I would like to formally lodge a complaint about Christmas.
You think it is magical.
I think it is a sudden environmental collapse that happens overnight and smells aggressively of pine needles, cheap sausages and panic.
One minute the house is normal.
The next minute there is a tree indoors. A tree. Inside seriously!
No roots. No soil. Just a tree that has clearly been abducted.
It smells like outside, squirrels, frost, possibly another dog who has opinions, and you have decorated it with shiny dangly things that move when I breathe near them. Some of them scream if touched. Others fall off and shatter and then everyone looks at me like I personally planned it.
I sniff it once and you shout.
I sniff it twice and you panic.
I sniff it a third time and suddenly I am “too interested”.
Make it make sense. This violates every rule I know about trees and I am not even allowed to pee on it.
Then the people arrive. Not normal people. Christmas people!!!
People who never usually come to my house but have suddenly arrived wearing flashing jumpers, novelty hats and an unearned sense of authority, sitting in my spot and offering unsolicited feedback on my behaviour.
Including Uncle Dave…
Uncle Dave has always been a bit off.
Uncle Dave smells like humbugs that have lived in a coat pocket since 1987, unwashed clothes, cheap aftershave and a faint but undeniable note of wee. Uncle Dave stares at me. Uncle Dave calls me “boy” regardless of my actual identity. Uncle Dave bends down into my face, reaches for my head and pats it thoughtfully, like he is checking a melon.
I do not like Uncle Dave.
You laugh nervously and say “Oh he’s fine” while I calculate whether I can leave my own house without being rude.
And then there is the food.
My god, the food. It is everywhere. Tables. Counters. Hands. Low coffee tables.
Some of it smells like heaven itself. Some of it will absolutely kill me and you will cry while Googling “dog ate stuffing what now”.
Chocolate. Grapes. Raisins. Onions. Fatty leftovers. Cheese in quantities that would medically concern a horse.
I do not know these rules. I only know that for eleven months of the year you are organised and in charge, and then December arrives and you run the house like a children’s party where the parents have given up and opened the wine.
You drop a sausage and shout when I catch it mid air like an athlete.
Mixed messages people!
The noise starts early. Music. Laughter. Crackers. Someone shouting the answer to a quiz question they have already got wrong.
On the outside I look calm. On the inside my nervous system is doing parkour, vaulting over furniture, scaling walls and screaming “WE ARE NOT TRAINED FOR THIS.”
Dogs do not experience noise as festive background. It goes straight into our bodies. Some of us cope by sleeping. Some of us cope by being busy. Some of us cope by stealing socks, barking at nothing or pacing like we are waiting for a bus that never comes.
Then the routine vanishes. Walks are late. Meals are weird. Bedtime is a suggestion.You stay up late, sleep in, forget things, eat snacks and drift around in loose fitting trousers releasing small but concerning amounts of festive gas, and somehow expect me to just roll with this emotionally.
I do not know what day it is. I do not know why nothing makes sense. I do know that everything feels louder.
Wrapping paper appears. It rustles. It smells exciting. It hides things. You shout when I eat it but leave it on the floor like a challenge. Ribbons, tape, tags, squeakers, bows. It is basically an enrichment activity designed by a vet with a mortgage.
And here is the bit you might miss. I do not understand Christmas. I understand energy.
Stress. Excitement. Tension. Chaos. I feel all of it.
When I get clingy, grumpy, zoomy, withdrawn or “a bit much”, I am not being naughty. I am coping. I am communicating. I am doing my best in a house that has turned into a festive obstacle course without warning.
What helps is you remembering me. Some peace and quiet, a bit of space away from the noise, the food and the flashing lights, and preferably several rooms between me and Uncle Dave. Something to chew, lick or sniff while the world loses its mind.
A normal walk. A tiny bit of training. Five minutes of calm that feels like before the tree arrived.
I love you. I really do.
I just need you to remember that while you are celebrating, relaxing and calling it “festive”, I am navigating Christmas nose first, with no context, no briefing, no written risk assessment and no understanding of why the furniture has changed, and the humans have started wearing hats, while processing twelve new smells, unpredictable noise, emotional adults, rogue sausages, blinking jumpers and the sudden appearance of Uncle Dave, all without the option to ask questions or leave politely.
Learn how winds change scent trails, why it confuses pet dogs, and when handlers and instructors should adapt, support, or call it off.
Trailing is already a thinking game for dogs. Add wind, and suddenly the neat, invisible ribbon of scent you imagined looks more like someone’s thrown a confetti cannon into a hurricane. At gusts, it isn’t just “harder” it’s a whole new environment. For new teams, for nervous dogs, and for handlers trying to make sense of it, strong wind can be a deal breaker.
So, let’s dig into what wind really does to scent, why some dogs hate the bluster, when it’s safe to try and when it’s best to pack up and have a cuppa instead.
The Science Bit 🤓What Wind Does to Scent
Scent doesn’t travel in a neat line down the pavement. Even on calm days it moves in plumes, swirls, and eddies. Add wind, and here’s what happens:
Turbulence shreds the plume: At high speeds, the scent breaks into filaments little pockets of scent separated by gaps of clean air (Celani et al., 2014). To a dog, it’s like reading a book with half the pages missing.
