90-Day Foundations - Cycle 2 (Emotional Regulation)
Cycle 2: Emotional Regulation & Arousal Control
Duration: December 21, 2025 - January 20, 2026 (30 days)
Goal: By January 20th, Melon can regulate her arousal - go from high-energy play to calm settle within 30 seconds. She plays with rules, has start and stop switches, and channels excitement toward you.
Outcome: Arousal control, drive + boundaries, post-arousal reset skills.
The 5 Games
1. Red Light, Green Light (Week 1)
What: Start/stop arousal control - stop running on cue, settle quickly Why: Teaches impulse control, arousal regulation, switching gears fast Week 1 Goal: Goes from high-energy play to calm in under 30 seconds
2. Tug With Rules (Week 2)
What: Drive + boundaries - play intensely, drop on cue, wait for permission to re-engage Why: Channels drive, teaches drop behavior, maintains relationship during arousal Week 2 Goal: Plays enthusiastically and drops on first cue even when aroused
3. Knock Over Water Bottle (Week 3)
What: Frustration tolerance - push/knock objects, doesn’t give up when it’s hard Why: Teaches persistence without frustration, channels energy productively Week 3 Goal: Knocks over reliably and doesn’t give up when harder
4. Herding Step 1 (Week 4)
What: Physical boundaries - respects a line even with temptation Why: Teaches self-control, boundary respect, impulse control Week 4 Goal: Respects physical boundary with temptation present
5. Scatter Feeding (Week 4)
What: Post-arousal reset - calm nose work after high arousal Why: Shifts brain from arousal to nose work, teaches settling Week 4 Goal: Immediately shifts to calm after high-arousal play
Weekly Game Focus
| Week | Dates | Game | What You’re Building |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dec 21-27 | Red Light, Green Light | Start/stop arousal control |
| 2 | Dec 28 - Jan 3 | Tug With Rules | Drive + boundaries |
| 3 | Jan 4-10 | Knock Over Water Bottle | Frustration tolerance |
| 4 | Jan 11-17 | Herding Step 1 + Scatter | Physical boundaries + reset |
| 5 | Jan 18-20 | Integration & Assessment | Arousal spike → regulated settle |
Week 1: Red Light, Green Light (Dec 21-27)
Goal
She can go from high-energy play to calm settle within 30 seconds.
Daily Training Plan
| Session | What to Do | Success Metric |
|---|---|---|
| 3pm Courtyard | Marker + Engagement (standard) | Consistent check-ins |
| Bonus Session | Red Light, Green Light (10-15 min) | See weekly progression |
Progression
| Days | Focus | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Run together, stop on cue, reward calm | Stops within 3 seconds |
| 3-4 | Increase arousal (more running), stop, settle | Stops within 2 seconds |
| 5-6 | High arousal play, immediate stop | Stops within 1 second |
| 7 | Multiple cycles: GO → STOP → GO | Fluid transitions |
Success Metric
She can go from high arousal to calm settle in under 30 seconds.
Week 2: Tug With Rules (Dec 28 - Jan 3)
Goal
She plays tug enthusiastically and drops on first cue even when highly aroused.
Progression
| Days | Focus | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Play tug, ask for “drop,” reward | Releases within 3 seconds |
| 3-4 | Tug, drop, wait 2 sec, re-engage | Waits for permission |
| 5-6 | Higher arousal tug, immediate drop | Drops when amped |
| 7 | Multiple cycles, add distractions | Reliable drop under pressure |
Success Metric
She plays tug enthusiastically and drops on first cue even when highly aroused.
Week 3: Knock Over Water Bottle (Jan 4-10)
Goal
She can knock over the bottle reliably and doesn’t give up when it’s harder.
Progression
| Days | Focus | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Introduce bottle, reward any interaction | Investigates willingly |
| 3-4 | Shape toward knocking it over | Makes contact with paw |
| 5-6 | Reliable knock-over on cue | Knocks it over purposefully |
| 7 | Generalize to different objects | Works through frustration |
Success Metric
She can knock over the bottle reliably and doesn’t give up when it’s harder.
Week 4: Herding Step 1 + Scatter Feeding (Jan 11-17)
Goal
She respects physical boundaries with temptation, and can shift to calm nose work immediately after high arousal.
Herding Progression
| Days | Focus | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Establish physical boundary line | She respects it |
| 3-4 | Boundary with mild temptation | Holds even with distraction |
| 5-6 | Higher temptation, holds boundary | Reliable boundary |
| 7 | Add movement, boundary stays | Boundary proof |
Scatter Feeding Progression
| Days | Focus | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Basic scatter feed after arousal | Calms down |
| 3-4 | Scatter in different locations | Works anywhere |
| 5-6 | Scatter after high-arousal play | Immediate calm |
| 7 | Multiple quick resets | Pattern established |
Success Metrics
- She respects physical boundaries even with temptation
- She can immediately shift to calm nose work after high-arousal play
Week 5: Integration & Assessment (Jan 18-20)
Goal
Run all 5 Cycle 2 games in sequence and assess arousal control progress.
Assessment: Arousal Regulation Test
Test how she handles arousal spike → stop:
- High-energy play (tug, Red Light/Green Light)
- Immediate stop
- Scatter feed or calm settle
- Measure recovery time to baseline
Reflection Questions
- Can she go from 100 to 0 in under 30 seconds?
- Does she drop toy on first cue when aroused?
- Can she work through frustration without giving up?
- Is her excitement directed toward you or away?
Outcome
Ready for Cycle 3 or need more work on arousal control?
Key Principles for Cycle 2
Arousal is Information
- Arousal itself isn’t bad
- Teaching her to channel it is the goal
- She needs to learn “excitement = check in with me”
Start Below Threshold
- Build the behavior in calm first
- Then add arousal gradually
- Don’t start with max arousal
Reward the Regulate, Not the Arousal
- Don’t reward for being aroused
- Reward for going from aroused to calm
- Reward for making the right choice when excited
Real-World Application
- These games translate to:
- Seeing other dogs and checking in first
- Settling when you need her to
- Channeling excitement toward training
- Managing her own emotions
Troubleshooting Cycle 2
If She Can’t Stop on Cue
- She’s probably not aroused enough yet
- Make sure the game is genuinely exciting
- Build stop behavior in calm first
If She Gets More Aroused, Not Less
- Back off on duration/intensity
- Make the stop cue clearer
- Increase reward for the stop
If Frustration Leads to Avoidance
- The task might be too hard
- Break it into smaller steps
- She should be challenged, not overwhelmed
Celebrating Cycle 2 Completion
When all 5 games are complete and she’s regulating arousal reliably, you’ve completed Cycle 2!
You now have:
✅ Arousal regulation skills ✅ Drive channeling toward handler ✅ Clear start/stop switches ✅ Post-arousal reset ability ✅ Foundation for advanced work
Next: Cycle 3
| Ready for **[[90-day-foundations-cycle-3 | Cycle 3: Impulse Control & Precision]]**. |
In Cycle 3, you’ll teach rock-solid impulse control, patience under pressure, and frustration tolerance. She’ll be ready for advanced obedience and sport work.
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