Learning to calm down after getting excited or frustrated is a skill which dogs need to practice in order to get good at it. Being able to go from playing one minute, to being settled and relaxed the next is not something that many adolescent dogs are naturally good at.

You can help to teach your dog to de-escalate by getting them energized through play and then doing a calmer activity to lower their arousal again. This could be sniffing for treats on the ground, licking food off a lickimat or chewing a long-lasting treat.

Practicing getting your dog’s arousal level up and then calming them down, will help them to develop their ability to relax more quickly in everyday life.

This can have a big effect on how well your dog copes in situations they find themselves in.

Make sure to practice at lower levels of arousal first, before moving onto calming down from activities that get your dog more energized.