Puppies are bundles of energy much like the Energizer bunny. They love to play with their siblings, with you and with anything they find lying around. Although this may appear to be adorably cute at times, allowing this behavior to continue may lead to behavioral problems in the future.
Your responsibility is to make sure that you puppy never goes overboard. Calming an excited puppy starts with finding out why he is excited. The puppy may either be happy or scared. While some breeds are more hyperactive than others.
Hyperactive Puppy
Most often than not, working dog breeds are hyperactive because they are wired to be active most of the time. These are very intelligent dogs that need to be involved in activities that will stimulate their innate talents. If you will not put these types of dogs to work, then you should make sure that their daily activities involve a lot of physical stimulation. As puppies, you can calm them by:
- Regularly taking them out to the park for a game of fetch or simply running with them.
- Providing them with the proper training. Basic training includes potty training, leash training, crate training and obedience training (sit, stay, heel, stop, no, etc). Once the puppy has these commands down pat, include special commands and tricks to stimulate his mind.
Scared Puppy
One way that a scared puppy tries to get your attention is by becoming very excited. Giving him attention while he is acting up is not a wise decision. Never pick him up or reward him with a hug, pat, treat or comforting words. Doing so just lets him know that it is acceptable to be excited when he is scared. What this puppy needs is to be socialized.
- Bring the puppy out to dog parks. This will get him used to other dogs.
- Allow him to meet other people as well as other pets like cats.
- Walk or drive with him to the city so he can get used to the sound of vehicles and busy streets.
Doing these things will help the dog become more comfortable in an otherwise uncomfortable and even scary atmosphere.
Happy Puppy
A puppy can be very excited because he is just happy. It is not right to punish a puppy for being happy that you are home. Nor is it correct to reward him by addressing him when he is jumping up and down. Just like with a scared puppy, do not acknowledge the puppy in anyway. Ignore him until he calms down. Once he is calm, then you can call the puppy and spend some time playing with him. Train the puppy as soon as possible on basic obedience and other essential commands.
Food Related Hyperactivity
Manufactured canine food containing soy may cause behavioral problems in some dogs. Find out from your vet if this is a possible cause of his hyperactivity. If so, ask your vet what dog food he recommends,
Tip: Always remain calm when you are dealing with an excited puppy. Speak slowly and be firm. If you are overexcited yourself, your dog will be the same way.
An excited puppy is really adorable to watch until he becomes annoying or hurts himself or others. Early puppy training is an important method in calming an excited pup. Obedience training is essential in getting an excited puppy to calm down. Aim to redirect his attention to something more productive and enjoyable for him to do. With enough patience and love, you can calm even the most excitable puppy.