Dilution and lift: Wind whisks scent particles upward and outward, diluting them and carrying them metres (sometimes tens of metres) from the trail (Oklahoma State Extension, 2023). That’s why you’ll see dogs suddenly air-scenting or veering off what looks like “the line.”
Meandering & bending: Wind shifts direction constantly, causing scent to bend, twist, and even double back (Farrell et al., 2002). Dogs may pick up strong scent pockets that are nowhere near the actual path.
Intermittency = stop–start: Instead of a steady “signal,” dogs get bursts of odor followed by blanks. Many species (including dogs) respond with surge-and-cast behaviour: charge forward when scent is strong, then zig-zag crosswind when it drops out (Vergassola et al., 2007).
Why It’s Too Confusing for New Teams
The trail doesn’t “behave”. Beginners expect the dog to follow a line. Wind makes that impossible. Instead of smooth tracking, they see zig-zags, looping, overshooting, or suddenly lifting noses. Handler confidence tanks. New handlers think their dog is “wrong” rather than problem solving. That doubt feeds back to the dog, making the whole experience stressful.
Information overload. Both handler and dog are working much harder: the dog has to resample constantly, and the handler has to interpret subtle shifts.
Bottom line: strong wind isn’t fair on a green team. It’s like teaching someone to swim during a tidal wave.
Nervous Dogs and Wind
Wind doesn’t just scramble scent it changes the whole sensory environment. Many instructors (me included) use trailing to help nervous or reactive dogs build confidence. But wind throws in extra hurdles:
Sound distortion: Wind amplifies and carries noises in odd ways. A bin lid banging, branches creaking, or distant traffic can suddenly sound “close,” startling nervous dogs not just noise sensitive dogs. Visual movement: Flapping signs, blowing leaves, litter skittering down the road for anxious dogs, this constant motion is overwhelming.
Loss of smell security: Nervous dogs rely heavily on scent as an anchor. When wind scatters it, their “safety net” disappears. This can increase stress and make them abandon the search.
Some dogs simply don’t like the sensation of strong wind on their ears and body much like we find it exhausting to walk into a gale.
Dangers of Training in Strong Wind
Frustration: Dogs may become stressed when they can’t “solve” the trail, especially if they’re new or nervous.
Handler error: Confused handlers may unintentionally pressure dogs or misinterpret behaviours.
Physical risks: Flying debris, falling branches, or just being buffeted can make sessions unsafe.
Shorter trails: Keep trails short and achievable so the dog feels successful.
Pick locations wisely: Use sheltered areas (woods, hedgerows, behind buildings) to buffer gusts.
Watch body language: Look for signs of stress — tucked tail, scanning, abandoning the scent. That’s your cue to call it a day.
Build resilience gradually: Expose dogs to mild breezes before tackling storm-force gusts.
And sometimes the best advice is: don’t try at all. If the wind is dangerous or clearly overwhelming your dog, it’s kinder and more productive to postpone.
Trailing should build confidence, not chip away at it.
Think of it this way:
Calm day trailing = following a breadcrumb trail. Windy day trailing = trying to follow the smell of chips through a funfair while a leaf blower is strapped to your head.
No one enjoys that. Well… except maybe Dozer.
Wind is one of nature’s biggest curveballs in scent work. For experienced handlers and instructors, it can feel like an exciting test of adaptability and teamwork. But we must remember: our dogs are not operational, cherry-picked working dogs they’re pets learning a sport.
For new or nervous teams, strong wind can be overwhelming, confusing, and sometimes unsafe. This is where instructors and handlers alike need to check their egos. It isn’t about “proving” we can finish the trail. It’s about supporting the dog in front of us.
The best instructors and handlers know when to push on, when to adapt, and when to call it off. Because at the end of the day, the goal isn’t ticking a box it’s building confidence, problem solving skills, and the partnership between handler and dog. Sometimes the bravest, kindest choice is simply to wait for calmer skies.
At the end of the day, our dogs aren’t here to serve us, we’re here to support them. Think of yourself as your dog’s pit crew reading the conditions, adjusting the set up, stepping in when things get too tough, and cheering them on when they shine.
They don’t need to “prove” anything in a gale, and neither do we. That’s real teamwork, putting the dog first and making sure every trail, windy or calm, leaves them more confident than when they started.
Every year, the UK calendar is packed with firework nights Bonfire Night, New Year’s Eve, Diwali, summer festivals. For us, it’s a sparkle show. For dogs, it’s basically: “The world is ending, run for cover!”
And science backs this up: up to 50% of dogs show fear of fireworks and other loud noises (Tiira et al., 2016, Scientific Reports). The signs can range from trembling to chewing through doors in a desperate escape attempt. Not fun for them, not fun for you.
I hope this guide blends research, practical solutions, and a dash of humour to help you understand what’s going on in your dog’s head and what you can do to help.
Let’s start with why dogs are terrified of fireworks
1. Super-hearing = super awful
Dogs hear at much higher frequencies than humans (up to 65 kHz, compared to our 20 kHz). That “pop” you shrug at? To them, it’s like standing next to a cannon (Heffner, 1983, Behavioral and Neural Biology).
