We have all heard and used the word threshold meaning the sill of a doorway, entrance into a house or building, or any place or point of entering or beginning. But in Psychology, the threshold refers to the point at which a stimulus is sufficiently intense to cause an effect.
So, how does this apply to training your dog? Many pet parents complain about their dog’s reaction when seeing another dog. Further explanation reveals that the pet parent and dog (A) are walking down the sidewalk in their neighborhood, and as soon as another pet parent and dog (B) are spotted coming toward them, dog (A) is out of control barking, lunging, pulling, whining, and sometimes aggressive.
In previous posts, I talked about the two behaviors that all puppies and dogs need to be taught. Without these two most important learned behaviors, Impulse Control and Self-Esteem, obedience is not enough to produce a well-trained and socially skilled dog.
So, where does threshold fit into all of this? Teaching Impulse Control and Self-Esteem requires Exposure Therapy; meaning exposing your dog to the stimuli or TRIGGERS (other dogs) that cause uncontrollable and over-reactive behavior.
To expose a dog to triggers, a good trainer will establish the distance from the dog in training to the people or dogs that trigger the reaction. That is what we call the threshold. The threshold may have to be established as across the street, down the street, X-amount distance from a dog behind a fence, X-amount distance from a dog in the street while your dog is in your car, or two isles away in a store. No matter the scenario, the starting point for teaching impulse control so that your dog does not have a knee-jerk reaction when seeing another dog, must be part of the equation.
Once the threshold is determined and your dog can pass another dog comfortably and confidently, the threshold should be reduced, meaning the distance between the two dogs is brought closer just a bit at each successful practice.
Have a friend or neighbor with a dog walk across the street from where you are. Start walking with your dog down the street, going a short distance, turn, and start narrowing the width to the street across from you.
You should always use encouraging words of praise and try to keep moving. The slower you walk the less successful you will be. So keep moving if possible.
Keep watching as this dog passes another dog in a narrow aisle of Lowes. With proper training, practice, and exposure, you can take your dog almost anywhere.
