Hey guys- I had the opportunity to present this webinar on Arousal Modulation Conference and I received very positive feedback. Q&A was almost hour long and we have finished only because I needed to go to another room for discussion panel :) I decided to share this presentation to you all as a thank you for joining this community. Any questions let me know in the comments and we will do our live Q&A :) Description: Many training approaches focus on keeping dogs calm, relaxed, and below threshold. While these skills are valuable, if alone they often fail to prepare dogs for the moments that matter most. Whether it is a reactive dog encountering a trigger, a sport dog entering the competition field, or a working dog facing real-world pressure, arousal inevitably rises. Excitement, frustration, anticipation, and fear can all interfere with performance. As arousal increases, communication often breaks down. The dog stops responding, decision-making deteriorates, and both handler and dog become disconnected. The goal should not be to keep dogs calm all the time. Instead, we should teach them how to stay connected, responsive, and capable of making good decisions even when arousal is high. In this presentation, Alex Lato explores how arousal affects learning, communication, and performance, and why many traditional approaches to impulse control and calmness fail to transfer into real-life situations. Drawing from experience with reactive dogs, companion dogs, and working dogs, he presents practical strategies for maintaining communication when excitement, frustration, or uncertainty take over. Topics covered include: - How arousal influences behaviour, learning, and performance - Common sources of high arousal, including excitement, frustration, and fear - Why calmness alone often fails to prepare dogs for real-world challenges - The difference between suppressing arousal and teaching dogs to function within it - Using play as a tool for developing communication, emotional regulation, and clear thinking

There are couple of things we need to talk about! therefore I plan next live Q&A and if you are up for it- make it more regular. The main topic will be on reactivity and how to prepare for off lead dogs that are approaching us. We have to look at this topic from 3 angles 1- how to advocate for our dog and deal with off lead dog that is approaching our reactive one 2- how to communicate effectively with our dog and environment (owner of the other dog and the dog itself) 3 - how to build trust in our dog so will let us advocate for them without reaction. I will also answer all question around the topics from the latest webinars that I have posted. Proposal of Time: Tuesday 28th 6 or 7 pm. Who would be interested in joining ?