How do I calm my dog down?

Question

I have a pit/boxer mix, all around he is a good dog, but he is very hyper. I have tried to ignore him, punish him, lock him in the cage, but nothing seems to be working. When people come around him he jumps on them and tries to play. I play all the time with him, but he wants 24/7 attention. How can I get him to stop.

Answer 1

I have had that problem with my 2 rotties. I did ignore them and when they stopped jumping and getting excited that's when I played with them. When people come over, they do not get pet until they sit.

Maybe get another dog so that they can keep each other busy.. I know it helped with mine.

Answer 2

The ONLY way to calm him down is to exercise him. Play is not a substitute for his daily exercise. It is not enough. He needs at least an hour of walking or jogging each day. He is overly hyper because he has too much pent up energy. Locking him in a cage doesn't work, punishment NEVER works--they don't get it. They only understand at the exact moment they are doing something wrong and you firmly say "Ah!" or "Cht!" or "No!" To have a dog, and especially a more dominant and powerful breed, you must for your own sanity and that of others, do some research on how to control him. It's not just the dog that needs training, you do, so you can learn the effective ways to show the dog that you are it's "pack leader." I highly recommend Cesar Millan's book "Cesar's Way." Get it as soon as possible. It will help you understand so much about your dog, his nature, and your relationship with him. I've been trying his advice for two days on an unpredictable Rottweiler I just saved from a life on a chain; the results are almost immediate. After only two days with him and we have never had a dog before, we already taught him that we are the boss, not to jump on us, to eat only when we say, and to get affection only when we say it's ok, just as his natural pack leader would do with him. It makes the dog so much more stable, happy, and easier to be around. Also, get a simply training guide to teach your dog the basics like "sit." You also can find simple training tips on the internet. Try http://www.petfinder.com

Answer 3

It sounds like your dog needs a lot of structure and more mental exercise.

Obviously you are not playing with your dog literally 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, if almost all of your interactions with your dog are play, he associates you with activity. He needs to learn to settle. Start by exercising him for about 45 minutes straight, then putting him in his crate for 2 or 3 minutes. Hopefully he will fall asleep and he can stay in longer, but if not just start with him being in briefly. The crate should be in a quiet area. You might want to cover the crate with a blanket to make it really snug and comfy. As he learns to be calm in the crate you can gradually have him spend a bit longer in it, up to about 20 or 30 minutes for nap time.

Create a very strict schedule for feedings, walks, play time, cuddle time, and down time. This will help him learn that he shouldn't be active all the time.

Mental exercise is sorely under-appreciated. Physical exercise is important, but so is mental stimulation. Most people would be bored if all they did was watch tv and run two miles a day; it is the same for dogs. When not shown how to use their brains, they find ways to do so.

To provide mental exercise, give him Kong toys, Busy Buddies, Buster Cubes, IQubes, or any puzzle-type toy. Kong's web site (www.kongcompany.com) has wonderful tips for using their toys to keep dogs busy. Training is great, also. Do standard obedience, teach him tricks, attend agility classes; anything that requires him to think will work.

Answer 4

My american Bulldog is the same way, what i do is keep his leash on him even when he is in the house so I could correct him when he does something wrong and also I have two young children that he tries to jump on I hold his leash and when he is about to jump i pull back on his leash and tell him no and tell him to sit then give him a treat. What also worked for me is in the morning i would take him to the park or in our back yard and let him just run out his energy and that helped a lot. I started reading the Training Secrets for Bully Breeds and it gives alot of information on the bully breeds and some techniques on training. A tired dog is a good dog. I also have a boston terrier that he plays with and that helps with tiring him out also.

Answer 5

LOL I know a dog exactly like that...my friends dog. Everytime I came over he would get sooo hyper and the only thing that works is for the visitor to ignore him completely. Now when I go over there he never jumps on me or scratches me anymore because I ignore him utterly untill he is completely calm before I will pet him, and the second he starts getting hyper again we all ignore him again.. it works incredibly well to calm an excessively hyper dog down.

Answer 6

Make sure he is getting enough exercise - those are 2 very energetic breeds. He should be getting at least two 45 minute walks/runs or one walk and a good long ball chasing session. A great option for energetic dogs is rollerblading, skateboarding or bike rideing with them. Just make sure you work into it gradually so you know his endurance. When people ccome over, try having a leash on him and having complete control over him before you let guests in. Ask friends and family to "practice" coming over and ask them not to aknowledge the dog right away when they walk in the door. Do not give him positive attention until he is doing what you want.
Good luck!

Answer 7

Hi,

I have a jack russell and oh my gosh she is just like that. I usually bring her down to the field to run and play fetch and take her for a couple of walks each day. I can be at the dog park for 2 hrs and then come home and all she wants to do is play ball for a couple of more hrs. The amount of energy some dogs have is crazy! Putting him in the crate really won't help, its probably just going to build up the energy for when he comes out. Have you gone to obedience classes, that can help with the jumping out. Otherwise, correct him everytime it happens.

Answer 8

The most important thing, is to make sure he is getting enough exercise. If you live in a colder climate, this is challenging during the winter, I know!

The best way to handle any unwanted behaviour, is to redirect him to a desired behaviour. If he hasn't perfected simple obedience, in particular, "sit", "stay" and "lay down" you will need to work with him on this daily, until he has it down pat. This will help reinforce your position of authority and will give you some tools, for when he's acting out.

Whenever he is doing something he's not supposed to, put him in a "sit"-"stay" or a "lay down"-"stay". This will redirect his focus to you and bring down his level of excitement.

For example, if he runs to the door to jump on guests as they arrive, when the doorbell rings, put him in a "sit"-"stay" before you open the door. As your guest enters, if he tries to break position, give him a "ah-ah" or "shhhhht" at the very first movement and keep him in position. Reward all your successes with treats and praise. Don't punish him when he fails, just put him back into postion and reward him for doing so. Try to avoid using his name and saying "no" over and over again. Doing so will comprimise your authority with the dog, you're telling him what to do, not begging him to do it.

The key is consistency. Every time the doorbell rings, he should "sit"-"stay". It might be a good idea to practice this with a friend. Repetition, repetition, repetition. Before you know it, when the doorbell rings, he'll run to the door and sit.

This can be applied to any undesired behaviour, begging at the table, jumping up, rough play etc.

The more you use it, the more effective it will be.

Avoid using any negative reinforcement techniques such as spraying him with water, kennelling, hitting, yelling. This will only lessen his respect for you, or make him afraid and insecure. Using positive reinforcement will help build his confidence and trust in you and he will WANT to obey you, instead of being afraid of disobeying.

Answer 9

lol. sounds like my dog. He is bored and full of energy. A good thing I found works is to bring him to the dog park as often as possible. When my dog comes back home she falls asleep for most of the day and is very well behaved. Also keep lots of interesting toys around. For days when you cant get to the park you can buy a laser light. They are those things that make a red dot on the walls and floor. Dogs love them and you can get him to chase it around the house for exercise.

Answer 10

obedience training is the key to a well-behaved dog. I did this with my now 2 1/2 yr old jack rusell, and she won grand champion at our county fair before she was even a year old. didn't do great at state, but she listens so well! even if you or someone you know can't actually show the dog, working with a 4H club is the least expensive way to get good dog training. you learn to work with your pet. otherwise, stores like PetSmart have very good training programs, and they will totally change your dog's behavior. good luck and God bless!