The Messy Middle
The “Messy Middle” is a normal and expected part of the behavior-change journey—whether training a dog, breaking a habit, or building a routine. After the initial excitement fades but before changes feel solid, things often stall. This phase can be frustrating: progress slows, setbacks occur, and previously extinguished behaviors may pop back up in what's known as “extinction bursts.”¹
For dogs and their humans, the messy middle feels like slogging through mud—motivation wanes and unpredictability increases—but it’s also where true change begins to take hold below the surface.
Overcoming Traumas
One of the most effective approaches to helping a dog heal from trauma or anxiety is through Systematic Desensitization or Exposure Therapy. This involves gradual, structured exposure to fear-inducing stimuli—starting with very mild versions and increasing difficulty as the dog demonstrates comfort. Over time, the dog learns these situations aren't harmful, forging new, positive associations and reducing fear responses.²
The goal is to foster resilience, safety, and emotional regulation through repeated, safe exposures. Expert guidance is essential—pushing too hard or too fast can trigger setbacks. With patience and sensitivity, dogs often learn to feel safe again, step by step.
Is Stress Bad?
Stress itself isn’t inherently negative. Mild to moderate stress, managed thoughtfully, can benefit dogs by prompting them to adapt and grow. The key is distinguishing eustress (beneficial stress) from distress (harmful overload).³
Benefits of Controlled Stress
Stimulates learning, problem-solving, and behavioral flexibility
Builds emotional resilience—successful coping, reinforces and builds confidence
Increases tolerance for novelty and adaptability in real-world situations
Understanding Stress Types
Eustress is short-term and manageable—energizing and motivating
Distress overwhelms the dog’s coping capacity, potentially causing shutdowns or regression
Recognizing and utilizing eustress while avoiding distress is fundamental for supporting a dog’s emotional and behavioral growth.⁴
Involuntary Trembling as a Progress Metric
Dogs may tremble involuntarily during stress, uncertainty, or emotional overload—especially during the Messy Middle. This trembling often reflects activation of the sympathetic nervous system, similar to how humans shake when anxious.⁵
One way to track resilience is by measuring latency to cessation of trembling—the time it takes a dog to stop shaking after a stressor. A shorter latency signals:
Faster emotional recovery
Reduced autonomic stress reactivity
Increased tolerance for distressing stimuli
This approach is supported by findings from Lensen et al. (2019), who found that slower physiological recovery from stress was linked to more problematic behavior patterns, while quicker recovery indicated stronger resilience and trainability.⁶ Behavioral signs like trembling and body shaking are well-validated indicators of stress in dogs.⁷
Guiding Principle
Our objective isn’t to avoid all stress—it’s to build a dog’s capacity to process and recover from it. Through systematic, low-level exposures, dogs learn the world is safe enough to relax in—even amid uncertainty. This is how they move through the messy middle and emerge more confident on the other side.
The only way over, is through.
Footnotes:
Pryor, K. (2006). Reaching the Animal Mind. Scribner.
Overall, K. L. (2013). Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats. Elsevier.
Selye, H. (1975). Stress without Distress. J.B. Lippincott.
Mendl, M., Burman, O. H. P., & Paul, E. S. (2010). An integrative and functional framework for the study of animal emotion and mood. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 277(1696), 2895–2904.
Beerda, B., Schilder, M. B. H., van Hooff, J. A. R. A. M., de Vries, H. W., & Mol, J. A. (1997). Manifestations of chronic and acute stress in dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 52(3-4), 307–319.
Lensen, R. C. M., Moons, C. P. H., Diederich, C., & Van Houcke, M. (2019). Predicting problem behavior in shelter dogs: The role of autonomic reactivity and recovery. PLOS ONE, 14(9), e0222581.
Flint, H. E., et al. (2021). Emotional indicators in body language and behavior in dogs. Scientific Reports, 11, 14865.
