29d • Trusty Tidbits
Dopamine and Cortisol Stacking
There are two different types of stacking that we should consider when with our dogs whether training, working or just hanging out and that is dopamine and cortisol stacking. I’m sure it is safe to say that most, if not all of us, should know off the bat that cortisol, while unavoidable, has negative implications on our overall wellbeing when chronic or in excess and dopamine is associated with more positive situations. When there is an accumulation of either you are at a higher risk of having your dog display undesirable behaviors.
First let’s talk about stacking in general. If a dog comes across multiple occurrences of either something exciting or otherwise upsetting in close succession to each other this can cause our dogs to become so consumed by this stimulus that they are unable to focus on learning and training is unable to be achieved.
Cortisol Stacking
Cortisol, as previously mentioned, is a hormone that has a negative impact on our overall wellbeing when chronic or in excess. Things that can build up cortisol are punishments, aversive training methods, unpredictability, confinement, sensory distress and frustration.
Cortisol in acute situations, such as a consequence for not performing a known command and so the opportunity for a treat/reward was lost, are not necessarily bad. This is essential to better perform cognitive and emotional tasks. The method in which cortisol rises matters greatly such as aversives. With aversives the cortisol levels increase which reflect heightened stress and anxiety which can also contribute to behavioral issues such as aggression and/or fear. Cortisol in the context of reward based training methods are not elevated which therefore reduces stress and increases learning.
Dopamine Stacking
Now with dopamine I trust we are all familiar that this hormone is associated with reward and arousal which can cause dogs (and people) to become “addicted” to dopamine triggering events. When dopamine is involved and reinforced by some kind of reward then the action is likely to be repeated. This all in all sounds like a good thing and for the most part it is but there is a caveat.
This comes back to the type of method being used not just the opportunity for a reward. When a dog successfully avoids an aversive or what they deem an aversive dopamine is also released as if the dog had received a treat or other reward. This in turn causes the dog to have relief in escaping or avoiding the aversive stimuli. To some this may not sound all that bad but in fact when a dog is under stress (cortisol) the dopamine that is released does not help but instead shuts down executive functions but intensifies emotional and reactive pathways.
If dopamine is under low stress then attention and learning can occur. This is where positive reinforcement training methods thrive in having a dog not only be able to learn and retain but enjoy doing so. I’m sure we can all relate that when we enjoy doing something we remember how to do whatever it is much better than when we do something that are forced to do and don’t enjoy and perhaps get berated while we do it. Even if we are doing something we enjoy it may not go well and we have an acute cortisol increase moment but it is not detrimental to the overall learning.
I did my best to condense this but as always there is so much more to this subject matter. If you have any questions feel free to ask in the comments.
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Dopamine and Cortisol Stacking
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