Study Finds Exercise, Human Interaction and Medication Can Help Calm Highly Aroused Shelter Dogs

New research suggests that a combination of enrichment and veterinary medication may help shelter dogs manage excessive arousal, potentially improving their welfare and chances of adoption.

Life in an animal shelter can be stressful for dogs. Noise, unfamiliar surroundings, confinement and frequent interaction with other anxious or excitable dogs can leave some animals in a state of persistent high arousal.

Now, a randomised controlled study involving shelter dogs in Texas suggests that carefully structured enrichment — and, in some cases, veterinary medication — could help.

The study, published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, followed dogs displaying excessive arousal at Lubbock Animal Shelter & Adoption Center. Researchers examined several approaches to see which were most effective at reducing behaviours associated with high arousal.

What does “excessive arousal” look like?

In a shelter environment, excessive arousal can include repeated jumping, pacing, circling, lunging, mouthing and vocalising. Persistent high arousal can be associated with stress, frustration and difficulty regulating behaviour.

These behaviours can also create a difficult cycle for shelter dogs. Highly aroused dogs may be harder to handle, less appealing to prospective adopters and potentially more difficult to settle once they arrive in a home.

Five different approaches

The researchers initially identified 62 eligible dogs, with 50 ultimately included in the analysis. The dogs were randomly assigned to one of five groups.

The baseline group received two five-minute walks each day. Other groups received additional enrichment, medication, or a combination of the two.

The enrichment programs included longer walks, play sessions and positive human interaction, such as petting, giving treats or basic training.

Two medications commonly used by veterinarians to manage anxiety and arousal in dogs — gabapentin and trazodone — were also tested, either on their own or alongside calm enrichment.

The combination produced the most consistent results

The researchers found that dogs receiving active enrichment, medication, or medication combined with calm enrichment had lower arousal scores than dogs receiving the baseline treatment.

The strongest and most consistent changes were seen in dogs receiving medication alongside calm enrichment. These dogs showed lower levels of several behaviours associated with arousal, including vocalising, lip licking, panting and jumping.

The results also suggest that simply adding human interaction may not be enough for dogs already experiencing excessive arousal. Dogs receiving calm enrichment alone did not show the same reduction in overall arousal as dogs receiving active enrichment or the combined medication-and-enrichment approach.

Interestingly, the researchers also observed lower arousal scores later in the study regardless of treatment. This suggests that establishing a predictable routine, with regular opportunities for exercise and engagement, may itself help some shelter dogs adjust to their environment.

Why it matters for adoption

A dog repeatedly barking, jumping or pacing in a kennel can be difficult for potential adopters to evaluate. What visitors see may be a dog struggling with its environment rather than an accurate representation of how that dog behaves in a home.

Reducing excessive arousal could therefore support both animal welfare and adoptability. Previous research has linked behavioural problems in shelter dogs with longer stays and adoption difficulties.

The findings could also give shelters additional tools for dogs that struggle particularly badly with the shelter environment.

More research is needed

The study does not mean that medication is the answer for every excitable shelter dog.

The research was conducted at a single municipal shelter in Texas, and the intervention lasted only one week. The dogs also received improvements to their basic housing and regular walks, meaning that several factors could have contributed to the behavioural changes.

Excessive arousal can also have different underlying causes, including anxiety, frustration, a desire for social interaction or simply high activity levels. Dogs that look similar behaviourally may therefore need very different interventions.

The researchers also note that some medications were administered with foods such as peanut butter, wet food or spray cheese. Because these foods themselves provide enrichment, some of the observed effects cannot be attributed exclusively to the drugs.

Longer-term studies are needed to determine whether the improvements persist and how shelters can tailor interventions to individual dogs.

A practical takeaway

Perhaps the most encouraging message from the study is that a dog’s behaviour in a shelter does not necessarily tell the whole story.

Providing dogs with opportunities to leave the kennel, exercise, interact positively with people and follow a predictable routine may help them regulate their behaviour. For dogs experiencing more severe problems, veterinary behavioural support, including medication when appropriate, could be another part of an individualised plan.

For shelters, the research reinforces an increasingly important idea: sometimes helping a dog become more adoptable starts with giving that dog the opportunity to feel calmer, safer and more like themselves.