How To Calm An Overexcited Dog

If you want to learn how to calm an overexcited dog then this is the most important page you’re ever going to read.

Now, dogs are excitable, that’s a fact. It’s what makes them so lovable and fun to be around.

But what happens when that same excitement turns into an overbearing nightmare that takes over your life.

Do you yell at your dog to calm down, distract them with treats, or do you simply cover your eyes and ears and hope the problem disappears.

The answer is no, no, and, you guessed it… NO!

Now, the good news is that it can be relatively simple to calm your dog.

The trick however is discovering what triggers the behavior and then setting in motion an effective plan of action to address it.

So in today’s blog post, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the most common reasons dogs get overexcited and what you can do to quickly calm your dog.

Oh, and by the way, if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to calm ANY dog, then I highly recommend checking out the 5 step-by-step calming exercises from Dan Abdelnoor in the video below.

Just to give you a little insight, Dan runs an online dog training membership site called The Online Dog Trainer, and the calming exercises in the video below are just a small part of Dan’s huge library of training methods.

It’s not a quick overnight fix for your dog’s excitability issues but I guarantee that if you put the time and effort in with your dog and practice these exercises consistently then you will see a change for the better.

Anyway, here’s the video link to take a look: 5 Step-By-Step Calming Exercises

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Why Does My Dog Get Overexcited?

Dogs are smart and there are a number of reasons why they get overly excited.

Age, breed, and the heightened senses of dogs are among many things that can cause irrational bursts of overexcitement and mischief.

And let’s not forget their daily routine such as taking them for a walk, mealtimes, and the oh-so-fun bathtime can also trigger their overexcited nature which can be difficult to tame.

Dogs love to interact and that’s a good thing. They love meeting other people and dogs, and in many ways, have similar traits to regular humans with outgoing personalities.

And of course, this behavior can often play to your advantage, especially if there is an intruder in the home as this will trigger their natural response to danger and help deter unwanted visitors.

The problem develops however when the endless excitement becomes overbearing for the other parties involved.

Stress, anxiety are among some of the problems that can develop due to the overactive nature of your lovable canine.

So you first need to discover what triggers this behavior so you can get to the root of the problem.

Finding The Trigger

Now, this isn’t always obvious as more often than not, your dog may just have a natural tendency to become overexcited. Even if the occasion doesn’t call for it.

As previously discussed, you dogs breed can sometimes come into play as we’re all aware, some particular breeds are more prone to becoming excited than others.

And you have to remember that like humans, dogs behavior can vary on a day to day basis depending on how they’re feeling.

Due to their sense of wonder and curiosity, younger dogs including puppies can become excitable faster than most older, mature dogs.

But here’s the thing, you know your dog better than anyone else, so it’s YOU that ultimately has the upper hand when it comes to figuring out what triggers his excitement.

And only once you’ve figured this out, can you then start helping him to eliminate those triggers that cause his overly excited feelings.

So ask yourself this…

Of course, doing your research like speaking with your veterinarian, reading informative articles like this one, or just spending more time with your dog to help you in learning and finding out his triggers for the excitement will help.

But once you know the source of your dog’s excitement, it will be easier to determine the best course of action for taming the beast within.

The Dangers Of Overexcited Dogs

While the act of your dog becoming overly excited may seem harmless, it’s important to understand the potential dangers it can cause.

If you have small children or elderly relatives, keeping them away during the times that your dog exhibits this type of behavior may be a good idea.

Small children are curious and can often wander too close to a dog that may hurt them while being overly excited.

And when your dog does get excited, they have a natural tendency to act out of character which can sometimes lead to temporary behavioral issues such as biting, barking and general bouts of aggression.

Not to mention the fact that if you continue to let your dog run riot, there is a massive potential that he will begin to destroy your home.

Tearing up furniture, clothing, and other things that you’ve spent your hard earned cash on over the years.

So it’s not only destructive, but it can also become a strain on your wallet.

Avoiding Injury

Now I know I’ve touched on elderly relatives but you have to understand that the older generation may not be able to react quickly enough to get out of the way of dangers your dog can exhibit.

Make no mistake, an excitable dog can do extreme damage through biting or scratching an older person who cannot easily defend themselves or quickly react.

