Low and High Arousal – Working Better with Your Dog

Sometimes play between good dog buddies rises into high arousal, and when that state lasts longer than it should, it’s worth staying alert and stepping in.

For over a year, we worked with Mrok under the guidance of specialists. Socialisation, meetings with other dogs, learning to read dog body language – we learned far more than we expected, and we’re genuinely grateful for that.

At some point, something started to feel off. Some sessions ended with arousal that wouldn’t come down for hours. That made us stop and look for answers. We went to a workshop and heard it for the first time – later confirmed by someone else, as it turned out from the same school: Mrok is too young for such frequent and intense high-arousal encounters. Instead of building confidence, he was losing it to overstimulation.

Mrok needed time to return to a place where he could calmly respond to his best buddy at home-Tru. Spending too much time in high arousal meant we had to adjust how we trained, and the results started to show after a few months of work focused on low arousal.

We weren’t looking for someone to blame. We simply saw the situation differently and decided to slow down.

Very.

We looked for an approach that would give Mrok more calm. We found a behaviourist from the same school – and realised we could do very similar things, but in a surprisingly different way.

A handler’s calm transfers strongly to the dogs’ behaviour, and when dogs can also learn from other dogs, things start to work as they should - Mrok and his two canine teachers, Misza and Majlo, Now a well-coordinated team; in the beginning, they had some work to do with Mrok.

Six months later, you can almost see Mrok soften day by day. He sleeps peacefully in different places, gets along with the cats, and much more often chooses to disengage from other dogs on his own. In group settings, he now moves as part of the group: tails low, shared sniffing, quiet exploration. When he gets too wound up, a single calm gesture from a mature male is enough for Mrok to seem to switch modes – walk away, focus on his own things, and come back calmer.

Is this the best approach? For us and for Mrok – yes. At least for now.

Low arousal is the foundation of a good dog walk - Mrok with his good buddies Hektor and Panda, immersed in exploration, scents, and simply sharing time together.

This is low-arousal work. What it is, how to recognise it, and what to do with it – that’s what this article is about.

A dog doesn’t come with a manual. There’s no light on their forehead that turns green when they’re calm and red when arousal crosses a safe threshold. They read us and their surroundings all the time – through tone of voice, speed of movement, leash tension, our posture. They react to what they see and hear, often before we notice anything ourselves.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/25bef7_727ff3bef6cf439f8b850a5910c5059c/720p/mp4/file.mp4

A few months of work, and Mrok began to treat other dogs more loosely, allowing for varied company without the need for confrontation. Long 2–3 hour walks started to bring him relief and a sense of calm, low-arousal satisfaction.

When we talk about low and high arousal, we mean the level of activation – whether the dog is in a state that allows them to think, explore and rest, or in a state where emotions have taken over and it’s hard for them to come down. A dog at low arousal is in a state where they can actually explore, rest, learn and build confidence, and use what you and the environment give them. At high arousal, those possibilities are partly or completely blocked, even if from the outside the dog looks happy.

On the other hand, not every rise in intensity should be treated as harmful - the key is balance. There’s nothing wrong with letting things get lively, as long as it settles back into low arousal soon after - ideally, with the dog choosing that on their own.

Neither state is inherently bad. The problem starts when a dog spends too much time, too often, running on high – and when we, without realising it, are the ones putting them there and keeping them there.

Here are a few simple situations where we unknowingly push the dog into high arousal – and how to do it differently.

Greeting

High arousal: You come home. Already at the door: Hey! I’m back! Hello, pup! Did you miss me?! High-pitched voice, jumping, hugging, shared excitement. The dog jumps, spins, barks. Everyone is happy. It looks like love – and it probably is – but for the dog, it’s a clear message: high arousal is normal here and it gets rewarded.

Low arousal: You come in calmly. You don’t ignore the dog – but you don’t make a show. You give them a moment without talking, touching, or making eye contact. When they settle, you greet them calmly, without raising your voice. The dog learns that your return is something good – but not a reason to lose their head.

Greeting the handler is always a spike in arousal - the dog is happy to see them. It’s easy here to fall into simple mistakes that become problematic over time: loud greetings, squeals, and winding the dog up. The calmer the greeting, the faster the dog settles into their role and, instead of chaos, is ready just to be alongside you.

Mealtimes

High arousal: Food time! Who’s hungry? Show me how much! Beg nicely! Up on two paws! The dog is already wound up before the bowl touches the floor. They eat in full excitement, sometimes frantically. After the meal – still high.

Low arousal: The bowl appears when the dog is lying down and relaxed. No ceremony, no calling. Calm approach, bowl on the floor, silence. Food as a natural part of the day, not a performance.

One of the most effective stages in keeping an ACD puppy in low arousal was very calm feeding. Meals were given only when Mrok was fully relaxed. The effects came quickly - he not only ate slowly, but also watched Tru with interest as he checked what his new dog buddy was eating.

