We Can't Avoid Stress, so Let's Build Resilience

As we have learned more about the complexities of our dogs' emotions, it has become more apparent that the human world can be a an increasingly worrying place for them. It is extremely unpredictable, and unnatural. As compassion becomes more integrated into the training process, there is also an increase in worry about making sure our dogs feel safe and comfortable.

When you have a sensitive dog, who is worried about things, there can be a fine line between wanting to help them feel more confident to take on the world, and pushing them too far and making them feel worse. So how do we start approaching this confidence building process, balancing the fine line of stress and avoiding it all together?

We can all understand that stress is a normal part of life. Even going to a busy grocery store out of routine can be considered a stressful event for a person. When you have a dog who experiences reluctance in stressful events, rather than those who seem to be able to take on anything life throws at them, it can actually  be detrimental to try and hide them from any sort of adversity.

We often see the need for confidence building to start at the very early stages of a dog’s development, when a puppy shows hesitance with new and novel objects. A part of healthy socialisation is letting the puppy learn that the novel objects won’t harm them, and increase their confidence by teaching them how to interact with the object. The key is to not rush the puppy during this process, and use praise, treats and encouragement to help them overcome their fears.

If we rush them, or use things like punishment or coercion, there is the potential that the interaction will become even more worrying, and the puppy will have a negative association with you or the situation itself. You have the fallout of damaging your relationship if you put too much pressure on - especially if they are already uncomfortable or frightened. But, if we let their worries keep them in their comfort zone, they never build the resilience that is needed for the inevitable stressors of existing (vet visits, change of routine, moving house, etc).

It’s completely understandable, though, to want to stay within your safety bubble. Humans do it too!

I, Sarah, attend the gym on the odd occasion. One thing that has always been a hurdle has been completing box jumps. The premise involves completing a standing jump, up onto a box. Seems pretty simple, right? Wrong. The exercise can actually be extremely intimidating to a novice. 

In my mind, attempting the box jump could end in a few different ways. What if I didn’t jump high enough and scraped my shins or caught my feet? Or if I overbalanced on the landing and smashed my face against the wall? Instead of thinking about how things could go well, I have a tendency to think about what could go wrong.

So, on one fateful morning, my PT brought out a smaller box. A more manageable height to the ones that seemed unconquerable. With that, a fair amount of hype, and the idea that it could go okay - I tried my first box jump at the gym. And I landed on top of the box without concussion or shin injury.

The adrenaline rush was real, and the joy and sense of achievement was immense. If you have met me in person, you won’t be surprised to know that I let out an excited few noises as well.

The next attempts were done with a lot more promptness, and, as this story was leading to, confidence in my movements and ability.

This same situation happened with our former foster dog, Buddy. He has found his forever home since being in our program, but after spending his first 6 months of life in a pound, he can still be unsure about some things. On one of his training walks, we asked him to jump up on a park bench. For what would seem like a simple task for a lot of dogs, it took 4, five minute sessions (broken up by play and water breaks), before Buddy was comfortable sitting on the bench.

First we started by asking just for the front paws up on, and let him back off, waiting until he was ready to put his paws up again. There was a lot of encouragement, and a huge amount of praise each time. With each break, and each following attempt at jumping on the bench, we asked a little more from him. 

From getting all of his feet on and getting off straight away, to staying on the bench for a couple of treats, and then, in the final set - getting to sit and lie down before hopping off! To see the improvement each time, and the increased enthusiasm as he realised he could do it - it was very rewarding to watch as a trainer as well.

What may seem to be a small task - can end up being a big one - and by pushing the comfort levels bit by bit, we built a skill that is actually really helpful… Now Buddy is a lot more confident getting up into the car!

There are ways we can safely build confidence in our dogs. At home, you can create chutes of chairs and lay a fun trail of treats to follow, increasing the tightness of the chute or covering it eventually with a blanket. This can build confidence for going through entrance ways or in and out of crates.
You can also find novel things to interact with - some crinkly recycling, a weird shaped box - anything! The great thing about inanimate objects is that they are predictable, won’t move out of nowhere, and you can remove them at any time. 

Remember, it is about the baby steps of the process. If you have a final goal in mind, make sure you break it down into achievable, less intimidating chunks. One more thing you can keep in mind is ‘Over, Under, On, Through.’ If you are out for a walk, see if you can incorporate these moves on different objects. Jump OVER a small fence, go UNDER the park bench, paws ON the rock, go THROUGH two posts. It’s simple, yet so beneficial!

So next time you’re out and about, look for the ways you can help your dog build their confidence. A little sprinkle of stress is be a good thing - So I guess I’ll try a higher box jump next gym session and take my own advice!

 “With success comes fulfilment, confidence and the ability to learn more."

Authored by Sarah Endres
Dog Trainer and Behaviour Advisor