Ep 23: Trigger Stacking in the City (Ruth & Corn)

Welcome to unPACKed, an open-minded podcast taking a clinical, *not political*, approach to help pet parents around the world. Join Sailor Jerri and Mattison, certified trainers and canine behavior experts with a combined 3 decades of experience in behavioral dog training.

 

In this episode, Ruth shares her journey with Corn, a reactive rescue navigating life in downtown Toronto. While they've made great progress, unpredictable triggers like off-leash dogs and strangers continue to challenge them.

We explore how environmental stress, trigger stacking, and nervous system regulation impact behavior—and how shifting from obedience to emotional support can open new doors. Ruth is ready to reframe her approach, reduce tool reliance, and build patterns that boost Corn’s confidence.

A thoughtful, practical conversation for anyone supporting a reactive dog in a busy world.

Come back next month for a brand new episode, and later this year we'll check back in with Ruth to get an update on her training journey.

 

To apply for a live unpacking, see photos of the dogs featured in this episode, or read full episode transcripts, visit us at www.unpacked.stream and connect with us on Instagram @unpacked.stream.

 

unPACKed was created by Jerri Scherff and Mattison Skoog-Simpson, and edited and produced by Mattison Skoog-Simpson.  Visual design by Mattison Skoog-Simpson and theme music by Oleksandr Stepanov.