09/08/2026
"Don't tell me he just needs more sleep."
Rest doesn't seem to help.
Walks don't seem to help.
Enrichment doesn't seem to help.
I hear you. I really do.
And I hear how exhausting that can be.
Here's something worth considering.
Not everything that calms one dog's nervous system will help another's.
That lick mat? It may reduce arousal in one dog and increase it in another.
That trip to the dog park?
Some dogs recover quickly. Others may carry those effects for days.
That constant access to another dog? Some thrive on it. Others never get enough time to regulate between interactions.
They will crave it more.
Dysregulation isn't usually solved by finding one magic activity.
I wish it was that easy.
It’s nuanced.
It’s individual.
It needs tweaked. Often.
What was the biggest “aha” you had when you realised something that was supposed to help actually made things worse? behaviour