How to Teach a Dog to Stay Calm: Tips for Excited Dogs

In this Omaha puppy training session, we worked with one of the most energetic dogs we have ever seen. Rocky is a 7-month-old Weimaraner and German Shorthair Pointer mix. His guardian set up this training session so we could share tips on how to teach a dog to stay calm.

Easy Ways to Calm a High-Energy Dog

I’ve worked with around 3,000 dogs by this point and Rocky gets the title as the most excited dog, by far. It was so glaring that within minutes I was advising the guardian that this may not be the dog for her.

She quickly made it clear that she was committed to keeping Rocky so I buckled up to be her co-pilot for this adventure.

Because of how high-energy Rocky was, I had my colleague bring out one of my secret weapons; my Border Collie, Lab, Pointer Dalmatian mix named Cali.

It was awesome seeing Cali check Rocky’s uncontrolled behavior. He tested her limits many times. She corrected him well, and you could see a big change in his behavior.

We let them play outside until Rocky’s energy level was low enough to go back inside to discuss a rehabilitation plan.

Tips for Stopping a Dog from Getting Excited

I suggested that Rocky’s guardian start an exercise journal. She should write down his exercise each day. They can also note his strange behavior and give an overall grade at the end of the day.

This will let the guardian change the exercise activities until she finds a mix that satisfies his endless energy.

When we were outside I noticed a number of old shoes and gloves strew around the yard. I mentioned the guardian should stop letting him have access to items like shoes and gloves. It’s hard for dogs to see a difference between new and old items, so removing them will help avoid confusion.

I suggested some fun ways to help him use up his extra energy. They could try a dog backpack with weight. Also, playing fetch before a walk is always a good idea.

Using a laser pointer can be exciting too. As well as tossing treats up and down the stairs.

Rocky’s guardian could also consider hiring a dog walker or using dog day care. I also told her to see his loud, jumping, or barking behavior as a sign of too much energy. She should quickly find a way to give him a few minutes of exercise.

I also recommended we set up training sessions with one of our dog trainers to work on loose leash training and better fetch behavior.

A few other dog behavior suggestions I made were to pet with a purpose, reward desired behaviors through passive training and immediately stop interacting or leave the room when Rocky’s excited dog behavior gets to be too much.

At times the guardian was petting Rocky when he invaded his human’s personal space, jumped up on or mouthed her. Dogs learn that attention is a reward for their behavior. It is very important to stop petting when they are excited, jumping, mouthing, or showing any other unwanted behavior. I call this light switch on light switch off.

How to Teach a Dog to Stay Calm When People Come Home

One of the times Rocky was a super excited dog was when his humans returned home. The guardian and I went outside to practice leaving the house. I wanted to show her how to teach a dog to stay calm when people come home.

Stopping a dog from getting excited when people return home is all about creating a scenario where the dog can see the human, but to reach them. By starting and stopping at the right times, the guardian can teach Rocky that excited dog behavior is not good. Instead, calm behavior will make the human come closer and interact. Another example of light switch on / off.

Adding structure will help. However, the most important thing is to find the right mix of exercise. This will help the dog behave better.

Your average dog needs a good solid hour of exercise every day. Rocky probably needs around 3. Keeping an exercise journal can help. Trying fun activities to use extra energy will also help. This way, the guardian can find the best routine for Rocky.

Since Cali did a great job with Rocky and he is young, I suggested the guardian pick up Cali once or twice a week. This way, Cali can spend an hour or two with Rocky.

Habituation is a dog behavior secret that has helped many troubled dogs learn from a good example. I call Rocky “troubled” because he has too much energy. He also does not understand boundaries or respect his guardian as a leader.

We spent a lot of time helping Rocky use up his extra energy. We also taught him some basic skills. Because of this, he will probably need one or two follow-up visits for dog behavior. He sure lucked out finding a guardian so determined to help him learn how to become a well behaved adult dog.

To help the guardian remember all the dog behavior secrets I shared in this in-home dog training session, we shot a roadmap to success video.