Stress is an unavoidable occurrence for any animal, including our canine companions. It is especially necessary for our assistance dogs in training to learn how to appropriately handle stressors in the environment. Since we don’t always know what a dog might perceive as stressful, it’s important to know the signs of stress, as well as how to help the dog work through the stressful moment. We can also teach the dogs to have a high tolerance for things that might be stressful. After all, stress is just the body’s reaction to a challenge!

The Proactive Approach

Ideally, dogs are introduced to stress in ways that allow them to stay “under threshold.” This means that if stressed, the dogs remain responsive in a healthy emotional state that allows them to continue to perform well. Applying low amounts of stress under the right conditions teaches resilience, coping skills, and problem-solving. Done correctly, these applications are fun and rewarding, leaving the dog feeling like we do after finishing a big project before a deadline!

1. Choose the conditions. Make sure you choose a familiar and positive environment to start. This will probably be the dog’s home, close to where they eat or play. Keep distractions at normal levels for the household. As the dog moves through challenges with more confidence, change the conditions by increasing distractions or decreasing familiarity.
2. Choose the challenge! There is no real formula here. Keep challenges attainable for the age and ability of the dog. The key is that the dog has to think for themselves. They may struggle a little or seem frustrated. This might be displayed by whining, barking, sniffing, or walking away. It’s okay! The goal is that they keep trying. Ideas to get started:
   • Puppy Zen: Sit at the dog’s level. Place a little kibble in one hand and make a fist around the food. Hold your hand out to the side of the dog’s head. The dog will likely try to get the cookies by licking, mouthing, or pawing at the fist. Once they stop trying to get the food, mark and reward. Repeat until they no longer try to get the food. Then, wait until the dog makes eye contact before you mark and reward.
   • Toy Rescue: You’ll need a large, lightweight storage container or laundry basket that the dog can see through. Turn it upside down, then take their favorite toy and let the dog see you hide the toy underneath the container. Encourage the dog to rescue their toy. If this is too difficult, prop a corner of the container up so the dog has an easier time overturning the container. You can also hide food under the container.
   • Blocked! Use baby gates, kennels, or an exercise pen to create a barrier between you and the dog, making sure there is an opening. Call the dog to you. The goal is that the dog works to get around the barrier, so make sure your barrier is not easily jumped or knocked over.
   • Free Shaping: Dogs are pros at waiting for guidance. With free shaping, the dog drives the direction of the session, putting the cookie-earning power completely in their paws. Set a timer for one minute. In this minute, mark and reward ANY behavior the dog offers. If you go more than five seconds without rewarding something, you are looking too hard for behaviors. Blinking, weight shifts, and even breathing all count. It’s up to the dog!
   • Sound & Motion Toys: Whether they are for dogs or children, toys that make noise or move are just strange! Let dogs observe from a distance and approach on their terms. Use praise and rewards for interaction.

Working Through a Stressful Situation

Even when we do our best as handlers to prepare our dogs for stress, it is inevitable that they will experience stress when working in the world. In order to support dogs through stressors, we need to:

1. Take stock in the dog. First, be sure you are aware of what stress behaviors look like in the dog you are training. There are many, and some even seem incongruous to stress, such as tail wagging, smiling, and looking at the handler, but the key is in the tiny differences. Low tail wags between the legs, squinting and the appearance of a toothy “grin” and frequent check-ins with the handler spell uncertainty.
2. Take your emotional temperature. How are you doing, at this moment? If the handler is stressed, the dog is likely to be aware of and react to your emotions. Breathe, relax, and clear your mind.
3. Hand over the reins. If the dog appears stressed, give them the power. Like free shaping, you will simply start marking and rewarding the behaviors that get the dog trying. Is the dog reluctant to cross over a threshold? Step back, and start marking and rewarding any behaviors the dog offers. Once they are moving and in “work mode” again, start selecting behaviors that get you closer to the goal.
4. Take a step back. If you aren’t getting progress, move back from the stressor. Move away until the dog does not display any stress behaviors. Once they have returned to baseline, let them observe the stressor. Reward them for watching it without a stressed reaction. Let them decide to move closer again, then reward for those choices. Again, let them drive the session. Your job is to reward their choices.

Try again another time.

There are times we won’t be able to salvage the moment, and that’s okay. If the dog is very stressed, it’s better to walk away. By doing this, the dog will see you as the hero. You saw that they were overwhelmed and instead of pushing them over their threshold, you removed them from the situation. Take note of the stressor and brainstorm ways to work on the challenge in a more controlled condition.

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