Dealing with a Hyperactive Dog: Curbing Bad Behavior

From time to time every dog has a hyperactive day where they seem to be full of energy and curiosity. But there are some dog breeds that can be a handful when it comes to energy level. Jack Russell's, Boarder Collies, and Dalmatians are only a few dog breeds that are prone to hyperactive behavior. There are those like myself that are willing to accept the quirks that come with a high energy dog, but how do you deal with their antics on a daily basis? These types are more prone to destructive behaviors, barking, and even aggression if their energy levels are not exhausted. But if you work a normal work week or even more than average how do you keep these types under control and curb their hyperactive behavior?

Keep a Schedule

My dog knows the daily routine by heart. She knows when it is time for a walk, playtime, potty, or bed. Routine add predictability to your pets' day and curbs hyperactive behavior. Why does this work? Our dog relies on us to tell them what their day should consist of. If they do not know what to expect they will find other things to do to fill their time, which usually consists of them doing things they aren't supposed to do.

Take a Walk

With hyperactive dogs you need to walk them more than once a day. Schedule a walk at least two times a day, three if at all possible. Going for a walk drains their energy, and relieves boredom. If your dog is too hyperactive and pulls you all over the place, discouraging you from taking walks there are tools available to help you out. I chose to use a product called a Gentle Leader, which aids in discouraging dogs from pulling. I also chose to use a backpack with a few items stored inside. When I put on the backpack her behavior immediately changes from hyperactive to focused because she was given a job to do. She may not know exactly what her job is, but she knows she has to carry her backpack. Also the added weight gives a bit more of a workout than a traditional walk. If you are not sure what will work for you and your dog, talk to an experienced obedience trainer and they can provide their recommendation.

Doggie Daycare

The availability of doggie daycare has drastically increased, and is a godsend for hyperactive dog owners. For a price of between $8 to $15 a day, your dog will have a day full of activity and social interaction with other dogs. By the end of the day all their excess energy is drained, and you are left with a calm companion. It is one of the best ways I have found to curb hyperactive behavior, and works out well if you are having a particularly busy week or have to work overtime.

Dog Park

In addition to walks, three times a week a trip to the dog park is taken. This is to curb my dogs' hyperactivity and helps her social skills. Hyperactive dogs can run to their hearts content and a half hour to an hour will drain their energy for most of the day. It will also make taking walks easier that day, since their energy level has been decreased.

Keep Temptation Out of Reach

Hyperactive dogs are usually overly curious and that can get them into a ton of trouble. They may end up eating or chewing something that is hazardous to them, and can lead to an emergency trip to the vet. I had a personal experience with this when my dog ate part of a chocolate brownie when my back was turned. It turned out well in the end, but if I had kept temptation out of her reach in the first place that emergency visit to the vet could have been avoided. I have also had a vacuum cleaner cord chewed and some handmade decorations destroyed. If you can keep items locked up or out of reach, it will be better for you and your dog. However behavior like this indicates your dogs energy level is out of control, and they are using destructive behavior to burn energy and curb their boredom.

Go to Obedience Classes

There is one quality that hyperactive dogs lack, which is the ability to focus. Their attention span is one or two seconds at most, and they tend to be hard of hearing frequently. Obedience classes serve two purposes, the first is to burn energy and the second is to learn. A one hour obedience class will burn a ton of energy because it makes them focus, and they have to try to do that. They will burn more energy by not listening and having to repeat the activity over and over than if they listen. Granted this will give you a workout as well, but it will teach you and your dog valuable skills and lead to a well behaved dog. Eventually they will learn it is better to be calm because they are rewarded for that behavior, than to not listen.

Activity Classes

Classes such as competitive obedience classes and sports like flyball burn tons of energy. It gives your dog a job to do, curbs their boredom, and burns energy all at the same time. And it is a fun bonding experience between you and your dog.

Use One Word Commands

This is my final tip for any hyperactive dog owner. When I took my dog to obedience classes I discovered she would respond to one word commands, but not two words. This is due both due to her hyperactivity and her attention span. Also, I found I needed specific commands to stop her hyperactive behaviors. The command "watch me" turned into "focus" with miraculous results. She would completely ignore the "watch me" command, but as soon as I said the word "focus" she would look directly at me. "Settle" is another command that I use on a regular basis. It essentially means: stop whatever you are doing right now. If she was being too hyperactive I would catch her in her antics and force her to sit down, saying the command, "settle." I would not release her until she calmed down. Eventually she made the association, so now if she goes barreling through the house, I can tell her to "settle" and she will stop. "Ignore" was another command that I came up with, when she decided to loose her attention span. Work with an obedience trainer and attach a one word command specifically to a hyperactive behavior, and it will give you the ability to stop your dogs antics in their tracks.