11/30/2025
When a dog’s nervous system is out of balance, it’s not about being “stubborn” or “bad.” It’s biology. These dogs struggle to shift out of survival mode — they stay stuck in fight, flight, or freeze long after the trigger is gone. Their brain and body simply can’t settle, and that shows up in everything from leash reactivity to constant pacing.
➡️ Why it Happens:
Too much stress and not enough structure.
A dysregulated nervous system can come from genetics, trauma, chaotic environments, lack of routine, chronic pain, or even overexposure to too much too soon. Their adrenaline fires before their brain has time to think — they can’t process or recover properly.
⚠️ You’ll Often See:
• Pacing or spinning
• Barking at minor triggers
• Hyper-vigilance or constant scanning
• Trembling, freezing, or shutting down
• Inability to relax even in safe spaces
✨ How to Help Re-Regulate the Dog’s System:
1️⃣ Structure = Safety
Predictability calms the nervous system. Crate routines, leash structure, threshold work, and consistent expectations create a sense of control and stability.
2️⃣ Stillness Work
Place training, duration work, impulse control, and proper leash guidance teach the dog how to decompress — to actually come down after stress instead of spiraling.
3️⃣ Controlled Exposure, Not Chaos
Stop flooding. Slowly introduce triggers in a way the dog can handle. Reward neutrality, not excitement. The goal isn’t to make them “love” everything — it’s to make them stable in the presence of life happening around them.
❤️ Once the nervous system is balanced, the behavior starts to make sense — and real progress begins.
That’s where the training clicks.
