Whenever you are buying a dog, irrespective of the breed, you have to work on its behavior. If your dog’s behavior is not up to the mark, it may put you in an embarrassing situation. Hence, it is imperative to give some extra time and effort to improve your dog’s behavior. Being hyper is one of those behaviors that you should be concerned about.
There is a possibility that your dog is hyperactive, and you need to take proper steps. You have to understand that every dog has different psychology as well as different behavioral patterns. You need to study it and work according to that. Therefore, if the question ‘how to calm a hyper dog’ hovers in your mind, look nowhere else. We are going to discuss that.
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Why is my dog so hyper?
Various reasons are responsible for this behavior of the dogs. Therefore, being a pet parent, it is your responsibility to find out the reasons for its hyperactivity.
Fathoming the reasons will help you to make the right decision and take the right steps. So, here are some of the reasons that you should check.
1. Itchy or uncomfortable
The uncomfortable situation is one of the significant reasons for the hyperactivity of your dog. So, you have to find out the reason why your dog is uncomfortable. You need to do that as quickly as possible. Once you find out the reason for your dog’s uncomfortable situation, you can take care of it.
2. Boredom
Another probable reason for this hyperactive behavior of your dog can be boredom. You need to consider the fact that a bored dog is always eager to do something. Maybe, it will run and jump around your house. In case, if you find out that your otherwise calm and patient dog is getting hyperactive out of the blues, consider it to be the lack of exercise.
3. Conditioning
The condition of your dog has a vital role to play when it comes to hyperactivity. For instance, if your dog gets attention whenever it runs or jumps, it will do it again and again. Your dog knows that running or jumping will get him or her the things that it wants. So, you need to work on the conditioning of your dog.
4. Your behavior
Now, it is time for self-introspection. Well, dogs are pack animals and they have this instinct. They always look up to their pack leaders and work according to their behavior. To be precise, their pack leader’s behavior will reflect in their behavior as well. In this case, you are the leader of the pack. So, you also have to work on your behavior.
5. Overstimulated or overwhelmed
If your dog cannot deal with a situation, it will act hyperactively, no matter what the situation is. Also, if your dog is emotionally overwhelmed, it may show this behavior. There are multiple reasons for which your dog can get emotionally overwhelmed. Some of the reasons are loud noise, other dogs, and many people. Also, if your dog is not happy with something, it can be overly dramatic.
How to tell if your dog is hyperactive?
If you can dig out a bit, you will find out that a dog and a child have a lot of common traits. Both of them love to explore and get excited quite easily. Similarly, there is a possibility that like your child, your dog is also suffering from ADHD.
Technically, hyperactivity in dogs is termed as hyperkinesis. A lot of research is going through regarding hyperkinesis. So, the best thing that you should do is to visit your nearest vet. He or she will be the best person to provide you with the best advice.
Well, if your dog is suffering from hyperkinesis, it will show some symptoms. Knowing the symptoms will help you to make the right decision. To be specific, if you find any of the symptoms in your dog, you can rush towards your vet or a behavior specialist.
So, let’s check the symptoms of hyperactivity of your dog.
- It will always be high on energy.
- Your dog will get distracted easily.
- Also, you will witness the hyperactivity of your dog like lots of moving and fidgeting.
- Impulsiveness is another symptom that you will get.
- It will be hard for your dog to pay attention to.
Maybe, these symptoms will aggravate. During that time, it will be quite hard to control your dog and that will be the worst-case scenario. So, here are symptoms if the intensity of hyperkinesis increases.
- Maybe, when your dog is stressed out, it will become snappish or aggressive. And that is something you should avoid.
- In case if you see that your mooch is seeking a lot of attention, it is possible that he or she is going through hyperkinesis.
- If you find it hard to train them due to their nervous energy and distractibility, go for a vet. They will provide you with the most convenient solutions.
- Also, if your dog cannot socialize with other dogs, maybe it is suffering from anxiety. And that is something responsible for hyperkinesis.
So, you can see that hyperactivity is harmful to both the mental and physical conditions of your dog. It comes with a lot of negative effects. It makes the life of your dog harder as it cannot live its life to the fullest. So, try to catch these symptoms as early as possible. It will allow you to take the necessary steps quickly.
5 Ways to calm a hyper dog
Now, it is the most vital part of the discussion. By now, you comprehended the reasons as well as the symptoms of the hyperactivity of your dogs. Therefore, it is time to discuss the ways of calming down a hyper dog. As a pet parent, it will help you a lot. So, here are the ways to calm down a hyper dog.
1. Ignore the hyper behavior of the dog
It is one of the effective and convenient ways to control the hyperactivity of your dog. Every time you are giving attention to the hyperactive outbursts of your dog, you are reinforcing the behavior. Once you give attention to your dog, it will get used to it.
Hence, try to ignore the dog when your dog is nipping or jumping at you. Don’t make any movements, eye contact, and touch. After that, you need to observe the behavior of your dog. If you see that your dog is settling down quickly, consider the work done.
It will make your dog understand that hyperactivity is not always welcome. Once you incorporate this fact into the mind of your dog, it will behave properly.
2. Take your dog to walk
High energy is one of the major factors behind the hyperactivity of your dog. So, it is your responsibility to drain the energy of your dog or to make it tired. A lot of dogs have high built-up energy. So, to drain that energy, vigorous walking sessions can really be helpful.
After you come back from the walk, you will find out that your dog is exhausted. Apart from that, it will be quite happy. Your dog will be too tired to jump and leap over you. Instead of that, it will prefer relaxing.
The best part is, it is also good for the health of your dog. It will help you to keep your dog healthy as well as happy.
3. Aromatherapy can be useful
We don’t need to say that smelling is the most significant sense that dogs have. When it comes to a dog, the smell plays a vital part in a lot of things. Therefore, aromatherapy can really be helpful if you want to calm down your hyper dog. It will relax the senses of the dogs.
We, humans, feel relaxed when a soothing smell enters our nose. Similarly, if your dog sniffs a soothing smell, there is a possibility that it will feel relaxed. For instance, you can use the fragrance of lavender as it has a calming effect on our nerves.
In case, if you are not sure about the smell, you can get in touch with a vet. The vet is the best person that will guide you in this matter. They will also tell you the best dispersal method for your dog. Therefore, you can always try aromatherapy for your dog.
4. Allocate a job for your dog
If you can provide a task to your dog, it will help you a lot. Most of us think that hyperactivity of dogs comes from physical needs. However, just like physical needs, psychological needs are also significant. Therefore, giving your dog a task is a good option.
It will redirect its energy to somewhere else and that is essential to get rid of hyperactive behavior. For example, if you can make your dog wear a backpack, it will help you a lot. Wearing the backpack will add some extra weight to your dog’s body.
It will make your dog concerned about the weight. Its focus will shift to the load of the bag. And for that reason, it will be hard for your dog to chase squirrels or getting distracted by other things.
5. Your own energy is also an imperative factor
You should consider your dog to be your mirror. Your dog will reflect your energy. Therefore, you need to check your own energy before judging your dog. And to comprehend your energy, you need to ask yourself some questions like- Am I projecting the right energy as a pack leader? Do I have a calm state of mind? Am I nervous or anxious?
If you can find out the answers, it will be easier for you to calm down your dog. Your nervous or anxious body language will make your dog anxious and nervous. Therefore, you need to work on your attitude as well if you want your hyperactive dog to calm down.
Therefore, if you are a pack leader, you need to take care of your energy.
So, here is everything that you need to know about the hyperactivity of your dog. Knowing the symptoms, causes, measures will help you to make your dog happy. It will allow your dog to live life to the fullest.
