how do i make my puppy calm down??

Question

i have a shetland sheepdog puppy and hes always barking at me when im cooking......how do i make him stop/calm him down?

he is about 11 weeks old, and he also scratches and bites my feet everytime i give him a toy he plays with it for a couple of seconds and then he comes back to biting and barking at me. what should i do??

we take him out on a walk each day, sometimes 2. He has TONS of toys to play with ... and when we play with him he just gets even more hyper.

Answer 1

Lots of Valuim

Answer 2

He IS a Sheltie, what did you expect??? Don't expect him to ever be to calm. The reason they are such great working dogs is that they are very energetic and smart.

A well timed water mister with the word NO can do wonders.

Get him into a puppy kindergarten class so that he can be socialized and you can learn to train him. Spend a year training him and he will be a much better pet for the rest of his life.


I would NOT reinforce the behavior by 'accidentally' dropping something as someone suggested. Pretty good way to guarantee the behavior will continue.

Answer 3

What to do? If our dog is one of these breeds that is preset to this type of behavior we will have to favor the learning of different orders that help the dog calm down (like: Sit!, Lie down!, To your house!). The game must be controlled by the owner, who will be able to interrupt it when he thinks is the right time. We can make games and exercises that obligate the animal to stop the activity when it hears the (STOP!) order. This will allow us to prevent excitation. When an animal is excited, we have to stop paying attention to it and congratulate it when it gets tired and lies down. We will avoid noise and screaming. Before any new action we have to calm the dog down. For example, before we put the leash on it we will make it sit down. Many owners end up giving in and say that it is impossible to put the leash on the dog. The same thing happens with the food: the excited dog barks and puts its paws on the table. We will wait until it is completely calm to feed it. The games sessions must be well structured. For example: we will throw an object for the dog to go fetch it. We will control it if we ask it to leave the object at our feet. We will not take care of it or congratulate it until it has dropped the object, lied down and calmed down. The principal idea is to limit the causes that initially motivate the dog's excitation and do nothing when the dog is excited. Later on we will progressively increase the situations of risk and always congratulate the dog when it is calm and reacts calmly.

It's very important you try to establish a good relationship between your family and the dog as soon as possible. This means that the humans living in your household need to learn how to be in control, without using force. T

Answer 4

Where him out. Also about the cooking thing, it helps to "accidentally" drop a little something now and then. He is letting you know he is there, and obviously doesn't want you to forget. I have three puppies, lab mixes, and when I get home, I change, then take them to the park. I play with them and they swim and run around, play fetch, ect. When I get home they are so tired, I put their food out and water, they drink, they eat, then they sleep. By the time you are done cooking, eating and cleaning up, they are ready for sleepy cuddle time. My dogs are spoiled rotten, every other Sunday I make a side of beef ribs for them. They are like $5 bucks and you get 7 huge bones. I grill them up, and give a bone with the meat to each of them, and they just lay there for at least two hours eating those bones! They are in heaven! Maybe try that. That is how I do mine. Good Luck.

Maybe also try to research what your dog is designed for. Maybe try to do an activity for that. Dogs like working, and games that involve that really fullfil that desire they have. I have a Labrador Retriever, and she will go get sticks out of the water until I stop throwing them, she loves it, maybe try that.

Answer 5

you should try to make him understand that you have to have your space. Try ignoring him once in a while and you will notice that he will get used to it. Don't stay to much time with him because otherwise he will think that you are wrong. Give him his personal space: An angle, a room, a dog bed and put his toys there. It has to be a silent and calm place so that when he understands that he must not disturb you at all times then he has his space. Remember that you have to give him time.

Answer 6

Puppies need attention all the time, and they can get jealous when you're doing something else without them.
Try giving him a bone or toy to distract him with while you're cooking.

If you keep giving him attention when he barks, he'll soon realize that barking will give him the attention he wants! So just ignore him. (I know it's hard... but it's the best thing to do.)

Answer 7

Most of the time. You can begin stopping the biting now. Every time he/she bites, firmly squeeze their mouth together and say no with a firm tone. This may take a few days, but it does work. Don't be a softy, the puppy will forgive you and you will both be happy.

Answer 8

Make the barking a command IE. speak, tell 'em, talk, etc.
If that doesn't work put him in another room while you are cooking. Or get a squirt bottle with water and squirt him when he barks at you. Good luck.

Answer 9

honey...he's a baby! babies are noisy, rowdy, rambunctious even.
a Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie) is a herding breed. they LOVE to play and they NEED lots of exercise. he is barking at you because he is BORED OUT OF HIS MIND!!!!!
this breed is amazingly smart and wonderful with people and children, but if his mind is not stimulated he will become bored easily and begin to become destructive!
you need to get him into a puppy socialization class, to teach him how to behave around other people and dogs. Petco, and Petsmart offer classes, as well as some SPCA and humane society shelters.

he needs TONS of toys to entertain himself..or HE WILL find something to entertain himself, and you might not like what he finds, or what he does to it.
Shelties love playing fetch and Frisbee, and excel at agility!
an agility course or class would definitely entertain him and calm him down.
they are herders. find and get involved in a herding club. this will wear him out.
LONG WALKS will also help calm him down. he craves exercise!! GIVE IT TO HIM!

i have had shelties all my life! and the fastest way i lost weight after both babies was entertaining my shelties! walking, herding, agility! its a great way to bond with your pet. and it keeps them healthy and happy!

here are some links to help you understand what your dog needs.

about your dog.
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/shetlandsheepdog.htm

agility training
http://www.agilityability.com/agility_training.htm

herding sheltie clubs
http://sheltiehomepage.mcf.com/herdingwithshelties.html
http://home.att.net/~flashdog/shelties.htm

herding is SO fun for shelties...its what they were bred to do.denying them this natural ability drives them CRAZY...that is why your pup is going nuts!

I SWEAR if you allow your dog to do what instinct has bred into him, he and YOU will be much happier, it'll be like having a totally different dog! a BETTER dog.

Answer 10

Buy it a toy or something. If you keep it busy it will leave you alone and calm down.