other dogs, loud noises and gets excited about movement.  She tends to tolerate other dogs and loves to chase cats.  

Daisy can easily be called away from another dog on a walk in a new environment, however when multiple dogs enter the environment that is when she moves over threshold.

Equally true if multiple triggers enter the environment.  Daisy will move over threshold causing her to bark, growl and/or lunge.

Variables that can affect a dog’s threshold are: 

- The amount of triggers, the more triggers the bigger the risk.  Lots of small triggers like in the example above will push Daisy over threshold.  A trigger can also be anything that increases excitement or arousal.  For example, two dog’s during rowdy play can get triggered.

- Proximity, the distance between a dog and a trigger can make a dog move over threshed.  For example, the closer the dog is the more difficult it is to maintain calm and controlled behavior and vice versa.  If the dog cannot make out the object because it is so far away this to may push a dog over threshold.  Think of it like this, you are afraid of snakes.  If you opened your front door and saw a snake on the far side of the street you may become alert, however if that snake is at your door step you would probably be emotionally triggered and react with running away (flight), stomping on it (fight), or freeze.

- The frequency or how often the trigger happens, especially in a short period of time, may make a dog react repeatedly.  Each time the dog is triggered creates a more expressive reaction each time.  

- Intensity is how loud or long the trigger happens.  This, too, can affect a dog’s reaction. 

- The state or health of a dog will impact a dog’s threshold.  If the dog is hungry, thirsty, in pain or even tired, this will contribute to a dog moving over threshold. 

- Finally, accumulated stress will affect a dog’s threshold.  Taking your dog hiking over a long weekend out of town that is fun but still stressful, may bring your dog over threshold more quickly with a crashing sound or loud motorcycle.  

Note: Stress hormones need time to leave the body.  It can take several days for the hormones to return to normal.  This makes accumulated responses hard to trace.

4.  How to Keep your dog under threshold

You can help keep your dog under threshold by learning your dog’s triggers.  Ask yourself what causes stress in your dog?  Stress can be caused by many things, sound, visual, movement, arousal and even overexcitement.  Stressors can be negative or positive experiences.  For example a negative stressor could be a loud startling noise, strange dogs or people.  A positive stressor could be rowdy play, chasing etc.  

Next, learn your dog’s body language.  What pretext signals do you see before your dog goes over threshold?  Examples of pretext signals are in the yellow category that you previously read.  You may notice tension, alertness, freezing, moving away, and even scratching.  Every dog is unique with pretext signals.  

Be aware of your dog, especially when your dog’s triggers are around.  Pay attention so you can see the stress signals or a shift in energy.  Furthermore, remain calm and relaxed.

Take action anytime you notice your dog’s arousal; once over threshold it is too late to respond.  It is important not to wait for your dog to move over threshold. 

When you notice stress signals (yellow) 

- you can add distance between your dog and the trigger

- Cue leave it, catching attention and sit (this brings your dog back into the thinking brain

- Leave the situation altogether

- Reward for calm behavior overall (don’t punish)

- Reset your dog

Training

Overcome with training and behavior modification

Over time, training and behavior modification techniques can change your dog’s threshold level around triggers.  Furthermore, training can keep your dog in a focused state of mind rather than in a reactive state.

Training will help build your dog’s confidence around triggers.  It is important to stay under threshold to be the most successful.  If your dog is fearful, reactive or anxious going over threshold will slow down your progress.  

5.  What to do if your dog goes over threshold? (Red)

Our lives can be random and chaotic at times.  We cannot control everything.  At times your dog may move over threshold.  Here is what you can do in the moment.

- Remove your dog from the situation. 

- Take note of all the triggers that pushed your dog over threshold

- Practice counter conditioning techniques at home first.  This way you will know what to do if your dog goes over threshold, again. 

Working with building your dog’s confidence and overcoming insecurities takes patience, supervision, consistent training, clear  communication, trust and a strong bond.   It also takes time and patience.  Please review this guide frequently to better understand your dog.