Unravelling Reactivity Using the Candles Model

The Candles Model of dog reactivity is a simple and effective way to understand and manage your dog’s behaviour. It is a holistic model based on the following ideas:

Everything that can potentially affect your dog's behaviour as a stressor can be represented by a candle of varying size. A big stressor is a big candle, and a small stressor is a small candle.
Your dog’s emotional response is symbolised by a pan of water.
Each time your dog encounters something that causes them stress or irritation, another candle is lit under the pan of water.
When enough candles are alight under the pan the water boils, which is used to signify your dog having a reaction.
Many small candles, one huge candle, or any combination of candles of different sizes can cause the water to boil.

Different stressors have varying degrees of impact on any individual dog. For some, meeting and greeting a new dog up close will light a tiny candle, for others the same encounter lights a candle large enough to boil the water, and a reaction occurs. For others seeing the same dog from a significant distance would be enough to have the water bubbling – and the dog reacting.

The beauty of the Candles Model is that it acknowledges the complexity of the dog as an organism living and functioning within an equally complex environment. The truth is that most reactivity is not caused by a single huge candle being lit by what we see as our dog’s trigger. It is much more likely to be the result of many candles raising our dog’s stress levels throughout the day. Then the sight of the trigger is simply the “last straw” that causes an already hot pan of water to boil.

What do Candles Look Like?

It would be impossible to cover every possible stressor that might affect an individual dog. So, let’s discuss some broad groups of stressors that could represent candles for a dog.

Physical health – if your dog is in pain, has an injury, or suffers from a chronic condition, these would all represent significant candles. Always consult your vet if you notice any changes in your dog’s health or behaviour.

Arousal – if your dog is anxious, fearful, frustrated, or overexcited these emotional states represent candles. For instance, if your dog barked at the window cleaner this morning, they would probably start their lunchtime walk with more candles lit than usual. Other sources of arousal include chasing flies, hoovering, playing tug, chase or fetch, the doorbell, post-arrival, weather, and so on.

Equipment – the collar, harness, tags, weight of the lead clip etc., can all be irritating and light candles for a dog. So can the way the equipment is put on (pursuit, loud clips, lack of cooperation).

Social stress – any negative interaction with another dog or human, or between other dogs or humans in the household. An argument between family members can cause enormous stress to a sensitive dog, therefore lighting a large candle.

Environmental noise – sudden and unpredictable noise is stressful to a sensitive dog, as is any loud noise. Other dogs barking, storms, fireworks, gunshots (common in the countryside), unusual vehicular noise, and even dropping something unexpectedly can all light candles.

Overpowering smells – burning rubbish, air freshener, spray deodorant, fabric conditioner and so on can all cause stress and therefore light candles.

Rest and sleep – any disturbance to optimal rest and sleep can trigger a stress response. Lack of rest and sleep are candles.

The Candle Model or Trigger Stacking

When people talk about dog reactivity, they often raise the issue of trigger stacking. This is when your dog encounters multiple triggers in a short period of time, one trigger after another. For example, your dog may encounter a loud car, a cyclist, and a child on their walk. Trigger stacking makes it more likely that they will react to the child than the car because of the cumulative effect.

However, the Candle Model is much broader and looks at the dog holistically. It considers all the stressors a dog might encounter, at home, overnight, and even internally within their body. As a management tool for reactivity, the Candle Model allows us to look at all the things that might be fuelling our dog’s reactions and to extinguish as many of them as possible. Doing so – alongside a range of calming and focus techniques – will greatly reduce the likelihood of a reaction occurring.

[The Candle Model of reactivity was created by Edie Jane Eaton]