Walks

High arousal: Who wants a walk?! Come on, who wants it?! Show me! Speak! The dog is already on high before you even leave. On the walk they pull, react to every stimulus, don’t sniff – they scan, as if waiting for something. When another dog appears: Go play! Why are you barking? Want a treat? Sit! Come! Rex! Reeex! Rex, what did I just say?! The owner is tense, the leash is tight, the voice is high. The dog reads all of this (except the words – they don’t understand them anyway) and winds up even more.

Low arousal: You leave without ceremony. On the walk: loose leash, calm pace. You let the dog sniff – it’s their main way of understanding the world and one of the most effective ways to lower tension. When another dog appears on the horizon, you don’t block them with your body, don’t tighten the leash, don’t comment. You let the dog see the other dog, communicate at a distance, and feel that you know what to do: you plan and execute the pass so the dog can move in an arc. You have a plan and you carry it out calmly, but clearly.

When arousal is low, dogs begin to show who they really are in their needs. An engaging environment—open meadows, a nearby forest, and a few hours - brings calm to dynamic Fifka, Mrok’s friend. Both stay interested in the surroundings and in each other, without being pushy.

 Play

High arousal: Tug, fetch, throwing – the dog gives everything, pushed to the limit, and you think they’re happy. The retrieves get better, progress is visible, the dog waits impatiently for the next throw. When it ends, the dog lies down – but the focus is still on the toy. They’re not resting, they’re waiting. A kind of calm that isn’t calm at all.

Low arousal: Similar play, but short and with real pauses built in – not just breaks between throws. The dog learns that the end of play is the end, not a pause. The toy disappears, the dog comes down from excitement. Most importantly: this kind of play appears when the dog needs it, not as a universal solution for everything.

Play is an important part of keeping a dog in low arousal - it also meets needs rooted in the predatory sequence. When guided well, it ends with a calm settling of the dog’s excitement.

 You

This may be the hardest part. A dog is a precise indicator of your emotions. Your stress, your tension, the argument you’re still running in your head – the dog reads it, often before you notice it yourself. Over time, they tune into your rhythm. The longer you live together in unconscious tension, the harder it is to see – because it becomes normal for both of you.

This is not about becoming a robot. It’s about awareness – that your voice, your breathing, your pace, your posture are information for your dog. And that it’s up to you what you give them.

A handler’s calm shows in many ways - from breathing and body language to inner stillness. Dogs read this easily. They don’t need constant talking, touching, or doing. Mutual respect grows out of a shared sense of calm.

 Greta Rogoz  works with dog communication. She focuses on cooperation between the owner and the dog - not just the dog alone. She runs behavioural consultations and dog communication workshops - website.

From her and her dogs, we learn how to work with Mrok at low arousal.

Three teachers - for us and for Mrok: Greta and her two training dogs, Misza and Majlo.

We asked her a few questions about this approach. 

How do I know my dog is at high arousal?

If your dog is constantly moving, constantly stimulated, unable to focus on anything – and cannot rest – then they are definitely at high arousal.

Mature dogs tend to stay in low arousal most of the time - it gives a much better balance than a highly dynamic life. Younger dogs learn this skill. Balance is key. Paradoxically, an overly reactive handler can raise a dog’s arousal while trying to calm it, when the dog would have settled on its own a moment later.

Does a physically intense walk with lots of play – tiring the dog out – bring them to low arousal?

Absolutely not - it actually pushes them even higher. The popular idea of “tiring your dog out”, for example to prevent separation anxiety, is a myth. Imagine you’re about to fall asleep and suddenly you get strongly stimulated. It doesn’t matter whether it’s positive or negative. Will you fall asleep?  A dog at high arousal cannot relax – and high arousal includes stress. What we call “tiring the dog out” is, in fact, stress.

A calmer and calmer Mrok watches other dogs without the tension that used to follow him. It’s still just the beginning of the work, but the effects are already visible in different parts of his life.

How do you tell the difference between a dog’s joy and arousal they can’t handle?

When I talk about dogs’ emotions, I always relate them to our own. The physiology is the same. Healthy joy feels like lightness, ease - a smile that just appears. You know that feeling. Excitement leads to agitation, to being unsettled. It’s tiring. If you imagine how you feel in those states, you’ll understand the dog.

A few months later (compared to the previous photo), Mrok is already with them - dogs exploring the riverside together. Together, but each independent. This seemingly ordinary photo is one of the best for us lately - working on low arousal is paying off.

Is working at low arousal a boring life for the dog and the owner?

I would say it’s incredibly interesting, calming, and it develops you a lot. Living in a slow-life rhythm gives you time and space to process things and make the right decisions.

Working on low arousal doesn’t mean a boring life - it teaches a calm approach to everyday activities. Mrok happily travels in his bike trailer - here on a trip to the island of Rügen.

I train my dog for competitions / teach tricks – does that mean I’m doing it wrong?

