🎙️ Wag Wisdom Daily Brief — 11

Lorrie Harris
Jul 14
3 min read

Updated: Sep 1

🎙️ Wag Wisdom Daily Brief — 11: Understanding Perceptual Overload in Dogs

(Five minutes of science, soul & strategies from my heart to yours—motivation you can’t resist, for pup parents and pet pros alike)

In Wag Wisdom, dog trainer and behavior expert Lorrie J. Harris invites you into a new kind of dog training—one that listens before it leads, breathes before it speaks, and notices the space between behaviors as sacred.

Today’s Wag Wisdom problem theme?

Ever feel like you're repeating yourself a hundred times—and your dog still acts like they’ve never heard it before? You're not imagining it. The issue isn’t disobedience. It’s perceptual overload. Today’s brief is about what happens when your dog’s brain—and yours—gets too full to listen. Let’s dig in.

Doggy Communication

🧠 Science & Brain

Cognitive Overload Shrinks the Learning Window

Summary: A study from the University of California, San Francisco found that when too much information hits the prefrontal cortex at once, learning pathways shut down to protect working memory. Overstimulated brains default to automatic, often unhelpful, behaviors.

What it means: When your dog seems to “check out” mid-training, they’re not stubborn—they’re maxed out. Dogs, like us, need space between inputs. The magic isn’t in more commands—it’s in the pause between them.

Training Tip: After 3–4 cues, stop. Let silence stretch. When your dog re-engages on their own, you’ve just built attention naturally.

🐾 Training & Behavior

The Power of Predictable Patterns

Summary: Research from the University of Vienna shows that dogs trained using structured, rhythmic routines (vs. random reinforcement) demonstrated faster learning, better retention, and lower stress markers. Read the study here.

What it means: Your dog doesn’t just need motivation—they crave rhythm. When the cues and consequences follow a clear flow, their nervous system relaxes. Predictability is the scaffolding for confidence.

Training Tip: Try setting your training reps to a beat: 5 steps—cue—pause—praise. The body loves cadence. So does the canine brain.

🌞 Mindset & Well‑Being

Micro-Restorations Build Long-Term Resilience

Summary: According to research from the University of Sussex, even 40 seconds of visual exposure to nature improves attention, emotional regulation, and reduces mental fatigue. These “micro-restorations” compound over time for both humans and animals.

What it means: A deep breath at the window. A sunbeam. A soft touch on your dog’s fur. These are not luxuries—they’re restoratives. You don’t need a retreat to reset. You need a moment.

Training Tip: Take a nature pause with your dog—even if it’s just 60 seconds in the yard. No cues. No pressure. Just presence.

🌀 Psychology & Self‑Discovery

The Mirror and the Mask: When Dogs Reflect Our Hidden Beliefs

Summary: Carl Jung described the “persona” as the mask we wear to meet the world—and the “shadow” as what we hide. Often, what triggers us in others (or our dogs) lives in this unconscious mirror. Explore Jung's concepts here.

How It Applies to Dog Training: Does your dog’s stubbornness enrage you? Could it be reflecting your fear of being ignored? Or your discomfort with rest? When we feel disproportionate frustration, it’s rarely about the dog—it’s about the shadow being seen.

Training Tip: Next time you feel triggered by your dog’s behavior, pause. Ask: “What part of me is being seen right now?” Insight softens resistance.

🌟 Energy & Connection

Touch Sends a Neurochemical Signal of Safety

Summary: Research from the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami confirms that gentle, intentional touch releases oxytocin, reduces cortisol, and enhances attunement in both giver and receiver—including across species. Learn more about this research here.

What it means: Before your dog can trust your command, they must trust your energy. A calm hand on their chest, a slow sweep down the spine, or a fingertip at the base of the ear can change the entire conversation—without a single word.

Training Tip: Use calming touch before difficult transitions (like leashing up or grooming). Anchor the energy first. The behavior follows.

🧰 Wag Wisdom Exercises Pack

Beat-Back Training Rhythm
Sync cues to a slow walking rhythm: step-step-cue.
→ Builds anticipation and bodily grounding.
Window Gaze Reset
Look out the window with your dog for 60 seconds.
→ Clears mental static and recenters focus.
Silence Between Cues
Add a pause after every third cue.
→ Gives the dog space to process and choose.
Shadow Journal Prompt
What frustrates me most about my dog—and what does it reveal about me?
→ Turns reaction into revelation.
Oxytouch Moment
One slow breath, one calm hand, one full presence.
→ Rebuilds trust from the body up.