2. It’s not just noise
Yes, the bang is the main culprit, but fireworks are a multi-sensory nightmare:
Sudden bright flashes Vibrations in the ground and walls The chemical smell of smoke And crucially, unpredictability
Dogs don’t think “celebration.” They think “sky grenades.”
3. Surprise is everything
Thunder gives a build-up. Fireworks? Pure jump scare. Imagine Netflix turning your rom-com into a horror movie without warning.
4. Hardwired survival mode
Dogs evolved to react quickly to sudden loud noises in the wild, it could mean predators or danger. Their brain doesn’t know the difference between a predator and a Catherine wheel (Overall, 2013, Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats).
5. Memory that won’t quit
One bad firework experience and your dog files it under “Never Forget.” Next time, a flash or bang triggers panic before the actual noise even starts.
How common is this, really
Multiple population studies put noise sensitivity at roughly 32 to 39 percent of dogs, with fireworks commonly named, and with notable co occurrence alongside other fears.
Noise vs flashes: what science says
Studies consistently show that noise is the number one trigger (Sherman & Mills, 2008, Journal of Veterinary Behavior). Dogs are most distressed by the loud, sudden, unpredictable bangs.
But flashes, smells, and vibrations make things worse. Some dogs even learn to anticipate the bang after the flash cue more stress before the sound arrives. It’s rarely one or the other; it’s usually both working together to overwhelm your dog’s senses.
At its worst, dogs can injure themselves or develop long-term noise phobias (Blackwell et al., 2013, Applied Animal Behaviour Science).
The science of what works (and what doesn’t)
Research has actually compared different strategies. Here’s the breakdown (Riemer, 2020, Journal of Veterinary Behavior):
✔ Counterconditioning (bang = treat) – effective for 70%+ of dogs
✔ Desensitisation (gradual noise exposure) – works long-term if started early
✔ Relaxation training – helps dogs cope better in stressful moments
✔ Safe zones & sound masking – reduce stress load
✔ Pressure wraps (ThunderShirt) – mixed results, helps some dogs
✔ Medication (vet-prescribed) – very effective in severe cases
⚠ Herbal remedies, supplements, pheromone sprays – mixed or weak evidence. They may help mild cases, but they’re not a magic bullet.
Key principles science, and no myths!!
Fear is an emotion, not a trick When your dog is shaking, panting, and hiding under the table, they are not “being naughty” or “trying it on.” Fear is an emotional response driven by the limbic system, not a conscious choice. You cannot “reinforce” fear by offering comfort or food any more than you can make someone more terrified of spiders by giving them chocolate or a hug after they scream. Blackwell et al. (2013) and Sherman & Mills (2008) both emphasise noise fears as emotional states requiring support, not punishment. In Riemer (2020), owner reports showed counterconditioning literally feeding after bangs was one of the most effective strategies.
If food could reinforce fear, every time you handed someone popcorn during a horror movie, they’d become more terrified. Spoiler, they don’t.
Thresholds matter Dogs can only learn when they are under threshold. Once your dog is trembling so much they cannot eat, the learning train has left the station. You can’t do algebra on a rollercoaster. At that point, comfort, safety, and possibly medication are the only ethical options. Riemer (2023) stresses that desensitisation and counterconditioning must happen at levels that do not elicit panic.
Early practice changes brains Counterconditioning needs to start before the big bangs. Use TV recordings of fireworks, playlists on YouTube, or even video clips with both flash and sound. Start so low your dog barely notices, pair with treats, play, or calm petting. Slowly increase volume and intensity. Pavlov 101: Classical conditioning works by changing associations, not by bribing behaviour.
Think of it like chilli sauce. Start with mild salsa, not ghost peppers. Otherwise you end up with tears, snot, and regrets!
Comfort is not a crime Comforting a fearful dog does not make them “weaker.” Studies show dogs seek social support from humans in stressful situations, and our calm presence can reduce stress hormone levels (Mariti et al., 2012, Physiology & Behavior). You are their safe person. Be safe.
If your best friend is having a meltdown and you hand them a cup of tea, you don’t make them more likely to meltdown tomorrow. You just stop them from burning the house down tonight. Same with dogs.
Our three-stage survival plan
Stage 1: Prep (weeks before)
Build a safe zone Quiet room, blackout curtains, comfy bedding, white noise. Think luxury bunker, not prison cell. The more your dog learns to relax here in everyday life, the more effective it will be when fireworks kick off. Desensitisation & counterconditioning Firework playlist on whisper volume, food for calm behaviour, then slowly increasing over days or weeks.
Research shows counterconditioning (bang = treat/chicken) works in over 70% of cases (Riemer 2020). Humour note: Training during fireworks is not “surprise algebra,” it’s “tiny maths problems with sweets as prizes.” Keep it small and sweet. Relaxation cue Teach your dog to settle on a mat with a calm word. It sounds twee, but research backs this up (Riemer 2020 69% owner-reported effectiveness).
Think yoga class, but with fewer leggings and more liver treats. Introduce calming aids early ThunderShirts, Adaptil diffusers, Zylkene supplements. Introduce them during chill times, not five minutes before the sky explodes.
