Blog — Holistic Dog Training

Somatic Safety & Consent Checklist Use this checklist to monitor the "Window of Tolerance" for both yourself and your dog during somatic sessions. 1. The "Opt-In" Signals (Green Light) These indicators suggest the nervous system is regulated and open to learning or connection. The "Soft Eye": Pupils are normal size (not dilated) and the gaze is relaxed rather than fixated. The Shake-Off: A full-body shake (like drying off from water) after an intense exercise; this signifies the successful discharge of arousal. Weight Shift: The dog shifts its weight into its hindquarters or leans its body weight into your touch. The...

When a dog is in an appeasement state, they are essentially saying: “I’m not a threat. Please don’t hurt me. I’m safe.” This can look like licking, yawning, rolling over, crouching, soft eye contact, or submissive urination. While these behaviors might look “calm” to us, the dog’s body is working overtime behind the scenes. 1. Stress hormones are running the show Even if a dog looks relaxed, the sympathetic nervous system or dorsal vagal system may be activated. This keeps adrenaline and cortisol circulating, which burns energy quickly. The dog is expending calories just to maintain a posture of “I’m safe,”...

  When the Student is Ready, the Teacher Appears It’s worth asking an honest question: Does your dog ever push your buttons? Do you find yourself having reactions that feel bigger than the situation calls for—frustration that escalates quickly, or moments where you feel unexpectedly overwhelmed or triggered? If so, you’re not alone. When Behavior Feels Personal Living closely with a dog creates a constant feedback loop. Your dog is responding to your cues, your energy, your patterns—and at the same time, their behavior can bring things to the surface for you. Reactions that feel immediate or intense are often...

If you have an anxious or overstimulated dog, pause for a moment and consider this: Talking without touch can be overwhelming. It often adds confusion and activates the sympathetic nervous system—the very state your dog is already struggling with. But touch without talk? That can be deeply soothing. It has the potential to quiet an overactive mind and bring both of you back to center. That said, not all touch is created equal. Petting is often done absentmindedly—or worse, as a way to meet our own need for comfort or validation. Dogs feel that. They don’t just experience your hands—they...

  The polyvagal theory implies that more attention needs to be paid to the development of interventions that either promote activation of the social vagus or dampen sympathetic tone. One major implication is the need to pay closer attention the therapeutic use of play, rough and tumble behaviors that serve as preliminary exercises to develop adaptive defensive and aggressive behaviors, as a means of shifting people [and dogs] out of fight-or-flight reactions into loving and mutually engaged mobilization. --Bessel A. van der Kolk, in the foreword to: The Polyvagal Theory by Dr. Stephen W. Porges Play as Connection and Regulation Mirroring...