06/06/2025
SINGLE EVENT LEARNING
I would say that most guardians are aware that puppies go through sensitive periods where it is crucial that they have positive experiences in order to build confidence and resilience as they grow and learn. It is becoming more widely recognised that there is far more to socialisation than simply repeatedly exposing a puppy to anything and everything, having as many experiences as possible. Positive associations must be made in order for a puppy to thrive and develop an optimistic outlook.
However, once a puppy reaches maturity, this does not exclude him from the risk of developing fearful behaviours later on. Single Event Learning, also known as One Trial Learning, can occur at any stage in a dog's life. Just one encounter resulting in a negative experience can trigger a fearful reaction which becomes ingrained in the memory, having a long-lasting impact. If this fear isn't addressed appropriately, it can lead to emotional shutdown, long-term fear, trauma, anxiety, and phobias; therefore, we must always respect how our dogs are feeling, regardless of whether we view their fear as justified or rational.
Dogs do not simply outgrow fear, so doing nothing is not an option. Equally, continued exposure to make them "face their fear" is likely to result in their fear becoming generalised to other things. It may be tempting to keep exposing our dog to a trigger in the hope that they will just get over it, but without careful behaviour modification through counterconditioning and systematic desensitisation, the most likely outcome is that we flood them and they will become further sensitised instead. A neutral level of exposure is essential, allowing the dog to feel safe and remain below threshold; a stressed, worried dog will not have the mental capacity to facilitate learning and the creation of new emotional responses.
If you would like you read more about the science behind the art of counterconditioning, check out this two-part blog:
https://www.trailiepawsforthought.com/post/part-one-a-guide-to-counterconditioning-it-s-both-magic-and-science
Although we cannot shield them from every potential stressor, we can help them feel safe by managing them and their environment, and by not placing them in situations in which they do not yet have the skills with which to cope.
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"SINGLE EVENT LEARNING
Did You Know?
Single Event, or One Trial Learning, can occur at any stage of a dog's life. One encounter resulting in a negative experience can trigger a fearful reaction and become ingrained in the memory, having a long-lasting impact. If it isn't addressed
appropriately and carefully, it can lead to emotional shutdown, long-term fear, trauma, anxiety, and phobias; therefore, we must always respect how our dogs are feeling, regardless of whether we perceive their fear to be justified or rational."