Logistics Walk and feed before dark, check ID tags, update microchips, and for dogs who go nuclear, get vet-prescribed medication ahead of time. Trial it on a quiet night so you don’t discover side effects mid-finale.
Stage 2: During the fireworks
Stay calm yourself Dogs read our body language and emotions. If you’re leaping around yelling “IT’S OKAY, IT’S OKAY,” your dog will think you’ve lost the plot. Breathe, sit, and be boringly calm. Allow hiding Don’t drag them from their den. Hiding is a natural coping strategy. They are not being “antisocial,” they are being smart survivalists. Use counterconditioning, if possible If your dog is calm enough to eat, use “bang = cheese.” Research says this shifts emotional responses over time (Riemer 2020).
If your dog won’t eat, stop trying. At that point, the brain is in panic mode and learning is paused.
Trying to train when your dog is over threshold is like handing someone a sandwich mid-bungee jump. Nice thought, wrong timing.
Distract before with enrichment Puzzle feeders, stuffed Kongs, lick mats. The act of licking and chewing activates calming pathways in the brain (Horowitz et al., 2019). Mask the noise Classical music, white noise, or TV can reduce the starkness of bangs (Kogan et al., 2012). Medication if needed For dogs that melt down, this is not failure, it’s welfare. Research shows medication is effective and humane when fears are severe (Sherman & Mills, 2008).
Stage 3: After
Recovery time
When the bangs finally stop, your dog’s body doesn’t flick a switch back to calm. During fireworks their system floods with adrenaline (for immediate fight or flight) and cortisol (the stress hormone that lingers). Adrenaline burns off within minutes to hours, but cortisol can stay elevated for up to 48–72 hours in dogs, which means their brain and body may not return to homeostasis (normal balance) straight away. Some dogs shake it off quickly, others need a couple of quiet days to reset. During this period, keep routines predictable, avoid extra stressors, and add gentle, sniffy walks that allow decompression without pressure.
Review what worked
Once your dog is calmer, take stock. Did they eat? Did the safe zone help? Did enrichment hold their attention? Make notes now so you can refine your plan for next year instead of winging it again when rockets start flying.
Seek help if it’s escalating
If your dog isn’t bouncing back, or each year seems worse, that’s your sign to get support. Early intervention prevents entrenched noise phobias. Reward-based behaviourists and vets can help design tailored plans and if medication is needed, it’s a welfare tool, not a failure.
Think of it like your dog had a wild night out they never wanted. While you’re ready to move on, their brain chemistry is still hungover. Dim the lights, keep things chill, and don’t invite them to karaoke just yet.
Final word
Fireworks won’t go away, but fear doesn’t have to rule your dog’s life. The recipe is simple: start early, stay calm, use science, and ignore old myths.
Your dog is not being dramatic. To them, fireworks are sky grenades, alien lasers, and smoke bombs rolled into one. Their logic is simple: bunker down until the world stops exploding. Our job is to help them feel safe, build new positive associations, and have medical backup when needed.
Mantrailing, the practice of using a dog’s extraordinary sense of smell to locate a specific person by following their unique scent trail, it has evolved from an essential tool for search and rescue to an exciting activity for pet owners. While professional mantrailing is widely known in fields like law enforcement and search and rescue operations, pet mantrailing allows regular dog owners to tap into their dogs’ innate abilities, turning it into a stimulating and fun exercise.
The Science Behind Mantrailing
Mantrailing is based on the fact that humans constantly shed skin cells, sweat, and other tiny particles that contain our individual scent profile. These scent particles, called rafts, float through the air and settle on the ground, creating a trail that a dog’s acute sense of smell can detect and follow.
Dogs have one of the most powerful olfactory systems in the animal kingdom, with 200 to 300 million scent receptors, compared to a human’s mere 5 million. Additionally, the part of a dog’s brain dedicated to processing smells is 40 times larger than in humans, enabling them to identify individual scents in a highly complex scent environment. This means that dogs can follow a specific person’s trail even in places where other humans or animals have been, and over various terrains such as forests, fields, and urban environments.
When a dog engages in mantrailing, it works by distinguishing the specific scent of the target person from all other smells in the environment. Dogs trained in mantrailing can follow these scent particles even hours or days after the person has passed through an area, as long as the environmental conditions such as wind, temperature, and humidity have not completely dispersed the scent.
The Origins of Mantrailing
Mantrailing as a practice has roots in early human history, but it became formalised as a technique in the 19th century. Bloodhounds, with their highly developed sense of smell, were used extensively in Europe for tracking escaped prisoners and lost individuals. Their natural tracking abilities made them highly effective in law enforcement and rescue missions.
One of the earliest recorded uses of mantrailing in a professional capacity was in Scotland in the 1800s, where Bloodhounds were employed to trail criminals. Around the same time, in the United States, Bloodhounds were famously used to track runaway slaves and later criminals. The technique spread rapidly across the world, becoming an essential tool in police work and search and rescue efforts.
Over time, other breeds, including German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, and Labrador Retrievers, have been trained for mantrailing due to their strong scent detection abilities and intelligence. In recent years, mantrailing has moved beyond law enforcement and search and rescue to become a popular sport and recreational activity for pet owners.
