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Posted by Karen on April 17, 2008, 9:23 pm, in reply to "A few suggestions..."
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Being lazy - 
hit my site for a cut an paste fest!
Hyperactivity in Dogs
Karen Peak
West Wind Dog Training
A few things often cause hyperactivity in dogs: not enough exercise for the breed,
confusion in the dog as to what is expected, lack of training, too much stimulation. Let
us look at each one:
Lack of Exercise: Hollywood would like us to believe that family dogs are nice calm
companions who will lie by the fire until we are ready to get active. This is far from true.
Many owners get breeds that have higher to high energy requirements (Labradors
Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Pointers, Dalmatians, Border Collies, Jack Russell
Terriers, Shetland Sheepdogs, etc) and do not give these dogs the exercise they need to be
happy and content. A twenty-minute walk in the morning and then a few minutes of
playing ball in the evening may is far from adequate for many dogs. High to higher
energy breeds may require several miles of walking in the morning and again in the
evening and have other mentally and physically stimulating activities during the course of
the day. Dogs that have too much energy are more prone to becoming nuisances as they
try to find ways to deal with the lack of exercise they are getting.
Confusion: Confusion is a big problem I see in many dogs. For example, Mom does not
like the dog on the couch yet Dad and the kids let him up all the time. Dad and Mom
want the dog to learn not to jump but the kids continually do things that teach the dog it is
OK to jump. Dogs who do not know clearly and concisely what is OK and not may act
up.
Lack of Training: Sadly, many, many dogs are not properly trained and this leads to
confusion, which leads to a dog reacting or acting up. Calm, relaxed, clear and concise
training is vital to living with dogs. In addition, training goes for both humans and dogs
as we make our dogs what they are we need to learn how to communicate effectively
with them.
Too Much Stimulation: Dogs need to learn how to settle and calm down. If a dog lives in
an environment where it is constantly changing, loud, raucous, contact action and no
down-time, he many become more hyper. A hyper owner who is always stressed or
up can lead to a dog behaving like this. If you want a calm dog, you cannot rev up.
Dogs benefit from periods of quiet rest. If your dog is hyperactive and you have
exercised him well, crate him in a quiet spot for a nap. Overtired puppies may get
"sleepy-silly" as I like to call it. A nap is often in order.
also
Managing a Higher Energy Dog
Karen Peak
West Wind Dog Training
When most people think of a high maintenance dog, they often think only of grooming
needs. However, dogs with a lot of energy are also high maintenance they require more
time commitments. What in general does the dog owner need to know regarding energy
levels and dogs?
Size, breed classification in a registry and build are not indicative of energy level.
Some of the highest energy and hardest to maintain dogs are small. Some of the easier to
manage energy level dogs are quite large. A dog grouped as non-sporting or companion
does not mean it is low energy. A fast looking dog may not have the energy to run all
day and wear out quicker. A dog that is blocky looking may have a lot of stamina to
work all day. Look at breed history. Breeds bred to remain in motion all day or for hours
each day are going to require a lot of effort.
Proper exercise is not shoving your dog or dogs in the back yard all day. Chances
are your dog will develop a host of undesired behaviors (hyperactivity, digging, excessive
barking, escaping, nervousness, destructive behaviors, etc.) in attempts to meet his needs.
Every year humans give up thousands of moderate to high-energy dogs. Dogs of all
energy levels need some form of human led exercise every day. Human led exercise
means you are the one initiating and leading the program: walking, playing, formal
training, sports, etc. An adequate walk or play session is one where the dog comes in and
lies down. A dog looking for more needs his exercise levels adjusted. Energy needs will
vary throughout the life of a dog: what was good for a younger pup will be different from
the same dog at age five and again at age twelve.
Here is a quick guide I have developed over the years of working with higher to highenergy
dogs in my own life and with those of clients to help the dog owner gauge what
may need to be done daily to keep their dog happy and sane in regards to exercise. Note,
each dog is an individual and even within the same breed, needs will vary dog to dog.
Lower Energy Dogs less than an hour of human led exercise a day
Moderate Energy Dogs one to two hours of human led exercise a day
Higher Energy Dogs up to three hours (or more) of human led exercise a day
High Energy Dogs minimum of three hours of human led exercise a day
Before getting your dog or when looking at undesired behaviors your dog is developing,
first look at the energy needs of the dog. Can you meet them every day for up to fifteen or
more years? Are you currently meeting the needs? The more exercise a dog requires, the
higher maintenance he is!
© 2006 West Wind Dog Training, no part may be used without written permission.
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