Every dog owner has experienced this. The pet dog, regardless of the breed, starts jumping, barking, and wagging its tail for some reason. Often, as the dog parent, you are clueless and try to identify the reason. The aforesaid behavior can be evident when the dog notices guests arriving at your home, during walk time, seeing another dog, or when you return home from outside. It feels like some dogs just lose control over themselves.
So, what exactly can you do to manage them in this situation? Will you shout or pull them away, or do something to calm them down? Precisely speaking, such overexcitement in dogs is nowhere related to displaying bad behavior; it is simply their unmanaged emotion. The good news is that you can teach the dogs to stay calm, and that too without yelling, punishing, or being frustrated. Here are the steps to follow.
Try to identify the reasons for the overexcitement
Even before trying to fix their behavior, you must understand it. Usually, dogs get overexcited when they associate certain events with rewards. It is also possible the dog hasn’t yet learned to keep control over itself, and last but not least, their energy levels are not adequately channeled.
Common triggers leading to overexcitement
Some of the common triggers leading them to become overexcited have been mentioned earlier. To sum it up, here are the possible reasons:
- The ringing of the doorbell or guests coming to your home.
- When the dog is out for a walk or leash time. In fact, you should know, how to start leash training the right way.
- They can again get super excited when mealtime is around the corner.
- Seeing other dogs or animals can also make them feel excited.
- When their beloved owner returns home after being away for some time.
Each of the above-mentioned situations creates a surge of anticipation, and the dog just does not know how to handle it calmly.
Mistakes to avoid in such situations
The sudden display of overexcitement can come as an element of surprise for dog owners. But if they yell or punish the dog for their behavior, it would be one of the biggest mistakes. Although the idea of shouting at them can come out naturally, whenever you shout at them, the dog would get more stimulation, and they would associate their excitement with chaos. Ultimately, they would never learn calm behavior. The bottom line, for the dog, your yelling makes them feel you are joining with them in their excitement.
Never appreciate the disorder in their behavior
Considering you are a lenient pet owner, and you no sooner than the dog jumps on you when you come home, you pat them, talk excitedly, and engage in their madness, the dog would feel you are rewarding it for their overexcited behavior, and they will do it more often. Instead, in such situations, try to stay calm and neutral, ignore their random jumping and barking, and move your attention to them when they are settled down. It will help the dog to realize that calm behavior is rewarding, while chaos leads to indifference from their owner.
Try to teach them to remain calm
Of course, during training, you will teach the dog commands like “sit” or “stay”. However, it is equally necessary to train them to be calm. To do this, first wait until the dog relaxes naturally, and reward that moment either with a treat or by praising it. This process should be repeated, and they will soon learn that being calm can be a rewarding experience.
Manage their energy appropriately to stop sessions of overexcitement
The other reason why dogs tend to become overexcited is when they have excess energy. It can happen when it does not have enough exercise, playtime, and mental stimulation. In such situations, most dogs will explode with excitement. It isn’t too difficult to manage their energy levels. Go for daily walks, engage in fetch or play sessions, perform training regularly, and give them puzzle toys to keep their brains engaged. Remember, a tired dog would lead to a calmer dog.
The importance of structured routines
For dogs, a predictable routine is the key to remaining balanced. Else, the impact of routine changes can create a mess. If things tend to happen randomly, excitement levels can spike. Therefore, a fixed routine can help them a lot. Thus, fixed times for walks, meals, and play sessions can help the dog remain calm. When the dog knows what is coming next, they would react less intensely and stay relaxed without being over the moon.
Make them learn calm greetings
Training dogs to practice calm greetings can be one of the best ways to regulate their uncontrolled emotions. When you come home, instead of getting excited and engaging with the pet (even if you are willing), walk in calmly, ignore the dog for a minute, and let them greet you only after it settles. Likewise, you should also make them learn how to behave when guests come in. Furthermore, you can also ask the guests to stay calm and avoid direct eye contact initially. By doing this, you can pass the message to your dog that excitement doesn’t attract attention; instead, it is calmness that makes them more appreciable.
Redirect their excitement initially
During the first few times, trying to stop an overexcited dog would not work according to your plans. Thus, it is best to redirect it instead of trying to suppress their behavior. You can ask them to sit and not react to their sudden excitement, and of course, do not forget to reward them for listening to you. It can again help the dog realize that calm behavior leads to a rewarding experience.
Training the dog’s impulse control
By making use of simple exercises, one can teach dogs impulse control, which can help in regulating their behavior in the long run. For instance, commands like “Sit and wait” before mealtime, or “stay” before going out, and pausing before play are a few things every dog owner should practice. Each of these habits would build the dog’s self-control and improve its overall patience.
Reflect on your energy, too
Well, it isn’t all about the dogs. You must also keep an eye on how you are feeling at that point in time. If you know this already, dogs tend to mirror their owners’ energy. Therefore, if you are loud, excited, and moving fast, the dog would try to imitate you too. The calmer you stay, the calmer the dogs will be. Learning common dog training mistakes and their fixes can help remarkably.
Avoid overstimulation
While both physical and mental stimulation are indispensable for dogs, when the stimulation exceeds limits, things can get haywire. For example, crowded parks, too many guests, and loud noises can throw the dogs out of gear, and they become overexcited. For the best results, dogs should be introduced to stimulation gradually, and a quiet space should be created at home.
Consistency is the key to success
Indeed, when you are trying to manage a dog, consistency holds the key. Training would never be fruitful if it were irregular and different every day. Even if you do not have the time, other family members at home should follow the same rules, respond in the manner as mentioned earlier, and reward their calm behavior whenever possible.
How long can it take to make the dog calmer?
Various factors decide on the time it can take to keep them calm, and these are:
- The age of the dog.
- Consistency of routine.
- Proper channelizing of their energy levels.
The final verdict
Some dogs improve in a few days, while some breeds can take a few weeks to become calm. As an owner, you should remain patient and consistent during this period. You should understand, dogs are never calm by birth; they will need to learn it. As a mentor, your role would be to guide them, reward them for the right behavior, and create a structured routine. So, as you can see, an overexcited dog, by no means, is a bad dog. It is a sign that they are happy and energetic. They just need help in learning to control the excitement.