The Dog Blog

You have finally brought your new puppy or dog home and are now finding that he is not the quiet, placid little pet you thought he would be. It may be that he very rarely sits still, barks like crazy when someone knocks on the door, is running round and round chasing his tail and, worst of all, constantly chewing at your furniture or prize possessions. If your puppy or dog is exhibiting any of these behaviors, then he is probably suffering from hyperactivity.

Is your puppy or dog merely being unusually energetic or is he suffering from what is termed true hyperactivity. True hyperactivity is a fairly uncommon medical condition where the dog exhibits frantic behaviors including panting, restlessness, chasing his tail and collapsing with exhaustion. If you think that your puppy or dog is suffering with this condition then it is advisable to see your vet.

What you may not have considered is that your puppy or dog is hyperactive because that is the characteristic of its breed. An example is a Collie, a herding dog, which has been bred to have lots of energy to carry out is work. This is why it is so important to check out the specific characteristics of different breeds before you choose one to suit your lifestyle.

Training a hyperactive dog can be a challenge. Below are some tips and techniques to help you along.

Firstly, an energetic dog needs exercise in order to expend his excess energy. I recommend that you take your dog for long walks at least twice a day and play games such as frisbee, fetch and find. Not only is this great exercise for your dog but also a fantastic and cheap way of keeping you healthy.

For excessive and inappropriate barking, you should command your dog to stop given in a stern voice. If he carries on barking then pull him away from what he is barking at, e.g. the door, and give a correction such as a sharp tug on his collar. If he is outside and wants to come in and you are not ready for him to come in you should command him to stop through the door. If this does not stop him from barking, you could try kicking the bottom of your door from the inside. Hopefully the loud noise will startle your puppy or dog enough to make him stop.

If you find that your puppy or dog is chewing his way through your prize possessions, you should place as many of them as you can out of reach. Then choose a few sturdy toys for your dog to play with. In order for your dog to have positive associations with these toys, play regularly with these toys with your dog and he will then be more likely to play with them when left alone.

You may want to consider using a dog crate at times when you not able to interact with your puppy or dog. The use of the crate will act like a tranquillizer as dogs like the comfort of a confined and defined space.

Finally, It is crucial to remember to give a positive reinforcement when your puppy or dog gives a correct behavior and to give a negative reinforcement for an unwanted behavior. I hope that you will now start to employ some or all of these techniques to train your hyperactive puppy or dog.

Visit my Training Puppy Tips website to read more about dealing with a hyperactive dog and about how to solve other problems such as a whining dog.

Related Websites

• Thought of the Day: Refiner's Fire
• Solar Home Energy Systems | Make Free Home Power
• AAA Awnings Inc Blog » Power Your Home with DIY Solar Energy.
• Letters From The Heart
• St John Chrysostom Homily #2 on Phil 2:6-11 For Palm Sunday (March …