Trigger
A person, animal, object, sound, movement, location, or event that changes a dog’s emotional or behavioral state.
Emotional Regulation
The capacity to move through emotional activation and return to a workable state.
Frustration Tolerance
The ability to remain organized when access, movement, attention, or reinforcement is delayed or unavailable.
Threshold
The point where emotional intensity becomes too high for effective learning or reliable responses.
Overarousal
A level of activation that exceeds the dog’s current ability to think clearly, respond, or regulate behavior.
Recovery
The process of returning toward a normal emotional, physical, and behavioral baseline after activation.
Decompression
A period of reduced pressure and predictable activity that supports recovery after demanding experiences.
Trigger Stacking
The accumulation of stressful or exciting events before the dog has fully recovered from earlier events.
Arousal
The level of nervous-system activation that influences attention, movement, emotion, and responsiveness.