Keeping Dogs Safe & Under Threshold: The Magic of “Go Say Hi 1-2-3”
One of the most valuable aspects of the Relationship Centered Training Skill “Go Say Hi 1-2-3” isn’t just teaching dogs polite greetings – it’s the profound effect it has on their emotional well being during social interactions. Let’s talk about how this technique helps dogs stay under threshold, feel safe, and develop crucial self-regulation skills.
Understanding Thresholds & Arousal
Think of your dog’s threshold as the point where emotions start to override thinking. Below threshold, your dog can think, learn, and make good choices. Above threshold? All bets are off – they’re reacting, not responding.
Take Fergus from our Maddening to Maturity seminar videos. This social butterfly would get so excited about greeting people that his arousal would skyrocket past his thinking threshold in seconds. Without structure, his greetings quickly became enthusiastic jumping sessions that left everyone (except Fergus) frazzled.
By contrast, shy Pixel, a Great Dane with some worry of new people, would cross her threshold in the opposite direction – withdrawing or freezing when faced with social pressure that lasted too long.
How “Go Say Hi” Keeps Dogs Safe
The beauty of this technique is threefold:
1. Predictability Creates Safety
When I work with fearful dogs like Zinnia the Border Collie, the structured nature of “Go Say Hi 1-2-3” becomes their emotional safety net. Dogs who worry about meeting people experience tremendous relief knowing exactly what will happen:
- They know they’ll approach briefly
- They know what’s expected (calm greeting)
- They know their handler will get them out
As I often say, without meaning to, we leave our dogs in situations where they have to guess: When will this end? What will people do? Can I leave now? With “Go Say Hi 1-2-3,” there’s no guessing – just a clear, consistent pattern they can trust.
2. Brevity Prevents Threshold Crossing
Remember the wedding reception line analogy? There’s not enough time for things to go wrong!
For social butterflies, that brevity prevents arousal from escalating into over-excitement. For more reserved dogs, it prevents stress from building to uncomfortable levels. We’re essentially creating a “social snack” instead of a “seven-course meal” that could overwhelm them.
I’ve seen countless dogs who will willingly approach people with wagging tails, accept brief petting, and then suddenly look up with wide eyes as if to say, “How did you get this close to me?” That’s a threshold being crossed – and “Go Say Hi 1-2-3” prevents it by ending the interaction before the dog gets stuck.
3. Handler Awareness Becomes a Safety Guarantee
When I teach handlers this technique, I remind them they’re making a promise to their dog: “I will move heaven and earth to keep you safe.”
This means being truly present – not chitchatting or checking your phone while holding your dog’s leash. It means reading your dog’s signals and being ready to implement the exit strategy immediately if needed.
This promise creates profound trust. Your dog learns they can count on you in social situations.
Building Self-Regulation Skills
The most magical part of “Go Say Hi 1-2-3” is watching dogs develop self-regulation – the ability to modulate their own arousal and emotional responses.
For The Social Butterflies
Dogs like Fergus learn that greeting can be calm and controlled, rather than a frenzied explosion of excitement. Over time, their baseline arousal during greetings naturally decreases.
I’ve seen dogs who once launched themselves at visitors transform into polite greeters who can contain their excitement. It’s not that they feel less joy – they’ve simply learned to express it appropriately.
For The Skeptical or Shy
Dogs like Pixel learn they can handle brief social interactions and exit when needed. This builds tremendous confidence.
“Go Say Hi 1-2-3” allowed Pixel to communicate when she was done. That self-awareness is gold! She wasn’t trapped or conflicted – she simply signaled “I’ve had enough” and her handler respected that.
A Real-Life Transformation
One of my favorite success stories involved a German Shepherd who would get so aroused during greetings that she’d mouth people’s hands – not aggressively, but definitely inappropriately.
Using “Go Say Hi 1-2-3,” her handler taught her to approach calmly, greet briefly, and exit smoothly. Within weeks, this dog who couldn’t control herself around visitors was greeting guests with a soft wag and gentle demeanor.
The most telling moment? When a particularly enthusiastic visitor ignored our instructions and got overly excited, the dog looked back at her handler as if to say, “Um, this person is breaking the rules. What do we do?” She had developed enough self-regulation to recognize when someone ELSE was being inappropriate!
That’s the power of teaching dogs to stay under threshold and regulate their own arousal – they become the adults in the room, even when humans forget the rules.
Are you looking to learn more about Go Say Hi? Suzanne offers two course options for Go Say Hi 1-2-3!
Are you a professional? Go Say Hi is a must have for any training class, from puppies to adults. You can take the PRO course here!
Dog owner? We have a course made just for you. You can learn this must have skill here!
Perhaps you are a trainer, shelter or rescue volunteer who wants to learn Relationship Centered Training Skills to help your fearful and reactive clients – we have a whole course designed for you here.