Sport Mantrailing: A Modern Twist on an Ancient Skill
In sport mantrailing, regular pet dogs, rather than professional working dogs are trained to follow a specific human scent for recreational purposes. This form of mantrailing harnesses a dog’s natural scent-tracking instincts and channels them into an enjoyable and mentally stimulating activity.
While sport mantrailing is grounded in the same principles as professional mantrailing, it is often less formal and rigorous. Instead of searching for missing persons, dogs in pet mantrailing typically follow the scent of person just hiding. Sport mantrailing has become popular in Europe, particularly in Germany and the United Kingdom, where organised clubs and training courses have sprung up to teach dogs and their owners how to engage in the activity.
The Training Process
Training a dog for pet mantrailing starts with introducing the dog to a scent article, such as a piece of clothing that has been worn by the target person. The scent article contains the specific odour particles that the dog will be tasked with following. The dog then learns to search for the person who left the scent, starting with short, simple trails and gradually progressing to longer and more complex ones.
The key to successful mantrailing lies in a positive reinforcement training approach. Dogs are rewarded with treats, toys, or praise when they successfully locate the person they are trailing. This motivates them to engage in the activity with enthusiasm and improves their scent discrimination abilities.
Benefits of Sport Mantrailing
Sport mantrailing provides numerous benefits for both dogs and their owners:
Mental Stimulation: Dogs need mental challenges to stay happy and healthy, and mantrailing offers a perfect way to engage their brain. The process of searching for and following a scent requires intense focus, which helps tire them out mentally.
Physical Exercise: In addition to engaging a dog’s brain, mantrailing also provides physical exercise, as the dog has to move through different environments, sometimes at a fast pace, while following the scent trail.
Strengthens the Dog-Owner Bond: Mantrailing is a cooperative activity between the dog and its handler. It fosters a strong sense of teamwork, as the dog learns to rely on its handler’s cues while the handler learns to trust the dog’s scent detection abilities.
Confidence Building: Mantrailing can boost a dog’s confidence, particularly for shy or anxious dogs. Successfully finding the person at the end of the trail gives dogs a sense of accomplishment and encourages them to rely on their natural instincts.
All Breeds Can Participate: While professional mantrailing often focuses on breeds known for their scenting abilities (like Bloodhounds or German Shepherds), pet mantrailing is open to all breeds and sizes. From small terriers to large retrievers, any dog can enjoy mantrailing with the right training.
The Role of Scent and Environmental Factors
While dogs’ noses are incredibly powerful, the environment plays a significant role in their mantrailing success. Factors like wind direction, humidity, temperature, and the presence of other animals can influence how a dog follows a trail.
Wind can carry scent particles over long distances, helping or hindering a dog’s ability to detect the trail. A light breeze can help spread the scent in a way that is easier for the dog to follow, while strong winds may scatter scent particles in multiple directions, making the trail more challenging.
Humidity helps to preserve scent particles in the environment, making it easier for dogs to follow older trails. Dry conditions, on the other hand, can cause the scent to dissipate more quickly.
Temperature also impacts scent detection. Cooler temperatures tend to preserve scent longer, while hotter conditions can cause scent particles to rise and disperse more quickly.
Understanding these environmental factors is crucial for pet owners who want to engage in mantrailing, as it helps them work with their dog more effectively.
Summary
Sport mantrailing is a fascinating and enriching activity that allows dogs to use their natural abilities while providing physical and mental stimulation. Rooted in centuries of professional use, the modern adaptation of mantrailing for pets opens up new possibilities for dog owners to bond with their pets and engage in a fun, team-based activity. From its origins in law enforcement and search and rescue to its current role as a recreational activity for dog lovers worldwide, mantrailing continues to showcase the extraordinary capabilities of canine olfaction, offering benefits for both dogs and humans alike.
Our dogs are not immune to stress. Just like humans, they can experience a range of emotional and physiological changes when faced with stressors. As responsible pet owners, it’s crucial to recognise these signs and understand the underlying science behind stress in dogs. Failure to recognise these very often leads to trigger stacking. (Check out our previous blog)
When dogs encounter stress, their bodies release stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones trigger various physiological changes that impact their behaviour and overall well-being. A study conducted by Beerda et al. (1999) found that stress in dogs can lead to increased heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate. Additionally, elevated cortisol levels can affect the immune system and impair digestion, contributing to a host of health issues.
Some Behavioural Signals of Stress in Dogs:
Excessive Barking or Howling: Stressed dogs may resort to excessive vocalisation as a way to express their anxiety or discomfort.
Pacing or Restlessness: Restlessness, pacing back and forth, or an inability to settle down can indicate heightened stress levels in dogs.
Excessive Panting or Drooling: When dogs are stressed, they may exhibit increased panting or drooling, as these physiological responses help regulate their body temperature during stressful situations.
Tail Tucking between the Legs: A tucked tail is often a clear sign of fear or anxiety in dogs. It indicates their desire to withdraw or protect themselves from the stressor.
Dilated Pupils: Stress can cause a dog’s pupils to dilate as a result of the increased release of adrenaline, preparing their bodies for a potential threat.
Excessive Scratching or Licking: Stressed dogs may engage in excessive scratching or licking, as stress can trigger skin sensitivities and allergies.
