Does your dog have seemingly endless energy? Is he always bouncing off the walls, running around like a crazy person, and generally driving you nuts? If so, don't despair—you're far from alone. Lots of dog owners have hyper dogs, and there are lots of ways to calm them down. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Get Some Exercise
One of the best ways to calm a hyper dog is to make sure he gets plenty of exercise. A tired dog is a calm dog, so take him for long walks, runs, or hikes on a regular basis. If you can't do this yourself, consider hiring a dog walker or enrolling him in doggy daycare where he can run and play to his heart's content.
Make Time for Training
Training is another great way to expend your dog's excess energy and help him learn to focus and control himself. Take him to obedience classes, practice commands at home, or work on tricks—anything that will help him use his mind as well as his body. The structure of training will also help give him a sense of calm and purpose.
Create a calming environment
Dogs are sensitive creatures, and their environment can have a big impact on their mood and energy level. If your home is chaotic or loud like everyone's seems to be these days, it's no wonder your dog is always on edge.
To calm him down, create a peaceful space for him where he can relax and unwind. This might be his own room or corner of the house with cozy bedding, some toys, and some calming music playing in the background. Whenever he seems particularly wound up, encourage him to go to his space so he can de-stress in peace.
Training and Calming Aids
If that doesn't seem to be helping, or if your dog is still hyper even after getting some exercise, try using calming aids such as thunder shirts, lick mats or CBD oil. Thunder shirts work by applying gentle pressure to your dog's body, which has a calming effect on many dogs. CBD oil is thought to have similar effects, and can be given orally or rubbed into your dog's skin.
Lick mats are another great idea as you can easily spread peanut butter or your pups favorite treat and give it to them to safely distract and entertain them during those hectic situations. Giving a special treat like a bully stick, or collagen stick to your furry friend can also help calm them down when things are really stressful for your pup.
If you have a hyper dog, don't despair—there are lots of things you can do to help calm him down. Exercise, training, creating a calming environment and using training and calming aids are all great starting points.
Remember if these things aren't helping its best to check with your local veterinarian to get some additional tips or seek out a great professional dog trainer who has been there and done that. With a little patience and effort, you'll have your furry friend chilled out in no time!
