How To Get Your Puppy To Calm Down

Learning how to get your puppy to calm down is a skill you should master sooner rather than later.

Because while an overly excited pup might not seem like a big deal right now, failing to manage these excitable traits can sometimes lead to significant behavioral problems in the future.

Worse still, it can often lead to experiencing complete control over them, making it difficult or impossible to get them to listen to you.

This isn’t always the case, by the way; as with most pups, hyperactivity is generally a phase that they will grow out of as they mature into an adult dog.

But it’s always wise to be aware of the signs of a pup who just loves to run around and play, compared to a puppy who has a severe problem when it comes to dialing things down.

If it’s the latter, you might discover that your puppy needs to focus their attention before it gets out of control.

Because let’s face it, if your puppy isn’t in control, they can often develop undesirable characteristics such as around other dogs or people such as barking, aggression, and so on.

In addition to this, what some people mistake for happiness in a puppy is actually a condition called over-excitement. This is where your puppy becomes uncontrollably hyper and aroused by something or someone.

What’s more, over-excitement (which physiologically causes a surge of dopamine in our pups) can become addictive, further propagating compulsive behaviors.

While you might find your puppy’s excitement adorable at first, the chances are that this will soon wear off. All that’s left after is frustration and fatigue, particularly when you’re faced with having to calm them down in order to restore order at home.

Now, before we get into the do’s and don’t of learning how to get your puppy to calm down, first a quick heads up…

Dealing with over-excitement can be a tedious, painstaking task if not dealt with in the right way. So before moving on, I’d highly recommend checking out the video below from Dan Abdelnoor over at The Online Dog Trainer.

In the video, Dan discusses at length 5 step-by-step calming exercises that you can follow to quickly calm your pup and reduce the stimulants that cause such behavior.

So before you do anything else, I highly recommend taking a look:

Here’s the link to check it out: 5 Step-By-Step Exercises To Quickly Calm An Overexcited, Hyper Pup…

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Why Is My Puppy So Hyper?

Now, just to be clear, over-excitement is not the same as high-energy. As some breeds (such as herding or hunting dogs) are inherently more aggressive than others and exhibit several hyperactive behaviors instinctively.

However, this can usually be managed by providing certain breeds with a required outlet, such as daily training or nose work games.

Over-excitement in your puppy can occur as a result of many factors and is something that you need to address early on to get it under control.

Life for puppies is fascinating, and you can’t stop them from being naturally inquisitive and excited by new experiences. It’s just part and parcel of puppy life!

So, what causes your puppy to be so hyper? And what are some effective strategies that you can employ to calm your pup down?

Let’s dive in and take a look now…

Everything is new

You know that feeling when you get off the plane when you’re on vacation, and you just can’t wait to get out of the airport and explore the new country that you’re visiting?

Well, life as a puppy is like that every day! Puppies are so curious and can get excited by anything and everything.

Whether it’s a new noise coming from the garden, a new scent while they’re out on a walk, or a new person coming to your front door. Your pup wants to investigate and experience all of these new things.

For most pups, this excitement will wear off over time as they get used to the world around them, and you’ll just have to be patient while they explore and experiment with new things.

They have a lot of pent up energy

While you might find that your puppy is boisterous at home and has huge reserves of energy. To most, watching our pup sprint around the garden and chase anything that moves is tiring in itself. And it can force us to question how it’s possible to have that much energy.

But you have to realize that puppies are just naturally more energetic than older dogs, and they aren’t great at keeping that energy in check.

Just like toddlers, they want to exercise, play, and explore at all times of the day, and even when it’s not the most convenient.

So it goes without saying that the early days of having a pup can be extremely tiring. And you might just find yourself looking for an ‘off’ button, just so you can get some much-needed rest!

Related Post: Help! My Dog Goes Crazy Around Other Dogs

You’re not exercising them enough

I’ll say it again, puppies are bursting with energy, and it’s your responsibility to stimulate them and provide them with enough exercise. Even if you’re walking them once or twice a day, this might not be enough.

Depending on the breed of your pup, they might require a little more in the way of exercise before they can even think about settling down.

It’s surprising just how much energy some pups have, which is why you need to make sure you’re prepared for your dog’s exercise needs before you welcome them home.

They’re bored or frustrated

While your puppy’s over-excitement might just be a result of their bubbly and boisterous character, it might also be a sign that they’re bored or frustrated.

If you witness your pup constantly jumping up, charging around, or even showing signs of aggression. It may be a sign that they under stimulated or frustrated with their current situation.

This might be the case if you and your partner work long hours away from home and your puppy is left alone.