Reduced Appetite or Sudden Weight Loss: Just like humans, dogs may experience a loss of appetite or sudden weight loss during stressful periods. Stress can affect their digestive system, leading to decreased interest in food.
Aggression or Growling: Stress can manifest as aggression or growling in dogs. This behaviour serves as a defensive mechanism to protect themselves from perceived threats.
Trembling or Shaking: Trembling or shaking is a common physical manifestation of stress in dogs, indicating their heightened emotional state.
Excessive Yawning: Dogs may yawn excessively when under stress. Yawning in this context is not necessarily due to tiredness but rather as a coping mechanism to release tension.
Hiding or Seeking Solitude: Stressed dogs may seek isolation or hide in confined spaces as a way to cope with stressors.
Excessive Shedding: Increased shedding can be a sign of stress in dogs, as the body responds to stress by shedding hair more rapidly.
Excessive Vocalization: Some dogs may become vocal when stressed, whining or whimpering to express their discomfort.
Destructive Behavior: Stress can lead to destructive behaviour in dogs, such as chewing on furniture, shoes, or other objects, as a way to alleviate their anxiety.
Excessive Lethargy: While some dogs may become restless when stressed, others may display excessive lethargy, appearing sluggish or uninterested in their usual activities.
Excessive Licking of Lips: Stressed dogs may frequently lick their lips or nose as a self-soothing behaviour to relieve stress.
Frantic neediness: trying to climb up you jumping up, over friendly clingy behaviours.
Excessive Salivation: Excessive salivation, often resulting in the dog having a wet or foamy mouth, can be a sign of stress or anxiety.
Sudden Changes in Bathroom Habits: Stress can cause dogs to have accidents indoors or experience changes in their bathroom habits, such as increased frequency or difficulty urinating or defecating.
Avoidance Behavior: Stressed dogs may actively avoid certain people, places, or situations that they associate with stress, seeking to distance themselves from potential stressors.
Recognising these behavioral signals is vital, as it allows us to address the underlying causes of stress in our dogs. Some common stressors for dogs include changes in their environment, separation anxiety, lack of physical or mental stimulation, noise phobias, or unfamiliar situations.
To alleviate stress in dogs, it’s essential to provide a safe and stress-free environment that meets their physical and emotional needs. This can include regular exercise, mental stimulation, a consistent routine, positive reinforcement training
Understanding the signs of stress in dogs is crucial for their overall well-being. By recognising these behavioural signals and addressing the underlying causes, we can help our dogs lead happier and healthier lives. Remember, each dog is unique, and stress manifests differently in individuals. If you suspect your dog is experiencing stress, consult a professional to develop a tailored approach that suits their specific needs. Let’s prioritise the mental and emotional health of our dogs!
References:
Beerda, B., Schilder, M. B., van Hooff, J. A., de Vries, H. W., & Mol, J. A. (1999). Chronic stress in dogs subjected to social and spatial restriction. II. Hormonal and immunological responses. Physiology & Behavior, 66(2), 243-254. doi: 10.1016/s0031-9384(98)00327-7
Last night, my adorable dog Dozer suddenly transformed into a completely different creature. He exhibited reactive behaviour, which is not typical of him at all. We were sitting in a pub, patiently waiting for our food, when someone walked past with another dog. Normally, this wouldn’t have fazed him, but this time he abruptly lunged forward, barking so loudly that it startled everyone around us. His barking persisted, and we had to remove him from the room and take him outside. This is completely out of character for our baby Dozer.
So, what caused this sudden change? The answer is trigger stacking. Our recent experiences have been quite eventful as we are currently staying in a hotel near Southampton. While it sounds lovely, the past few days have been filled with various stressors for Dozer. It all started five days ago when we were still in Waxham, in our caravan. Thomas, who Dozer loves left to go home, and our pup began searching for him during every walk. Then, during a lunch outing, a dog sitting at the next table stared intently at Dozer, making him feel unsettled. Following that, we experienced three storm fronts with thunder throughout the night, which is never pleasant when living in a caravan.
The next morning, strong winds with 30mph gusts caused our awning to start separating from the caravan. We had to frantically empty its contents and take it down in high winds, creating a lot of noise and chaos. While we were finishing packing away tables and chairs, Dozer was let out to investigate. Unfortunately, in the mess, I accidentally trapped my finger in a folding table, causing a painful injury to my finger and blood to pour everywhere. Dozer became stressed and began to jump up at me almost trying to climb up me after sniffing all of the blood. The following night brought another storm, and yesterday morning, we embarked on a long five-hour drive to Southampton through horrendous weather. Arriving late at the hotel, Dozer, who had never been in a hotel before, couldn’t settle down. He spent most of the night pacing and grumbling at every noise.
All of these stressors and changes have been too much for my sweet Dozer to handle and recover from. Sometimes life becomes difficult to control, and our dogs struggle to keep up with the fast pace. This is my apology to my beloved dog and my confession of feeling like a less-than-perfect caretaker.
So what exactly is trigger stacking?
Trigger stacking in dogs occurs when multiple stressors or triggers accumulate, overwhelming the dog’s coping mechanisms and resulting in an exaggerated or inappropriate response. Similar to humans, dogs can experience stress from various sources like loud noises, unfamiliar environments, changes in routine, and interactions with other animals or people.
