24/03/2025
This weekend we were in Wales as Duncan was running a 40 mile Ultra Marathon with the dogs.
On the drive back I had time to reflect.
Sunday morning, Duncan said to me Herbie is just as tired as the boys, even though he didn't run. I said to him I know why that is.
We try our hardest not to trigger stack our dogs but sometimes this happens and it's how we manage it.
On Saturday, there was a quiet time at the check point so I took Herbie out for a little walk. On opening the car boot and clipping on his lead the noisest motorbike imagined came past- Trigger number 1- now Herbie looked at me for guidance and I asked him to relax which he did.
Trigger 2 there were a few people around the check points and again, Herbie looked for guidance and he relaxed and decided he wanted to lie down while we all had a little chat.
We went and dipped our feet in the stream and had a plod down the cycle bath, no noise just the sound of the birds singing in the glorious sunshine.
Trigger 3 came when we were back by the check point and a lorry decided it was going to reverse, that's fine we had time to be able to settle and he knew he was safe.
Finally, that noisey bike came back x 3 of them this time. They stopped and reved their engines multiple times. Herbie didn't bark at them, he looked for direction from me.
Although, Herbie wasn't pushed over his threshold, which is now much higher due to the choice and agency he has in his life, the events still took a lot of mental activity- this was why he was so tired. Looking back, this time last year he would have been reacting to everything. He has come so far, but we must not forget how mentally stimulating this is.
Herbie was allowed just to sleep if he wanted to, so the next day he was rearing to go. Giving him the choice to sleep really makes a difference.
Same with humans, if you get pushed constantly over threshold you burn out- your dogs are no different.
