It wasn't that one bicycle. It was the three days before it. Discover the hidden science of trigger stacking.
Every bark at an Argos van or tense park walk adds a 'drop' of cortisol to your dog's internal bucket. When it's full, they simply cannot cope.
Adrenaline is a flash; cortisol is a flood. It can take up to 72 hours for your dog's system to reset after just one stressful vet visit.
Ever seen your dog shake when they aren't wet? That's a literal attempt to reset their nervous system. They are telling you they're stacking.
Visible whites of the eyes or constant lip licking isn't 'guilt'. It's stress residue. Your dog is physically struggling to process the world.
A barbecue, loud music, and unfamiliar guests. Individually fine; together, they're a powder keg waiting for a Sunday evening snarl.
Asking them to move off the sofa isn't the problem. It's the 95% of the bucket already filled by that London high street walk on Saturday.
Cancel the training sessions. Skip the busy walks. Give them 72 hours of zero stressors to allow their hormones to return to baseline.
Ditch the commands. Use a long lead in a quiet field. Sniffing is a biological 'down-switch' for their heart rate and anxiety.
Licking lowers arousal. A stuffed toy filled with wet food from Tesco or Sainsbury's provides a safe, calming mental outlet indoors.
Your dog isn't being naughty. They are physically incapable of calm when their system is red-lining. They need space, not punishment.
Aggression doesn't start with the snap; it starts days earlier with the first stressor. Manage the bucket, and you manage the dog.
Get the full recovery protocol and the stress signs every UK owner needs to know.