When a dog faces multiple stressors in a short period, these triggers can accumulate and have a cumulative effect. For instance, if a dog is already anxious due to a thunderstorm and then encounters a stranger entering their home, their reaction may be more intense compared to experiencing only one stressor at a time. This is because each trigger adds to the dog’s overall stress level, making it challenging for them to remain calm.
During trigger stacking, the body releases adrenaline and cortisol, stress hormones that prepare the dog for a fight-or-flight response. It takes time for these hormones to return to normal levels, and the dog’s body to reach homeostasis. This is why it’s crucial to manage trigger stacking and prevent it from occurring in the first place.
Once we are back home, I will give Dozer a few days of normality to allow his cortisol levels to reduce (which can take up to 3 days). After that, I will gradually reintroduce him to pubs and cafes, taking small steps to ensure he doesn’t generalise his behaviour to all eating places. It is important to plan and organize this process carefully. If I miss the signs of him becoming uneasy and allow him to become overwhelmed to the point of reacting with an outburst, we risk creating a pattern.
Although trigger stacking led to this behaviour, in Dozer’s mind, barking and lunging were attempts to make the other dog go away. By removing him from the situation, this goal was achieved. I’m not suggesting that we should have moved him outside to calm down because we most certainly should have, but rather pointing out that mismanaging the situation could create a pattern where Dozer believes barking and lunging leads to the removal of the perceived threat.
This is often where reactive behaviour starts. Owners may either avoid the situation entirely, which means the dog never learns how to react appropriately other than barking and lunging, or they continue to expose the dog to the situation but in excessive amounts, resulting in a cycle of bark-lunge-removal. This can be incredibly frustrating for both the owner and the dog.
To visualize the situation, imagine it as a game of buckeroo, with the original trigger being the full load that causes the donkey to buck. To start, we need to have just one or two items on the saddle, then stop and give time between sessions to remove the items and allow your dog to process and recover.
Remember, each dog is unique, so it’s always recommended to consult with a professional dog trainer or behaviourist who can provide personalised guidance and support based on your dog’s specific needs
Mantrailing is like no other activity or sport that you can take part in with your pet dog. It is completely unique dog training in many ways but quite interestingly, it can help solve a number of unwanted behavioural problems that may challenge your every day life with your dog such as fear, hyperactivity, phobias, stress, anxiety, reactivity and aggression.
Mantrailing is allowing the dog to make the right choices independently and will be much more satisfying and prioritising the preferred habits in the brain. It has the effect that over time, it changes unwanted habitual behavior and shapes new behavior that is the final, desired goal. It interrupts and redirects unwanted dog behavior, will give the dog satisfaction and can be therapeutic. This, in turn, will provide various benefits and will give you and the dog more confidence and stress free experiences.
These dog behaviours can lead to you becoming extremely isolated with your dog and having stressful and disappointing experiences and missing out on taking part in various activities or even simple dog walks.
Mantrailing is the ultimate sport for turning a pessimist into an optimist!
It is one of the very few sports where the dog can work freely and the handler can enjoy watching their dog work. It is all about putting the dog in control and the handlers taking a back seat and watching how the dog works tricky trails out themselves. Through this, the handler learns to read the dogs body language, which creates a great bond and ultimately will equate to further progression in their behavioural and every-day training.
By taking part in Mantrailing, both you and your dog become a team – the best team imaginable! You will achieve success after success together, getting a buzz each time a missing person is found.
This will also help with building the dog’s confidence and self-esteem up in a very short period of time. It helps the dog to become less stressed, relax, learn a new game and have endless fun along the way. By working as a team, the dog will naturally want to engage with their handler and learn.
A dog’s nose dominates its brain, so naturally Mantrailing provides mental, intellectual stimulation for your dog, providing an exceptional workout for the brain, tiring them out without the need for physical exercise. This is perfect for dogs that are still bouncing around the house after endless walks, puppies, elderly dogs or dogs that are unable to complete as much physical exercise for one reason or another.
“It is invaluable dog training.”
It´s not competitive or over arousing like some other dog sports. It is fantastic at getting the dogs to solve problems, which in turn will build confidence and make the dog more likely to respond to behavioural modification training as the dog will want to engage and learn. This will help to change the dog’s reaction to certain situations such as a person, a dog, another animal or person.
“By making Mantrailing the best game ever, we change the priorities for the dog.”
Behaviour, that has become habitual for the dog, such as chasing a runner or barking at another dog, can be challenging to reverse. By making Mantrailing, which is a natural game, more fun, exciting and rewarding, we are changing the priorities for the dog. All over sudden, chasing that bike isn´t as important as following the trail that leads to receiving the best reward. A lot of dogs find trailing rewarding in itself.
Once the dog understands the concept of Mantrailing, which happens usually within the first session, there is no stopping them from doing their ‘job’. The dogs are extremely intent on following the trail to find their missing person, that whatever or whoever gets in their way is completely ignored. This has, for expample, enabled dog reactive dogs to ignore any other dogs on or near their trail.
Nervous dogs have been brave enough to pass objects or scenarios they once wouldn’t pass or take food from strangers that they might not normally approach.