If left unchecked, your puppy will become understandably frustrated and will want someone to play or interact with.

They’re becoming aggressive

There’s a fine line between aggression and excitement in a dog.

You might even notice signs of aggression when they’re overexcited or playing.

This can be something small like nibbling or growling. Or can be signs of a more serious issue biting or jumping up at someone they perceive to be a threat.

Remember those 5 step-by-step calming exercises I was talking about earlier?

…This is where they come in really handy, especially if you suspect your puppy is being aggressive.

If you recognize these traits, watch the video, impliment the exercises, and you should see a vast improvement in your pup’s behavior.

Here’s the link again: 5 Step-By-Step Exercises To Quickly Calm An Overexcited, Hyper Pup…

Recognized that your pup is hyper is half the battle!

Again, while some new owners think it’s something they’ll eventually grow out of, you shouldn’t just automatically assume everything is fine.

Anyway, now we’ve established the cause, here are a few tried and tested ways that you can get your puppy to calm down without breaking the bank paying for expensive dog training courses.

Figure out the root cause of the behavior

To understand why your puppy is why your pup is so hyper, you first need to figure out the root cause of the behavior.

This can be a little difficult to determine, but it’s important nonetheless.

So take a minute to think about the following. Do any of the below sound familiar?

Is there a particular time of day when your puppy is most hyper (mealtimes, first thing in the morning, before heading out for a walk, etc.)?
Is your puppy reacting to any particular behaviors you’re exhibiting that’s causing over-excitement?
Are there particular noises, occurrences, or outside influences that cause my pup to hyper?
Is there any pattern in my pup’s behavior that would suggest over-excitement could lead to aggression?

By asking yourself these simple questions, you should begin to get a general idea of the root cause of your dog’s behavior.

Really think about it aswell… Because once this is established, you’ll then be able to take actions to try and change the way your puppy responds to certain stimuli, which in turn will encourage them to be calm.

Provide them with physical and mental activities

It’s so often the case that puppies are over-excited because they lack stimulation or don’t receive enough exercise.

And who can blame them, really?

If you’re busy with work or other commitments and don’t make time to take your dog out for regular exercise, you can’t really expect them to remain calm.

They’ll be pining for attention and exercise, and until you provide it, they’re going to let you know about it!

To combat this, consider doing the following:

Increase the length of your morning and evening walks and take your puppy to new locations. Don’t go to the same place every day.
Dedicate half an hour or so to play with your puppy around mealtimes. These can be particularly exciting times, so tiring them out by playing with toys is an excellent way to calm them down.
Interact with your puppy when you’re inside the house. Don’t forget that your dog requires mental stimulation as well as physical. And if you’re not investing time in communicating with your dog, it might be a cause of their over-excitement.

Remember that your puppy is a little bundle of energy, so it’s vitally important that you do as much as you can to make sure you’re fulfilling their needs.

If they feel ignored, bored, or frustrated, so keep this in mind next time they start to run riot.

Socialize them with other dogs and people

Lack of socialization is a huge cause of over-excitement in puppies.

For instance, if your pup hasn’t spent time with other dogs and isn’t familiar with the company of different people. Chances are that they’re going to go into overdrive when they’re confronted with a new situation.

Exposing your puppy to as many new situations as possible is extremely important to calming their overall behavior long term.

Think about it… If they’re not aware of everyday noises and occurrences, they’re bound to take note every time something happens that seems slightly out of the ordinary!

But by socializing your pup, you’re introducing them to new experiences in a safe and supportive way that will ensure that they don’t overreact when faced with normal, everyday events.

Teach your puppy to be calm

Granted, you don’t have a magic wand that’ll instantly calm your pup as and when you choose. But there are, in fact, a few very specific things you can do to quickly calm your pup when the occasion calls for it.

Again, the 5 step-by-step calming exercises I talked about earlier would be the best place to start. Because not only will they calm your pup, but they’ll also teach them to remain in control of their emotions in any type of situation that triggers it.

In addition to this, you should also make a positive effort to try and reflect the behavior that you expect from your puppy. Because if you’re ultimately calm, relaxed, and at ease while at home, your puppy will follow suit and calm down as well.

Wrapping Things Up

At the end of the day, it’s only natural for your puppy to be excited once in a while.

In fact, it would be even more worrying if they weren’t occasionally an uncontrollable bundle of fluff.

It becomes a problem, however, is if the odd bout of hyperactivity becomes an everyday occurrence that starts to take over your life.

Just remember that patience and consistency is key. And if you apply the advice above along with the 5 step-by-step calming exercises, you’ll be well on your way to having a calm, relaxed pup a lot sooner than you think.