08/26/2025
🐾✨ Training Tip Tuesday: Tackling Mouthiness & Managing Arousal ✨🐾
Mouthiness often starts young but can quickly become a learned and highly reinforced behavior—especially in adolescent dogs who get easily excited.
One of the keys is managing arousal early:
🔹 Decrease excitement levels before they escalate
🔹 Control the environment to prevent unwanted behaviors
🔹 Use management tools like crates, leashes, or tethers when needed
A big challenge? Friends and family who get excited during greetings—sometimes unknowingly reinforcing mouthy or nippy behavior.
⚠️ Why does this matter? If arousal isn’t managed, it can lead to arousal biting and reinforce the idea that “my mouth needs to be on things.” For safety and harmony, we want to reduce that.
One great way to help is with peak excitable moments like guests visiting:
🛋️ Couch privileges are just that—privileges. If your dog gets too excited to function calmly on the couch, it’s okay to remove them and redirect to a more appropriate spot.
🛏️ Teach cues like “on” and “off,” or reinforce a cozy place nearby—like a bed or mat.
🦺 Use management tools if needed to keep things calm and safe.
If mouthiness or high arousal is a struggle for your dog, we’re here to help!
📞 Call or text us at 210-418-1440, DM us, or visit arfordabledogtraining.com to learn more about personalized training.
