This is essential for fearful and reactive dogs.
It makes sense that dogs would need some downtime after a stressful or high-intensity event. But I had underestimated how much time anxious dogs might need.
At least 72 hours of decompression time is recommended for fearful dogs to bring the cortisol level down after a stressful event. The actual time needed varies massively depending on the dog and the event but I find this a useful guide.
I didn't know this at the beginning. I thought walking your dog was the most important thing you can do and you would be a bad owner if you didn't (see 'Has anyone ever told you that you don't need to walk him?').
I didn't know much about trigger stacking or the importance of managing the environment.
George has to go to daycare 3 days a week so 72 hours is difficult but I try to ensure he has a rest day in between.
We do licki-mats, snuffle mats, fun training, find it games, playtime, but most importantly, rest.
It's also important to remember that I might not think of something as being a stressful event. What matters is how George feels.
George's stress levels are off the scale at the moment when we leave the house. Running into the neighbours increases reactions for quite a while afterwards.
It goes against everything I thought I knew but not going for walks and having a decompression day at home is so helpful.