Needed by All: Some +R Stress Reduction!

Long-term stress is not good for humans and it is not good for dogs!

Chronic stress can have wide ranging effects on emotions, mood and behaviour as well as effecting various systems, organs and tissues all over the body. Chronic stress is going to impact on an individual’s overall physical and mental wellbeing.  The stress response involves both physiological and psychological changes such as mood swings, irritability and difficulty concentrating. Chronic stress results in “wear and tear on the body and mind.” – Andrew Scott, 2012.

Listed below are fifteen common signs and symptoms of stress in humans, taken from a list of 50 Common Signs and Symptoms of Stress by The American Institute of Stress.  You can access the full list here.  Many of these symptoms are equally applicable to other species including our pet dogs:

1. Neck ache, back pain, muscle spasms
2. Unexplained or frequent “allergy” attacks
3. Heartburn, stomach pain, nausea
4. Sudden attacks of life threatening panic
5. Chest pain, palpitations, rapid pulse
6. Excess anxiety, worry, guilt, nervousness
7. Increased anger, frustration, hostility
8. Depression, frequent or wild mood swings
9. Increased or decreased appetite
10. Insomnia, nightmares, disturbing dream
11. Trouble learning new information
12. Increased frustration, irritability, edgines
13. Obsessive or compulsive behaviour
14. Social withdrawal and isolation
15. Constant tiredness, weakness, fatigue

Training using positive reinforcement can result in a reduction in stress for both owner/guardian and pet.

“Herron, Shofer and Reisner (2009) state that “reward-based training is less stressful or painful for the dog, and, hence, safer for the owner.” Rooney and Cowan (2011) suggest high levels of punishment may have “adverse effects upon a dog’s behaviour whilst reward based training may improve a dog’s subsequent ability to learn.” Deldalle and Gaunet (2014) found that “using a negative reinforcement–based method demonstrated lowered body postures and signals of stress, whereas dogs from the school using a positive reinforcement– based method showed increased attentiveness toward their owner.”” – Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: A Model for Raising the Bar to Protect Professionals, Pets and Their People, Tudge, Nilson, Millikan, Stapleton-Frappell (2019)

Using Positive Reinforcement and not training with force, fear, pain or intimidation, doesn’t just mean you increase the probability of seeing more of the behaviours you would like to see, and less of those that you might consider to be problematical; it also means that you and your pet are undoubtedly going to have lots of fun together, thus strengthening the bond you share, improving your relationship and helping to lower your stress levels.   Even those ‘problematical’ behaviours won’t seem quite so bad when you and your pet have a long, strong history of +R fun and learning in your bank account!

A tip to reduce your stress levels:

Instead of nagging at your pet for everything you believe they are doing wrong, try reinforcing them for all the things they are doing right!  You will be amazed at the difference it makes to your pet’s behaviour, your behaviour and both your stress levels.  And yes, it works for humans too – Just replace the word pet with the word of your choice (partner, child, friend…)!

Let’s always communicate in a happy upbeat manner, encouraging them to behave in the way we would like them to. Let’s ask them to do something specific instead of just saying “NO” – Niki Tudge and Louise Stapleton-Frappell. No, Isn’t a Behavior, one of The Top Ten Most Important Dog Training Knowledge Concepts For Pet Owners to Understand.

Watch this short video by Andrew Scott to learn a little more about the key stress-related concepts, including the HPA axis, fight-flight response & the role of cortisol in the stress response:  Stress and the HPA axis – VCE Pyschology.

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If you think your dog has a behaviour problem or may be experiencing chronic stress, please contact a qualified Dog Behaviour Consultant who has the knowledge and skills to evaluate, manage and modify a range of challenging canine behaviours elicited by the pet’s emotional state.  “Behavior Consultants are often professional dog trainers who can competently teach pet manners classes, obedience classes, day training, private training sessions, and board and train programs that focus on pet dog skills and manners. For the purposes of this book, a Behavior Consultant is defined as a behavior and training professional skilled in the application of science and artistic endeavor who delivers results through empathy and mutual respect for both client and pet. The Behavior Consultant is aware of their limitations in terms of ability to prescribe psychotropic or any other kind of medication and diagnose illness, as well as their ethical responsibility in such cases, and can refer to a Veterinarian or Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist with greater academic and expansive knowledge.”  – Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: A Model for Raising the Bar to Protect Professionals, Pets and Their People, Tudge, Nilson, Millikan, Stapleton-Frappell (2019)