Temperament and arousal level in your dog

The temperament

Definitions according to the Larousse :

"1. General disposition of the mood and sensitivity of a being in his relationship with himself and the external environment.

4. Quality of someone who has drive, dynamism, and willpower."

The arousal level

It is the ability of your dog to react, whether by moving, showing emotions, cognitively responding.

If your dog wakes up takes five seconds to stretch, goes to the kitchen with nonchalance, his arousal level is pretty low.

If your dog bounces, runs to the gate, leaps like a rabbit as a way to greet you, his arousal level is pretty high.

I like to use the metaphor of drinks: on one hand, you have coffee; on the other, chamomile. On one hand, you have a high-energy spirit; on the other, you have calm movements. On one hand, you have a being in motion, a being whose mind is sharp; on the other, you have a being rather languid, a being whose mind reacts with increased latency.

A same being can absolutely be coffee and chamomile in the same day.

That being said, some individuals, either because they have had particular experiences, or because their temperament nourishes them with dynamism, or because they have been selected and bred a certain way, will already tend to be predisposed to be more "coffee" or more "chamomile".

When you reach out to your dog, either because it's the first time you've met him or because you're looking for a commitment, if you approach him in "chamomile" mode while he's in "coffee + energy drink" mode (and he's part of a breed bred to maintain a high level of arousal), you'll have a hard time. It's not enough to be calm to inspire calm.

If someone in your house is overexcited, will it be because you tell him to "calm down, chill out" that his energy level will drop? I doubt it!

By reaching out to your dog where his energy is to recapture his attention, you'll be more likely to get him to engage with you.

This is also why it is important to find out about your future canine friend: this will prevent you from thinking that he is great for hiking but realizing that his brain works faster than by the blink of an eye.