How Muggins’s reactive behavior triggered my PTSD…

Hello collaborators!

One day last year, I was walking Muggins in the park and another human, whom I had met before, saw us and wanted to say hello with her dog. I tried to ask for space, but she was too far away and moving quickly toward us, intent on this friendly greeting.

As she approached, I felt overwhelmed and Muggins started pulling and lunging. Muggins’s pulling jerked my body and he could not look at me or listen to my cues. My needs for body autonomy, and being seen and heard were not being met, which led to a profound feeling of fear as I perceived my need for safety also not being met. As my body shifted into a fight response, I pleaded with the other human to “Please stop coming close to us!” and I growled at Muggins to “stop pulling me!” Then flight took over and I turned and yanked Muggins to follow me as we escaped the unpredictable and terrifying park.

Image shows a human dressed in blue and black plaid with a blue ball cap, holding the end of a brown leash. At the other end is a large black-and-white dog, pulling to see something ahead.

I am a person labeled with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And I felt completely hopeless, like I had no control and had lost my sense of self, when Muggins’s behavior would trigger a trauma response.

Fortunately, I was able to find support. Through cultivating awareness of my feelings and associated behaviors, I was able to recognize how Muggins’s reactivity was triggering my body to remember experiences in the past when my survival was threatened, and I acknowledged that my body was surging into a state designed to survive those past experiences, which prevented me from accessing the part of my brain that could help me communicate clearly and identify alternative options in my present situation with Muggins.

But what did I DO about it?

Learning to navigate these unexpected social interactions with Muggins was 1): developing skills to care for my nervous system in a way that supported me in staying grounded before, during, and after walks with Muggins,
and 2): developing skills to help Muggins’s nervous system stay grounded before, during, and after walks.
And, because Muggins and I are both animal beings who live in the same home, the actions that help me stay grounded are the same actions that help Muggins stay grounded. That’s the magic of co-regulation!

CO-REGULATION COACHING

Here is some of the actions Muggins and I take to co-regulate:

go to bed and wake up around the same time every day
stop what we are doing and eat as soon as we are hungry
sit together and breathe at least once per day
check in with each other during walks to grab a drink and check our surroundings
(try to) remember what we are ready for and what we are not, and don’t push ourselves past what we are capable of
say “no” to social interactions that feel overwhelming or out of control
play together every day

WANT TO LEARN TO CO-REGULATE WITH YOUR DOG?

BOOK A FREE AFFINITY CALL

Image shows a human seated on the floor in lavender and cloud colors, sipping some warm tea. A black-and-white dog calmly eats out of a muffin tin while sunlight bathes them both through floor to ceiling windows.

With the US Independence Day celebrations coming in a few days, here are some ways to create a safe space for you and your dog to wait out the overwhelming sounds:

Create a routine (starting tonight if possible!) in which you and your dog sit together in a special area of your home. This can be a bathroom, the basement, a closet, a crate, or anywhere your dog naturally retreats to when they are scared.
Bring a dog bed, blankets, and other comforting items to this space (maybe a book to read, a favorite toy, a stress ball, some water, a chew, etc.)
Play soft music, such as cello, classical piano, or something relaxing with a predictable rhythm.
Practice breathing slowly, in through your nose, and out through your mouth.
Reward your dog for any behavior that looks relaxed (ie. a deep exhale, laying down, laying on their side, panting with mouth open, chin down, etc).

Some additional things to consider:

Make sure your dog has a good fitting harness and / or collar with a current ID tag that has your phone number. July 4th is infamous for the highest numbers of run-away dogs and shelter impoundments.

If your dog needs to go to the bathroom during a fireworks display, go with them and keep them on leash, if possible (even if you have a fenced yard - panicked dogs will find a way out!)

You can clip a leash coupler to a harness AND a collar, if your dog might try to escape from one or the other when panicking.

Do not bring your dog to a fireworks display or 4th of July celebration. Social gatherings are stressful, and staying home can ensure that your dog is not overwhelmed by social demands AND loud noises.

Stay home on the fireworks night (if possible) to help your dog feel safe and to ensure that they truly are.

human canine collaborative