Dad Jokes

Uhh.. this analysis makes no sense at all. And now OP has admitted that the joke doesn't make sense and doesn't work. Still, just for edification:

Pavlov's reaction: If something unexpected happens (like bumping into someone), the event might "trigger" a conditioned response — such as Pavlov salivating because he’s used to the bell.

There was no conditioned response.

The wordplay is clever because "paradox" not only describes Schrödinger's cat but also the confusing situation of this fictional encounter.

There was no confusion.