I’m not completely against activities other than natural ones for a dog. Although… I don’t use them myself. I believe a free walk gives a dog everything it needs. That said, there are activities I’m strongly against, and others I accept under certain conditions. Again, what matters most is observing the dog and watching how it affects their nervous system and emotions.

A low-arousal walk, well-guided training, and living with a dog in a way that doesn’t unnecessarily stimulate it mean the dog uses every chance to rest when it appears. Mrok rests calmly after the first hour of the walk - we’ll move on again soon.

My dog is naturally energetic – were they born with high arousal, and should I change it?

Usually, dogs are not born that way – it’s us, people, and the environment that make a dog reactive or overaroused. So it’s less about changing them and more about not making things worse. But if change is needed: take them for a walk, find good, social, balanced dog companions, introduce a home routine, and above all – take care of your own level of calm.  Important: routine is not boredom.  Note: Sometimes puppies born to anxious, fearful or reactive mothers may have a predisposition to reactivity, but again, the human and the environment can prevent those traits from developing.

For many people, it’s surprising that a high-energy dog like Mrok, an ACD, can go wild and then rest a moment later. It’s a difficult skill for him, and a source of real satisfaction for us. The feeling of relief that comes with dropping out of high arousal is important for a dog—and they quickly choose what feels good.

Summary?

One of my key guiding principles is: “Don’t change behaviour – change emotions.”  If your dog, in your view, behaves badly – don’t focus on the behaviour. Ask what is underneath. What emotion? Focus on that. Where it comes from, why, and how it can change. That change should always go towards calm and relaxation. I guarantee that when you get this right, the behaviour changes on its own.

Working on low arousal pays off for the dog - when life is guided well, young Mrok learns that chasing cats isn’t worth it. Getting to know them is far more interesting. The cats notice that Mrok is starting to respect them, and they’re becoming more curious about him too.

What you can do yourself

When something doesn’t feel right with your dog, the first thought is usually: something needs to be done with the dog. Change it, fix it, teach it, go to a specialist so they can repair it.

In reality, a dog rarely creates problems on its own. What you see is usually a response to what it gets from you and from the environment you create together. You are a team. A problem with the dog is a problem with the team. And in that team, you have more tools – the dog doesn’t plan, you do.

The world is ahead of us - good that we can see it and explore it. This is us, dogs - and this is our life.

Start with yourself.

Before you go out with your dog, before you react to another dog on the horizon, before you try to correct anything – exhale. Calmly, without drama. A few such exhales lower nervous system tension faster than any decision to “be calm”. The dog reads your body easily, which amplifies your emotional state for them. You can think “I’ll be calm” and at the same time stand tense, with a tight leash and a high voice. Exhale changes the physical state – and that is what the dog reads.

This is not something you need to practise. You know how you breathe when you sit in the evening in a chair. You can breathe the same way before going out with your dog.

One of the key elements in teaching low arousal is helping the dog feel comfortable in that state. A person relaxes and settles after a deep, calm exhale. Diving is part of our life - conscious, steady breathing helps us not only underwater.

Don’t try to change everything at once – take one element and apply it everywhere consistently. For example: just the exhale, every time something creates tension. The dog likes repetition and will quickly notice what you’re doing. Then add another element and give both yourself and the dog time.

From everything we’ve learned so far, reaching calm on the owner’s side is about ninety percent of the work when you live this way. The rest are small things – don’t pull the leash, don’t talk to the dog all the time, be clear in your actions.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/25bef7_74dde1a83560426db8fa826402b8a774/720p/mp4/file.mp4

On every walk, there are dogs Mrok already knows - and new ones appear too. They move together, and at the same time each on their own, constantly aware of the others. The whole group flows without pressure - exploring, pausing, interacting when it makes sense, then drifting apart again. No chaos, no tension - just quiet communication happening in the background. Watching a group like this is a real pleasure. It’s calm, relaxed, and balanced - the kind of space that gives both dogs and their people a rare sense of ease.

Low arousal helps both the dog and you. In practice, it may turn out that you do all the work – and the dog simply receives it and applies it. No explanations needed. It just works.

One reservation: if you expect this from the dog while you stay at high arousal, the whole system breaks down. You work together. One supports the other.

And when it happens – something subtle, hard to name but easy to feel – appears between you. Dogs have always known it. We are only starting to learn.

Mrok shows in everything he does that investing in low arousal is worth it. It’s his life, but we are responsible for it.

A note worth adding

It is worth attending seminars and workshops from different schools of working with dogs. We assume that each of them – regardless of the name behind it – is built on the same foundation: the dog, its needs, reactions, behaviours. Up to that point, all schools agree. They differ in methods and goals. And that is where you can evaluate, analyse, and choose what fits your life with your dog.

Mrok is a companion dog – we call him a “travel dog”, because that’s the life we live together. He needs calm and confidence in everyday situations. We try to help him with that – just as you can help your dog by finding the best way for both of you to live together.

Portuguese bush? Why not - this is where you get away from the noise. Mrok picked a perfect spot - can you see where he’s resting? 🙂