How to deal with hyperarousal in dogs?

If your dog is struggling with hyperarousal, enrichment activities and training can help modify these behaviors. Focusing on daily quiet time and calming activities often works to quell the squirrels in your dog’s brain. Activities like repetitive licking on a licking mat or a frozen kong with peanut butter can be soothing. Professional training classes can help you figure out the best way to address your dog’s hyperarousal and learn behaviors that can help minimize the amount of hyperarousal behavior. Some dogs see major improvements with a little bit of training, while others will need more time and more training to learn how to relax more effectively. Avoiding over exercising is also important, as too much exercise could actually trigger further hyperarousal. Often combining exercise with a more calming activity will help a dog calm down, such as going for a long walk followed by solo kennel time. Working closely with your vet will help you get the best results for your dog. Certain calming activities could also make hyperarousal worse for certain dogs. You should consult with your veterinarian about hyperarousal to determine if behavior modification is enough, or if some dogs need a little medication to move past their anxiety and calm down.

A general plan to help the hyperaroused dog may go as follows: 1. Rule out pain or discomfort with your veterinarian2. Create management around stressors that take the dog into the yellow zone or higher, even those perceived as fueled by positive emotion (like fetch or arousal around visitors).3. Create a list of exercises that focus on building resilience and self-regulation, like on-off switch games, that are appropriate for the individual dog. Focus on calming enrichment and exercises like relax on a mat (which does not involve an implied stay or forced stillness), capturing calm behavior, and nose work. Use various tools like pattern games or seeking exercises to help your dog regulate their arousal in specific situations in which they struggle. In some cases behavioral medication may be appropriate to support the dog in achieving their goals. This should not be considered a last resort; chronic stress is incredibly unhealthy and lowering baseline stress levels should be prioritized. The good news is, we can help these dogs to have a lower stress baseline, improved resilience, and increased ability to self-regulate. Guardians may report that their dog is impossible to tire out, or has endless energy, but they may actually exacerbate the problem by increasing physical exercise particularly through exercises that themselves increase arousal like fetch.

Teaching your dog impulse control is essential in their training, I teach LOTS of impulse control games in classes. If your dog jumps on people, chases other animals, charges the front door, rushes to exit the car as soon as the door opens, pulls on the lead, or puts everything they see in their mouth, it may be time to introduce some impulse control games. Here are some games you can play to help your dog improve their hyperarousal and impulse control: The goal is to gradually build your dog's self-control and focus by alternating between giving them food and leaving some on the mat. The goal is to gradually increase the duration your dog needs to wait before getting the reward. This game helps your dog learn to think even when they're excited. The goal is to get your dog amped up and then ask them to perform a basic cue like 'sit' or 'down'. SMART stands for See, Mark, And Reward Training. The goal is to catch your dog behaving well and then reward them, encouraging them to repeat these good behaviours. Remember, patience and consistency are key. With these games and techniques, your dog will learn to manage their own arousal levels AND improve their impulse control!