It’s all too common for dog trainers to hear owners describe their dogs as hyper- active. In fact, most of these dogs aren’t really hyperactive; they just have the typical energy level of a dog (high) and are in a home where the owner has the typical energy level of a person (not quite as high as a dog, especially after a long day at work).
The simple solution to this “problem” is to make sure that your dog:
- Has adequate exercise. Talk to your vet about your particular dog’s needs.
- Is fed the appropriate food. Food affects a dog’s behavior, just like it does with people.
- Is mentally stimulated. Hide lots of fun, educational toys, such as those that can be stuffed with food, around the house.
- Is taught to have an on/off switch. Many times throughout the day, play with your dog and get her into an energetic mood. Interrupt the play many times by asking your dog to lie down. To begin, ask her to lie down for just a few seconds before you release her, and then gradually increase the length of time you expect her to control herself and remain lying down. Continually getting your dog excited and then settling her down turns what could be a problem (an excited, high-energy dog) into a reward for calm behavior. This is a perfect example of a life reward: using something your dog likes (high- energy play) that is not concrete (not a treat or praise) to reward her for behavior that you like (lying down calmly).