The Healing Highway: Understanding Your Dog’s Vagus Nerve

About this episode

Nikki explores the role of the vagus nerve in dogs and its impact on behavior and emotional regulation.

In this episode, Nikki explores the vital role of the vagus nerve in your dog’s nervous system and how it directly influences behavior, stress, and emotional regulation. Often called the “nerve of safety,” the vagus nerve helps shift dogs out of survival mode and into connection, rest, and healing. You’ll learn what the vagus nerve is, how it functions within the autonomic nervous system, what dysregulation looks like in dogs, and practical ways to support vagal tone through safety, co-regulation, touch, and environment. If your dog struggles with chronic stress, reactivity, anxiety, or shutdown behaviors, understanding the vagus nerve may change how you see their behavior—and how you support their healing. dogspeak101.com dogspeakgeek.thinkific.com patreon.com/dogspeak Mentioned in this episode: 2026 Decoding Aggression and Reactivity Summit If you want your dog to truly live well—not just get through the day, but feel safe, regulated, and able to move through their world without constant stress—this is for you. If you’re tired of managing triggers, walking on eggshells, or dreading walks because you don’t know what might set your dog off… you’re not alone. And more importantly…

People in this episode

Host: Nikki Ivey

Topics covered

• vagus nerve
• dog behavior
• stress regulation
• emotional health
• canine healing

Keywords

• vagus nerve
• dog behavior
• stress
• anxiety
• healing

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