Thresholds - from conversations on Training Levels

To me, being over threshold means the dog can't make decisions. Usually, can't make "good decisions" - but often either there are sooooo many decisions to be made that they completely stall out, or are so focused on one thing that no option for other decisions exist.

Nothing is wrong with a dog being in drive, and really, being under threshold doesn't necessarily involve a person at all. I think we are being self absorbed thinking it has to do with paying attention to us.

For example, fearful dog goes over threshold, can't make healthy decisions, bolts into traffic. A fearful dog under threshold might stay on the curb, hide under a parked car, or dive into a hedge - all choices made that are better than the bolting into traffic. None of these has to do with a human.

For herding, I've got one puppy, Malcolm, I'm trying to keep under threshold all the time. Signs he is redlining is barking, lack of power and focus, going over the tending boundary line when trying to graze his sheep, and not being able to keep the task at hand in mind. None of these require him to pay attention to me to fix and go under threshold, and him paying attention to me might be the wrong thing doing these tasks. However, it is him not being able to make decisions and follow through with clear intent.

I don't want him to be like his dad, throwing attitude at me, using too much energy to do simple things, and biting and hanging on to the livestock when a little nip would have done better. His dad, Brick, redlines quite a bit, and yeah, I'm responsible for that problem. I'm not sure that he finds being ground into the fence and bopped off fenceposts while latched onto a sheep neck reinforcing (it certainly must hurt) but he can't make the decision to let go - he is stalled out in that moment.

My trick is figuring out how to keep Malcolm from redlining, while bringing his drive up. Unlocking that drive while keeping his self control level to match it is my training challenge! Levels is helping, and making me very careful for how much I ask for and how I help support him in decision making. And I think that's all of our challenges with dogs that go over threshold - bringing up self control to match the reactivity. Levels can certainly do it. I think a lot about threshold in herding - gotta walk that delicate line quite a bit every day.