Blog — Threat Threshold

  The number one goal of any “behavior modification” plan I write for a dog is to create autonomic flexibility.  For a dog who has experienced a specific trauma, or one who has lived in chronic stress for long periods of time (like at a shelter) their nervous system may be somewhat “stuck” in sympathetic arousal. Or, depending on their temperament and how they deal with stress, they could potentially spend weeks or even months in a state of shut-down (appearing aloof, depressed, dissociated). They might even flip-flop between these two states, going from one extreme to another.  Humans often...

Sentinel Trauma is a one-time learning event which can leave a permanent imprint on the autonomic nervous system.    According to Dr. Stephen Porges, Sentinel Trauma is a single overwhelming event which the body-brain registers as life-threatening. This could be an accident, an assault, or a medical crisis. It is an "one-trial imprint" which results is the sudden re-calibration of autonomic state and neuroception. Sentinel Trauma is distinct from chronic stress and complex trauma. It is also separate from fear conditioning, which requires repetition. Sentinel Trauma, like Conditioned Taste Aversion, is a one-trial learning event which is highly resistant to...

  What is Biophilic Design?    Biophilic design is a concept that incorporates nature into the built environment to enhance the connection between people and the natural world, thereby improving physical, mental, and emotional well-being. This is achieved by integrating elements like natural light, vegetation, water features, and natural materials, as well as using designs that mimic natural forms, patterns, and spaces.    Many thanks to Dr. Niki Elliott who gave a very insightful presentation at the Polyvagal Institute gathering. I was especially interested in the concept of Biophilic Design as it relates to dogs and their nervous system regulation....

  When I was first learning about dogs from my mentor, he taught me that a dog's temperament is based on their "prey threshold" i.e. what types of prey they are genetically programmed to hunt. So bird dogs have a certain temperament because they are tuned to birds (soft mouth). And you can imagine a bulldog, grabbing and holding onto the bull (hard mouth) and what kind of temperament and drive is required of that particular dog. And so on and so forth, in this way we account for all the different types of hunting dogs and their different types...