Nigel Reed on Emotional State and Trigger Stacking

Dog trainer and behaviourist Nigel Reed places Emotional State at the centre of understanding how a dog notices, processes and reacts to the world. Training a behaviour without considering the dog's state may produce a response in a quiet room but fall apart when the dog is tired, worried or already highly alert. This is why Emotional State is one of the four main areas in his method.

Trigger stacking describes the accumulation of several experiences before the dog has properly recovered. A poor night's sleep, building work next door, a difficult visitor and a close dog encounter may each be manageable on their own. Together, they can leave the dog with much less capacity for the next event. The final reaction may look out of proportion only because we are looking at the last trigger rather than the whole build-up.

Look at the build-up

• What happened earlier that day and during the previous few days?

• How quickly did the dog recover after each event?

• Were early signals missed because the dog had not yet barked or lunged?

• Has sleep, appetite, digestion, pain, medication or routine changed?

• Is the dog repeatedly exposed to the same trigger without enough time to settle afterwards?

Once a dog is highly aroused, their ability to process guidance is reduced. This is not the best moment to test obedience or insist that they stay close to the trigger. Create safety, reduce pressure and allow recovery. Training can continue when the dog is able to observe, think and respond again.

Lowering the general pressure

• Temporarily reduce avoidable high-intensity situations while keeping life predictable and interesting.

• Protect undisturbed sleep and provide a comfortable place where the dog can switch off.

• Balance physical exercise with sniffing, exploration, chewing and calm social contact that suits the individual dog.

• Keep brief notes on triggers and recovery. Patterns are often clearer on paper than they are in the moment.

• Check health when behaviour changes or the dog's tolerance suddenly becomes lower.

Reducing stress is not the same as avoiding life forever. It creates enough emotional space for considered exposure and learning. Nigel Reed's aim is to help the dog cope with the real world in manageable stages, not to keep them permanently protected from it.

About Nigel Reed

Nigel Reed is a certified and qualified dog behaviourist and dog trainer with more than 25 years' experience. He is the author of The Dog Guardian and I'll Protect You and has helped more than 3,000 clients. Find out more at thedogguardian.com.