Understanding Threshold

Threshold and Related Concepts

Videos:

Threshold is the imaginary line at which a dog (or human) has an emotional reaction to a thing, or trigger.

Threshold categories are separated into three levels:

Below Threshold: Trigger is barely noticed.

  • Body is loose, face is relaxed, eyes soft
  • Can take treats and give you attention 
  • Can do simple skills he knows on cue (sit, touch, etc.)

At Threshold: Keeping an eye on the trigger.

  • Body is still somewhat loose, but becoming more alert
  • Ears may be forward, tail higher or lower than normal
  • Mouth may be closed, eyes more focused
  • Can still give you attention, but not fully engaged, and may begin to take treats with a “hard” mouth (nippy)
  • Can still respond to cues, but may be slow and/or incomplete
  • May exhibit subtle stress signs, such as lip licks, yawning, shaking (as if to shake off water), sneezing, sniffing the ground and checking out/licking his genitals

Over Threshold: Body and brain are consumed with the trigger.

  • Body is stiff, ears back, face tight; may have hackles raised (the fur on his neck)
  • Mouth might be closed tightly
  • Tail may be tucked, or straight up, wagging in a tight, furious arc (called “flagging”)
  • Eyes wide/showing a lot of white (“whale eye”), or hard and staring
  • May bark, lunge, snarl, snap, or growl,
  • May try to advance, retreat or freeze
  • May seem overly excited/happy/eager, unable to control himself
  • Can’t take treats (or will spit them out)
    • He can’t give you any attention or respond to cues

It’s crucial to remember that a dog who is over threshold is not in control of the “thinking” part of his brain. He is flooded with emergency hormones like cortisol, and his brain’s total focus is safety. This might be getting away from the trigger, fighting the trigger, or, in the case of over exuberance, engaging socially with the trigger. He’s not being disobedient, stubborn or stupid. He has zero choice in his reactions, just as you have no control when the hair on your arms stands up when you see something scary, or your foot slams on the brake and your heart pounds when someone cuts you off in traffic. The dog who’s over threshold isn’t giving you a hard time. He’s having a hard time.

Good learning happens best below threshold. Once the dog is in the over threshold state of survival, all he learns is how icky it feels. The next time he’s in a similar situation, the memory automatically returns, along with the negative feelings he had the first time. That’s why reactions to the same trigger tend to increase over time, and why it’s best to keep our dogs under threshold as much as possible.

Thresholds vary for every dog, and will also change day to day, situation to situation. Watching and understanding your foster dog’s body language will give you clues about how he’s feeling at any given moment.

Recovery Time. If a dog has gone over threshold, how long does it take him to recover? It depends.

Recovery time varies from event to event, depending upon the perceived threat/desire of the trigger, the corresponding emotion the dog feels, and the level of cortisol in his brain.

For example, if you’re driving and an oncoming car is in your lane and a head-on collision is narrowly avoided, your body will be flooded with stress hormones. It will likely take time for you to recover and feel good again. If you’re in a parking lot and stop an errant grocery cart from hitting your car, you’ll likely recover quite quickly.

If you are afraid of snakes and find one in your bed, it will likely take your heart rate a very long time to return to normal after the snake is dispatched. However, if your best friend thinks snakes are fun, finding one in his bed may result in an “oooh, how cute!” reaction, with no flood of cortisol or panicked screams.

Cumulative Stress / Trigger Stacking

If a dog has many triggers, cortisol levels may never return to normal. This creates a continual state of emotional and physical discomfort and stress. Chronic levels of stress hormones are unhealthy, and prevent the dog from learning, choosing good behaviors, or feeling safe.

Video: Trigger Stacking & Stress Hormones

Copyright 2025, Jeanne Spreen and Angela Amundson. All rights reserved. Please ask us before reproducing in any way. Please link to the articles rather than copying content to your site. Thank you.

DISCLAIMER: These materials are provided for informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute professional veterinary, behavioral, or legal advice. Users should consult with qualified professionals before implementing any training technique that may affect the health, safety, or wellbeing of any animal or person.

By using these materials, you acknowledge and agree that:

  1. Dog training involves inherent risks, including but not limited to, physical injury to humans and animals, property damage, and emotional distress.
  2. Each dog is unique and may respond differently to training techniques.
  3. Golden Bond Retriever Rescue cannot guarantee the safety, effectiveness, or results of any training method described in these materials.
  4. You assume full responsibility for assessing the appropriateness of any training technique for your specific situation.

Golden Bond Retriever Rescue hereby expressly disclaims all liability for any injuries, damages, or losses of any kind that may occur to any person, animal, or property as a result of using, implementing, or following any techniques, methods, guidance, instructions, or recommendations contained herein.