How to Calm an Overexcited Dog
Some dogs are naturally calmer than others, but you can help easily aroused dogs learn to inhibit their excitement and learn that other emotional states are a good thing. You can do this by analyzing when your dog gets excited, and actively working to remove the stimulation or counteract it.
For instance, dogs can get overly aroused when you come home and greet them, so calm, matter-of-fact greetings â or no greetings at all â might help them calm down. Dogs get very excited around meal times, so varying the time you serve meals will help them control their anticipation. And dogs can get extremely aroused when they think a walk is in the picture. Mixing up cues helps calm these dogs â picking up the leash and then putting it back down again, doing the same with keys, or reading the newspaper until the dog settles â are all ways to teach your dog that youâre not going anywhere until the energy is right.
Another thing you can do is interrupt your dog frequently during play â call them to you, have them sit, and then let them return to play. After their play session, make sure they relax before you start a new activity. If you take a dog out right after theyve played enthusiastically, theyre likely to be ready for more action!
In terms of training, obedience â sit, come, down, stay, polite walking â is always valuable, particularly if you practice on a daily basis, first in calm areas, and then in areas that might ordinarily excite your dog. Teaching your dog to use their nose is also an excellent way to increase their focus and decrease excitability. Just tossing a bunch of kibble in the yard and then letting them search for it will help. At first, your dog will run madly around the yard, but as their instincts are honed, theyll be able to show more concentration. Your dogâs nose is their primary sense â may as well use it.Related article
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You can also show dogs how to relax and help them learn to enjoy it. Having your dog lie down, and then gently petting them will make relaxation reinforcing. Having them sit quietly while watching others in action can also be very helpful. One of the most useful techniques for Strider, a German Shepherd with leash reactivity, was having him lie down on his rug close to people playing dog sports like fly-ball and agility, both of which tend to be very active and noisy. At first, he got reinforced every few seconds with a treat on the ground (where he had to look for it). After he learned to relax, we didnât need to use the food reinforcement â just lying on his rug became enjoyable.
Excitement does not always equal happiness. The extremely “happy” attitude we see is usually overexcitement and is more often than not a sign of a behaviorally unbalanced dog. This overexcitement is usually linked with other unwanted behaviours, but the connection is not often made between the two, and the solution is usually the same – more exercise. But what many people don’t realize is that one of the main factors that contribute to overexcitement is too much physical exercise.
A highly aroused dog will be outwardly very excited. Some dogs may show just an open mouth grin with tongue hanging out, and might be unable to settle. Other dogs may be panting, jumping up, or vocalizing incessantly. They may also become grabby, or mouthy, may chatter their teeth, or you may notice full-body shaking. They may spin in circles, pace back and forth, or merely be unable to settle in one spot for any length of time. Alternatively, a highly aroused dog may freeze and become fixated on a stimulus (such as a toy, or another dog). A highly aroused dog will generally have a high heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. They may drool excessively, may have dilated pupils, and will have poor impulse control in response to the stimulus.
The level of intensity of the dogs’ over-excitement will determine how to proceed with creating balance. The high-level intensity dogs generally require at least one week of strict exercise restriction. By preventing the dog from doing the over-exciting activities that create the production of hormones, you are allowing the body to actually get rid of those hormones altogether so that you can start a balanced training program.
Physical exercise is a necessary part of life for all breeds of dogs. Exercise helps keep our dogs happy, healthy, and well behaved. However, some problems arise when a dog is not exercised properly. One of the biggest and most ignored problems is over-arousal due to exercise.
Attempting to start a more balanced training program without first allowing the hormones to leave the body will likely set you up for failure. It will be almost impossible for your dog to calm down and focus enough actually to learn. Once you are through the restriction phase, you can really start to ramp up the mental exercises. Testing your dogs’ brainpower, and slowly re-introduce off-leash runs or playtime. But remember, balance is key! Mental and physical exercise must go hand in hand to keep the balance.
Don’t Encourage Excited Behavior
The worst thing you can do is to pay attention to an overly excited dog. He’ll just connect being excited with being rewarded. Instead, you should ignore him when he starts acting up. This means no stroking or patting, no talking, and no eye contact. If your dog attempts to jump up on you, immediately push him away and turn your back on him.