Olfaction is believed to be the dogs’ most powerful and perhaps important sense. Their sensory world is impressively different from ours, they observe their world through relentless sniffing and scent discrimination. Dogs can have up to 300 million olfactory cells, whereas us humans have only about 15 million.
“It is believed that they can detect a tea spoon of sugar in an olympic sized pool.”
Canine olfaction is a growing area of scientific investigation and there are many new applications surfacing every year. The dogs’ brain is build around the information it gets from scent which is closely linked to emotions. Endorphins are chemicals that are produced in the brain during times of stimulation and excitement, they create feelings of calmness and happiness and decrease stress and anxiety.
When endorphin levels are too low the dog is likely to feel under a lot of stress, which can result in undesired or obsessive behaviours that the dogs use as a mechanism to cope. Anything that induces pain or excitement boosts endorphin levels, so a dog could chew his own paw, spin, or chase shadows all day as their way of creating enough endorphins for normal function.
The more the brain can be engaged and challenged with new behaviours, the more relaxed and content the dog will be. Stimulating the dog mentally and physically can help it cope with lower than average levels of endorphins being produced.
So what are you waiting for? Get trailing!
To find out more about Mantrailing and how to get involved, visit our events page or join our Facebook group “Mantrailing Association UK”
The UK as the animal loving nation that is it known for has lead the way in animal welfare changes for the last century, so you would anticipate the statistics regarding animal welfare issues to have decreased with it?. However between 2013 and 2015 3000 people were convicted of animal cruelty but only 7 % of these received a custodial sentence. (RSPCA 2018) in 2018 the RSPCA rescued more than 102900 animals and investigated a total of 130700 cruelty complaints only 1678 of these cases resulted in prosecution. So have the changes in legislation helped pet welfare?
A BBC report
stated that in 2009 Battersea Dogs home euthanized a total of 2815 dogs 1931 of
these for behavioural and temperament issues. BBC (2010),
Are the laws
promoting awareness or are they part of the problem?
As The Animal Welfare Act 2006 now pushes the responsibility for duty of care,
more and more people are seeking the help of ‘professionals’ as the vast
majority of dog owners are aware that training and exercise are vital to ensure
a well balanced happy dog that can be integrated into society.
So why are there so many dogs that need help
with behaviour problems. The canine world is a confusing place, for dogs, owners
and people that work within it. Media ‘experts’ are all over our screens now,
each dishing out their own approach to solving problems. This is still an
unregulated field and there is no single professional governing body to ensure
certain standards are adhered to. In the hands of an inexperienced or misled professional
the very issues the dogs are displaying can become exaggerated to the point the
dog is surrendered and or put to sleep.
Under the Animal Welfare act this ‘professional’ does have an obligation to work within the guide lines of this law. So any walker, pet sitter, trainer or behaviourist that works with a dog has a responsibility for not only the dog, but also its actions whilst under their instruction! They also have a duty of care to ensure the dogs welfare needs are met and that it does not unnecessarilysuffer. While working with a fearful dog if the wrong approach is taken or the correct programme rushed the dog could very likely be subjected to unnecessary suffering in the form of stress or fear, and the ‘professional’ will be held responsible for it. This responsibility reaches further than just the basic needs of the dog. The Control of Dogs Order 1992, states a collar must be worn with adequate detail whilst the dog is in a public place if the dog has no owner details whilst in the custody of a another person then they will be accountable. As is the same under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 section 3 clearly states that a dangerously out of control dog in public place is a criminal offence and whomever is in charge of the dog at the time will be deemed accountable for its actions.
“BUT MY DOG WOULDN’T HURT ANYONE” I hear you say and you are probably correct however you need to understand what defines a dog as dangerously out of control. The Control of dogs order defines a dangerously out of control dog as:
A dog
that not just injures someone which you would expect but one that a person has grounds for
reasonable apprehension that it may do so. The implications of this are momentous,
if training or walking a reactive dog a member of the public comes to close and
the dog lunges barking at them even though they have not made contact with that
person and the situation has been controlled very quickly, The dog can still be
reported as it could be deemed to have caused the person a reasonable
apprehension that it may injure them. This could lead to the dog being seized. Even something
as everyday as a dog chasing, barking or jumping up at someone could lead to a
complaint. If the dog happened to break free and injure a member of the public
during a session this would mean the dog may never be returned home to it family
and could very likely be destroyed.
Safety and understanding of the implication of the law need to be the main priority for anyone working with dogs. Ability to interpret canine body language and continually managing the environment you are working within will reduce the risks and likelihood of any incident happening.
Professionals taking money for services from the public have a duty of care not only to ensure they abide by the law but they understand the implication if things go wrong and to also explain and assist you the owner as the same situation could quite easily happen. Did you know that your dog jumping up to say hello could get your lovable pup reported as a dangerous dog more importantly does the person you are paying know!
BBC (2010) Press Office, Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk (Accessed:
28/05/2019).
RSPCA. (2019) Facts and figures, Available at: http://www.rspca.org.uk (Accessed:
28/05/2019).
the national archives (2019) The Dangerous dogs act 1991, Available
at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk (Accessed: 25/05/2019).
UK SCENT SPORT 