Stress.
It’s a term we hear all too often. But do we really know what it means, and do we truly understand the effect stress has on us and on our dogs?
To test yourself, think about how confidently you could answer the following questions:
- Is stress always a bad thing, or can it sometimes be a force for good and if so, how?
- What are the most common symptoms of stress?
- What happens to our bodies and our mental capacities if life becomes so challenging that we feel stressed all the time?
- To what extent is our tendency to feel stressed something we’ve learned, and to what extent is it something we have to accept as just a part of who we are?
- Can we get rid of unwanted stress, and if so how?
- Can we control stress—that is, can we organise our environment and structure our lives so stress is kept to a minimum?
In this, Linda and Caroline’s first full length podcast, you’ll discover what stress is all about, and what impact it can have on you and your dog. You’ll learn to recognise the symptoms of stress and to know when to welcome the good sort of stress as a source of positive energy. On the other hand, when stress becomes a drain on your resources rather than an energiser, you’ll discover what you can do to control—even in some circumstances to eliminate—those feelings of exhaustion and overwhelm.
Join Caroline and Linda for this not-to-be-missed first podcast in our new series for Supporting Both Ends of the Lead.
What's inside this episode?
01:06 Defining Stress - what is it? What can it do to us? And what about our dogs?
09:21 Am I stressed by nature? Is stress down to Genetics or Learning? Linda discusses how stress can be impacted by our own unique DNA.
11:57 How are our dog's stress responses affected by the roles of both nature and nurture?
15:40 Can dogs overcome early stressful experiences later in life?
19:40 What unconditional love can do for over-stressed humans.
20:45 The neurochemistry of stress in humans...
28:58 And dogs.
36:37 Is my dog sleep deprived? Can they get insomnia?
39:30 7 ways to avoid becoming distressed.
51.44 An invitation to start your dog's stress journal and what it might tell you.
56.46 4 ways to reduce stress if you have already become distressed.
1:03:02 Linda's "Just One Thing"
1:03:38 Caroline's "Just One Thing"

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Caroline Wilkinson is a Certified Animal Behaviourist. She is a Full (assessed) Member of the APDT and INTODogs – as well as a Registered Training Instructor (ABTC). Caroline is also a Certified Real Dog Yoga Practitioner and an Applied Canine Zoopharmacognosist. Caroline writes for Edition Dog Magazine, as well as a number of trusted pet brands. She also speaks around the country – presenting workshops and webinars with a focus on living more mindfully alongside our canine companions.
Dr. Linda Blair is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist, Chartered Scientist, Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and registered as a Practitioner Psychologist in the Health and Care Professions Council. She trained at Harvard and the Institute of Psychiatry in London, and has offered cognitive behavioural and mindfulness-based psychotherapy for over 40 years in the NHS and privately. She has also taught various aspects of psychology at the University of Cambridge and the Open University.