Arms rising defensively, leash tangling, and balance wavering—these are the familiar moments when a dog's behavior suddenly shifts. One moment your walk or play session is going fine, the next your dog is jumping up, mouth finding sleeves and hands, their whole body radiating intensity. This kind of behavior can feel startling, overwhelming, and yes, even frightening at times, leaving owners unsure how to respond.
The way we handle these moments matters, and understanding why they happen is the crucial first step. Before we can effectively address these behaviors, we need to recognize what's really happening when our dogs enter this state of hyperarousal. In this blog, we'll break down the science behind these challenging moments and explore why common reactions might be making things worse.
What Is Hyperarousal?
Hyperarousal refers to a state of heightened responsiveness to stimuli. While we won’t dive into the technicalities of nervous system responses, it’s important to understand that this state involves both physical and psychological changes. In humans, hyperarousal can manifest as elevated heart rate, rapid breathing, and heightened sensitivity to the environment.
In dogs, the physical symptoms of hyperarousal are often clear indicators of their overstimulated state. You might notice dilated pupils, rapid or heavy breathing, and an open mouth with panting. Some dogs may display piloerection—where their fur stands on end—most commonly on their shoulders or along the entire back, though it is less likely to appear solely on the rump. These physical signs are the dog’s way of signaling that they are struggling to regulate their stress levels.
Stress and Its Role in Hyperarousal
Stress, in a physiological sense, isn’t inherently good or bad—it’s simply the body’s way of preparing to act. Whether the trigger is something enjoyable or overwhelming, the body undergoes a series of changes to mobilize energy, maintain safety, or adapt to the environment. This natural response helps animals, including dogs, react to challenges in their surroundings. However, when stress becomes chronic or the dog is unable to manage their heightened state, behaviors like jumping, mouthing, or biting can emerge.
Understanding that hyperarousal isn’t about ‘bad behavior’ but rather a reflection of the dog’s inability to manage stress is key. Recognizing these physical signs early helps set the stage for addressing the behavior before it escalates.
Emotions Driving Hyperarousal
Many emotional states can contribute to hyperarousal, including excitement, frustration, and even anger. When discussing emotions in dogs, it can be helpful to simplify them into two categories: “happy” emotions and “icky” emotions. While it might seem counterintuitive, even an abundance of excitement can fall into the “icky” category if the dog is unable to control it. Think of it like a roller coaster—it’s fun because you know it will end, but if it kept going indefinitely, the thrill would quickly turn into discomfort. Similarly, when a dog’s excitement becomes overwhelming, it tips into hyperarousal, making it harder for the dog to regulate their actions.
Why Do Dogs Jump and Mouth During Hyperarousal?
Jumping and mouthing during moments of hyperarousal can serve several functions. In some cases, dogs may engage in these behaviors as a way to seek out feel-good chemicals like dopamine to cope with the stress they are experiencing. These actions can also act as an outlet for frustration or a reflexive attempt to self-soothe. Additionally, the owner’s past responses to these behaviors may contribute to their intensity or frequency over time. To complicate matters further, jumping and mouthing can function as redirected behavior—a way for the dog to express frustration or anger when they cannot interact with the original trigger.
What Not to Do When Handling Hyperarousal
Now that you have a better understanding of hyperarousal in dogs, let’s talk about what not to do—since it’s easy to respond in ways that can unintentionally escalate the behavior. You may be coming to the conclusion that the key to addressing hyperarousal is to focus on reducing the dog’s stress levels, helping them manage stress in a more appropriate way, and guiding them back into their window of tolerance—the range where they can engage with their environment without becoming overwhelmed or overstimulated. The goal isn’t to suppress their emotional responses but to support the dog in shifting out of hyperarousal and back into a state where they can respond calmly and think more clearly.
Why Training Cues May Not Work During Hyperarousal
Asking your dog to perform trained behaviors, such as sit or leave-it, is unlikely to be effective during moments of hyperarousal—and here’s why. In this heightened state, the brain shifts from relying on the prefrontal cortex—the area responsible for decision-making, impulse control, and learning—to the amygdala, which governs emotional responses like fear, excitement, and stress. Because the dog is already overwhelmed with sensory input, adding additional cues can increase their stress levels rather than help them regulate.
There is also a risk of creating poisoned cues—associating a previously reliable cue with hyperarousal, making it at best ineffective and at worst problematic in the future. When a cue becomes linked to moments of intense arousal, it can even begin to trigger the very behavior you are trying to prevent, further complicating training efforts.
Why Escalating Your Response Makes Hyperarousal Worse
Escalating your behavior in response to a hyperaroused dog—or meeting the dog’s energy with equally intense reactions—can make the situation worse. Managing your own emotional response is crucial, as it’s easy to slip into a hyperaroused state yourself when a dog is jumping, mouthing, or biting at you. If your instinct is to pull your arms away, push at the dog, yell, or repeatedly shout “no, no, no,” you risk escalating the arousal in both yourself and your dog. This reactive response adds more chaos to an already overwhelming situation, further intensifying the dog’s hyperarousal and making it even harder for your dog to regain control of their stress levels.
Recognize the Build-Up of Hyperarousal
Early intervention is always more effective. You wouldn’t wait until your arm is falling off to take antibiotics, and similarly, you shouldn’t wait until your dog is jumping and biting your arm to address hyperarousal. This is where observation and investigation become essential, often with the help of a skilled trainer, to understand what triggers your dog, what the early signs of arousal are, and how hyperarousal progresses. Think of it like a soda can—if you shake it, it will eventually explode when opened. However, if you gently release the pressure early, you can prevent the full explosion. The same concept applies with your dog: the moment you notice the subtle signs of hyperarousal—like panting with an open mouth, dilated pupils, or heavy breathing—is the time to intervene. The key is to begin implementing your training protocol as soon as these early signs present themselves, rather than waiting until the behavior escalates into jumping or mouthing.
Conclusion
Hyperarousal in dogs can feel overwhelming, especially when it leads to behaviors like jumping and mouthing. Understanding what not to do is the first step toward addressing the issue effectively. In part two of this blog, we’ll explore what you can do—how to manage triggers, support your dog’s ability to regulate stress, and implement strategies to reduce hyperarousal and its symptoms. Stay tuned for practical steps to help your dog find calm amidst the chaos.
Move beyond understanding to action with your dog's hyperarousal. While understanding what not to do is crucial, knowing the right steps to take can make all the difference in helping your dog find balance. Join me next Monday for part two of this comprehensive guide, where I’ll reveal practical strategies for managing triggers, supporting your dog's stress regulation, and implementing effective techniques to reduce hyperarousal behaviors.
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