Imagine this (or maybe it has happened to you), your dog is calm and enjoying life. Then another dog walks by and your dog loses it. Your dog starts barking, growling, and lunging as if it has lost its mind. You start to get stressed because there was no reason your dog should respond this way, and you have no idea how to stop it. This moment where your dog switches from one state to the next is due to threshold. This small invisible line is probably one of the most important things all pet owners should understand, yet many do not have the opportunity to learn about. So here is a quick explanation of threshold and why it is so important.
Threshold, The Invisible Line
Threshold is, put simply, an invisible line drawn in your dog’s mind that separates one state of mind from another. Now there are many types of threshold lines, but the one that everyone should be aware of is the response to reaction line. I like to distinguish between responses and reactions. Responses are actions displayed as a result of an understanding of the circumstances and designed to gain a specific outcome. Reactions are actions displayed that are driven by instinct and automatic and often unconscious thought processes. Think of a response as an answer to a question and a reaction as a well-developed reflex blocking a punch. Threshold is the invisible line between these two mental states.
The Thinking Animal
The reason why threshold is so important is because when your dog is operating on the response side of the line (under threshold), it is consciously processing what it is happening and is able to make informed decisions. However, when your dog is operating on the reaction side of the line (above threshold), it is no longer consciously processing its actions and is making instinctive usually defensive actions. This means that when your dog is over threshold, it is literally not thinking clearly and is not capable of making an informed decision. This also means that if your dog is over threshold and you ask it to do something, it will not hear you or at least it will not be able to respond immediately, if at all. Put simply, an animal that is above threshold is not thinking and an animal that is below threshold is thinking. Any learning that might takes place above threshold is emotional, instinctive, and very unpredictable. Understanding threshold is so important because your animal cannot effectively think through the learning process unless it is under threshold.
Now that we know that an animal must be under threshold in order to think clearly and learn effectively, we can conclude that training must take place when your dog is under threshold. This means that they are not displaying stress signals and their body is loose and relaxed. Signs of stress mean that your dog is over threshold and will not learn the information as effectively as it would if your dog was relaxed and enjoying itself (note that I said relaxed and enjoying itself; a dog who is jumping and spinning uncontrollably out of excitement is considered to be over threshold).
Closing Thoughts
Keep in mind that the threshold line can be moved through effective training. If your dog or pet gets over threshold in certain situations, help calm it down by removing it from the situation, taking a break, then starting training over at an even slower pace. If you need help, please contact me via email at happyats@outlook.com so we can help your dog relax and find out if you need to contact a trainer who specializes in dog aggression.
Note: If your dog is displaying advanced aggression or has a bite history, please contact a positive reinforcement dog trainer who specializes in aggressive dogs. If you are unsure what level of aggression your dog is at, I would be happy to help you figure that out. However, I do not work with dogs who deal with advanced aggression. To find a positive trainer who does work with dogs who deal with advanced aggression, please check here: https://karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer/#!directory/map/tag=washington (if you live outside Washington state, just search your state/location in the search bar provided at the link).
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