Understanding Dog Arousal: A Key to Effective Training

The Importance of Arousal in Dog Training

In the dog world, arousal means something different than in the human world. When a dog trainer talks about high arousal, they refer to increased activation of the dog's nervous system. This rise in energy or excitement can be happy, unhappy, or a mixture of both.

Happy Arousal

Happy arousal can look like a bouncy, wiggly dog with a loose body and tail. The dog's eyes are soft, and the mouth is open and relaxed, showing just how happy they are that you're home. It could be the smiley rocket that comes barreling into the kitchen when they hear you open the cheese package.

Unhappy Arousal

On the other hand, unhappy arousal can present itself as a dog with a stiff body. Their tail points upward and wags fast, while their eyes are wide, ears are up or they are held straight back against the head, and barking is rapid and sharp. This is the dog that wants you to get away from their property. Unhappy arousal could also manifest as the tense, energetic stillness of a dog hovering over their food bowl. In this case, the dog's body is tight, tail low, head down, and ears back. They want you to back away now!

Conflicting Emotions

Arousal can also be both happy and unhappy at the same time. For example, a dog that loves to meet new people may feel nervous about having that new person around their favorite resources. You might see a variety of the above body postures, along with behaviors like jumping up or mouthing. It's important to remember that dogs can have conflicting emotions just like we do!

Training Techniques for Managing Arousal

In training, we want to soothe and change unhappy arousal. We use happy arousal to help a dog learn. However, even happy arousal can be too high or too low for proper learning to take place. When the excitement is too high, the thinking brain shuts off. Conversely, when the excitement is too low, the dog isn't motivated to learn.

Finding the Right Balance

It's complicated and takes trial and error because every dog is motivated differently. The things we use to motivate the dog—food, toys, play, praise—may need to vary from task to task and from dog to dog. It's all about finding that golden spot of excitement where the dog in front of you is happy, motivated to learn, and not conflicted.

To illustrate this, hot dogs are the perfect treats to teach my hound dog. She is happy, focused, and ready to work. For my Jindo mix, however, that is not the case. She is a resource guarder, so when I bring out hot dogs, she is very excited but also nervous about getting that food before her sister does. Her arousal is so high that her thinking brain stops working. Just getting her to sit in that moment is a challenge.

Tailoring Treats to the Dog

Biscuits are too low value to motivate her, so I have to use soft, mushy treats that are just valuable enough for her to participate but not so valuable that they spark her resource guarding impulses. It's all about finding out what works for the dog in front of you.

Looking closely at your dog's arousal patterns can really help unlock your dog's training. When in doubt, seek out a positive reinforcement trainer who can help you along.

Conclusion

Understanding your dog's arousal levels is crucial for effective training. By recognizing the signs of both happy and unhappy arousal, you can tailor your training methods to suit your dog's unique needs. This approach not only enhances the learning experience but also strengthens the bond between you and your furry friend.

Happy Training!

A joyful Pitbull bounds through the air in a sunny park.