Why Trauma Informed Canine Care is Crucial

In a world where dogs have little control over their lives and choices, they need us to advocate for them. We need to learn as much as we can about how they cope, function, create strategies and how they feel inside.

This is especially important when they struggle.

This is why it's crucial that we are trauma informed when we live and work with dogs.

Without this knowledge and awareness we can re-traumatise dogs without even realising it. With this knowledge we can create safety and security for dogs in our care.

Here's what happens for dogs who live with a history of trauma.

When the dog’s nervous system is disrupted by a traumatic event, it becomes difficult for them to regulate their stress responses. Their body becomes stuck in a heightened state of arousal, making it hard to return to calmness.

With a disregulated nervous system even the most minor triggers can keep the dog in a prolonged state of alertness. For instance, something as simple as the sound of a door closing could trigger an extreme physiological reaction because a disregulated system responds much more severely than a regulated one.

Shouting, moving quickly and unexpected responses can both prevent healing and cause further trauma responses.

Over time, this state wears on the dog, creating emotional exhaustion and physical health issues. Their ability to relax and engage with their environment diminishes, and they become stuck in survival mode.

 

Are Fear and Anxiety The Same As Trauma?

Not quite but they are connected.

Fear is an immediate response to a present threat. When a dog is afraid, they are reacting to something they perceive as dangerous in that very moment. For example, a loud noise like fireworks may cause a dog to bark, cower, or try to escape. Once the perceived threat is over, the dog typically returns to a calm state.

Anxiety, on the other hand, is the anticipation of a future threat. While fear is an acute response, anxiety is more about the dog being on edge, expecting something bad to happen even when there is no immediate danger.

Trauma includes both fear and anxiety but is far more complex and persistent.

Trauma isn’t about an immediate or anticipated threat—it’s rooted in past experiences that have altered the way a dog perceives the world. An affected dog may react with extreme fear or aggression to everyday situations, not because those situations are inherently threatening, but because their mind and body remember a previous event and cannot separate it from the present moment.

A dog living with a history trauma might even look calm but actually be in a frozen state with absolute choice depression and no idea that they have any power at all.

This can lead the untrained eye to believe they are calm or even feeling relaxed, though this idea cannot be any further from the truth for this dog. They are creeping, with slow deliberate movements, scared to put a paw wrong and shutting away their struggles and how they actually feel. This is why educated dog trainers get so upset when we see dogs being shown off as calm through poor training, because we can see the truth.

A trauma-informed care model considers the nervous system and focuses on creating a sense of safety and trust for the dog. We are not blindly going about changing the dog’s behaviour, but helping their body and mind heal from the inside out.

Trauma informed care adds an extra layer of skill to our toolbox, we become kinder, more empathetic, more aware of the subtleties and nuances of what a dog with a history of trauma is going through.

The approach emphasises patience, understanding, and long-term support to help the dog regain confidence and emotional stability.

Being trauma informed on the behalf of dogs in our care, well that makes us better people.

View My Session on the Canine Nervous System Now.

Safety in the system creates better connection, relationships and health, you can learn much more about that by watching the webinar below.

During this session, you will learn:

• The role of the canine nervous system.

• Polyvagal theory.

• Neuroception and bias.

• How to help dogs feel safe.

• The nature of triggers and glimmers, and how to use them.

• Recognising trauma responses.

• Building resilience in dogs.

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