So if you have an elderly person in your home, you will almost certainly want to separate your dog from that person or at the very least, limit the interaction between them as much as possible.

This will help to create a more serene environment where both the younger and older generation can enjoy themselves instead of living in fear.

Multiple Dogs

One dog getting overly excited can also get other dogs around them excited as well.

And when this occurs, all hell can break loose as there are now multiple dogs that will need to be controlled and calmed down.

This can turn nasty pretty quickly, especially if the dogs begin to become aggressive towards each other.

Trying to calm one dog can be difficult enough, but getting into the middle of a dog fight with two or more overly excited dogs might be more than you can handle.

Now I’m not sharing this information to scare you.

The reality is that nine times out of ten the danger of an overexcited dog can minimal.

But there are situations where it can be potentially dangerous, so it’s imperative that you keep a close watch at all times.

Now the quickest and by far, the easiest way to calm your dog, is to follow these 5 Step By Step Calming Exercises In The Video Below.

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I speak from personal experience there’s no single better solution for calming an overexcited dog then following the training outlined in this extensive video.

So before you go any further make sure you take a look because this is the most important element for finding the best solution to calm your dog down.

Anyway, if you have been with your dog for years, then by now you should at least have a general idea of what may or may not be causing his behavior.

But if you’re still unsure, look for key signs that will let you know that your dog is getting ready to jump, pounce, bite or scratch an unsuspecting victim.

Is there a particular room this happens in?

…is it a certain time of day?

…or is it a particular event or person that is responsible for his potentially dangerous antics.

Whatever it is, when you figure your dog’s triggers, then your finally in a position to react quickly enough to calm him down before anything damaging happens.

Reward Positive Behavior

In addition to determining the source of your dogs over-excitement, you might also want to set a positive rewards system in place for whenever your dog exhibits calm behavior.

This could be something that he loves to eat or even a favorite chew toy you can give him to relax.

It’s also an idea to head down to your local pet store for specific calming treats.

There plenty of options available that contain specific calming ingredients that help with both stress and anxiety.

And remember, only give him his doggie treats when he exhibits good behavior.

Eventually, your dog will learn that he is getting these treats when he is calm and not hurting or damaging items in your home.

Dogs are smart, so he should always be reminded that good things come to those dogs who remain calm in potentially dangerous situations.

Giving your dog daily treats is a great start but it should by no means be the one and only solution to calming him down

The use of lavender has been shown to cause a calming effect on dogs and maybe something you could add to certain rooms in your home or better still, adding it to his daily bath.

A Tired Dog Is A Calm Dog

It only makes sense that a tired dog is a calm dog.

That’s why it’s so important to provide proficient exercise and stimulation each and every day.

Especially when they have excitable tendencies.

So Remember to give him his daily walk, regular playtime, as well as encouraging your dog to get the sleep that he needs for the day.

But do use this with a little caution because an overly worked dog will often become aggressive because he is under a lot of stress and has had very little sleep.

It’s all about finding the right balance that suits both you and your dog.

Too much exercise can cause a dog’s hormones to become unbalanced which can surprisingly further make the problem much worse.

But by keeping your dog happy and healthy, you’ll be doing him a good service which can often help them remain calm throughout the day.

Give Him Attention

It may sound counterproductive, but giving your dog some much-needed attention might be all that he needs to calm his hyperactivity.

Your dog expects little from you and yet he is your best friend and has always been there when you needed him.

So give him the attention he deserves so that he will feel loved and well cared for.

A dog who is isolated and left alone will often feel that he needs to do something drastic in order to get the attention he so desperately needs from you.

This may lead to biting, scratching and other attention-seeking behaviors that your family does not need or want.

Final Thoughts

All of the above are some great ideas for helping you to calm an over-excited dog.

Remember that a puppy will need more guidance in learning calm behaviors than an older dog.

And to begin with, limit your dog’s interaction with smaller children and the elderly population.

Take your dog for long walks and exercise him daily so that he can wind down naturally and get a good nights sleep.

Take him to the veterinarian to get checked out for anything physical or emotional that may be going on.

And above all, keep negativity within your home to a minimum.

Not only will this encourage your dog to exhibit those same types of behaviors, but he will also start looking to you to set a good example of how he should behave.

Do you have any thoughts on how to calm an overexcited dog? Let me know in the comments below…