Dealing With a Hyper Dog

Request: Dealing With a Hyper Puppy

I have a active five month old mix Pomeranian Chiuawa. She is very fast, very hyper, and loves to take my things and run all over the house so we can chase her. I have another dog, a three year old Shih tzu Maltese who is very calm. My Pom won't leave her alone. How can I keep my Pom to calm down and behave better? I love her, she has personality. Please help me. What can I do?

By Zuky from CA

Feedback:

RE: Dealing With a Hyper Puppy

What you can do is be patient with her. She is just a puppy and full of vim and vigor. As she she gets older (about a year) she will probably calm down. Be glad she is healthy and sounds to be happy. As she gets much older, she will really slow down and you'll be happy to remember when she was full of all that energy. (09/08/2010)

By carol101

Request: Dealing With a Hyper Puppy

This is my daughter's dog. He's a Shorkie (Yorkie/Shih-tzu). He is the most active puppy we have ever seen. She got Eli at 4 weeks old, the mom couldn't feed the babies due to an infection. Eli was rambunctious, over active, and aggressive even at 4 weeks. When we introduced him to our Poodle he just kept attacking, biting at him, and bowling him over.

He is still being bottle fed. Now Eli is 3 months old and he's even more active than I can find words to describe. He's as sweet as can be and we love him to pieces. But I'm seriously thinking of trying to talk our daughter into giving him up. Right now they are on vacation so we are taking care of him.

We have to keep our Poodle out his reach so that he doesn't hurt him. Our Poodle (Pierre) is 1 year old and weighs only 7 lbs. Eli weighs over 10 lbs already. Pierre is such a baby and it's a good thing, he wants to be held or lay on the table by our computer or on the counter near us. He thinks he's a baby, he doesn't know he's a dog.

How on earth can we ever train this Shorkie? You may not think he's that bad or active by my description here, but he is. Plus 20 minutes ago he ripped a hole in my good work pants that I had on. He's so darn cute you can't get mad at him. We have crate trained him since 4 weeks. He loves that and is happy to be in there. He only cries when he needs to go out. Can someone please give us advice? My hubby takes care of him in the day. He takes him out and plays with him. Sorry for the long post. But we are desperate.

By Ariela from MI

Feedback:

RE: Dealing with a Hyper Puppy

There's this amazing stuff you can buy for humans or for pets called "Bach Flowers - Rescue Remedy". They sell it at health food stores or at quality pet stores. It's for helping a pet relax and to help to mellow a pet when they are stressed out. My mom's vet recommended it be given to her cats on the long drive from Seattle to Dallas when they were moving and also later on when she had to give her cat an IV every other day. It won't harm your pet and it has absolutely no side effects so it won't hurt to try it. It's about $12 and it also works for humans that have panic attacks or anxiety (like going to the dentist, etc). It's made for calming. It's not an herbal remedy, but more of a homeopathic remedy, but it really does work! I've heard many great things about Rescue Remedy from humans that have tried it and my mom's cats have been helped by it, too. It also works to help calm a pet when he's going to the vet or before being groomed. Try it and let me know if it helps. (I know it really does work and it's not just the "placebo effect" because it works for animals, not just humans.)

I would also recommend you buy the new Caesar Milan video set. Also, make sure you do a 45 minute to 1 hour walk every day with your pet. He needs the exercise to help relieve some of his frustration and excess energy. This should be a walk that is controlled by you, not him. He needs to be kept on a short leash right behind your left or right heal. Don't let him run in front of you ever and make sure he's calm before letting him out of the house. Also, make sure you walk outside the door first, not him. This will help establish your dominance and help him know his place (subservient to you and the rest of the family). Caesar sells a special collar that helps control a hyper dog. It helps by putting the leash up higher on the neck (not with pain like pinch or choke chains)

There's also an interactive online coaching course with Caesar Milan that might help you: cesarmillaninc.com and an ask Caesar column too (see web site below):

Caesar Milan Puppy Training videos:
cesarmillaninc.com

Dog Wisperer TV Show info:
nationalgeographic.com

* If this doesn't work, call a professional. It will be well worth the money! (07/06/2009)

By Cyinda

RE: Dealing With a Hyper Puppy

My puppy dog is very active too and he can be destructive. He ate holes in our leather chair, has eaten my diabetes meter, he's chewed the cell phone case, and just anything he can get a hold of. I found that after he was neutered he has calmed down unbelievably. I seriously considered whether I could live with him even though I did love him. Now that he's calmer, I know I'll always have him. (07/08/2009)

By mulberry204

RE: Dealing With a Hyper Puppy

Take it from me, all puppies are hyper and they are just like kids. Some depends on the breed. Please let your pup be a pup. As active as they are, they will sleep just as much. All pups do is run, run, sleep, sleep, poo, poo, eat, eat. (07/08/2009)

By Cosy

RE: Dealing With a Hyper Puppy

He sounds like he has a lovely and smart personality that you would like to control, but not damage. Before you try any of the rough methods recommended consider going to puppy classes at Petsmart, or get a good clicker training book. Clicker training is positive reinforcement and does not put you at risk for being bitten, as well as teaching a puppy to be responsive without scaring it. Sadly, Caesar Milan does not use methods which help train dogs in safe and gentle fashion. I used to be a dog trainer for police and personal protection, and we used the Koehler methods, to my lasting shame. It works, yes, but can damage the dog physically, mentally, and emotionally, and very likely your relationship will suffer greatly. Ceasar's method is very similar and is not recommended by most current dog trainers, psychologists, or veterinarians. (07/10/2009)

By Chiismychi

Request: Dealing with a Hyper Puppy

I purchased an American bulldog at 8 weeks of age. She is now 14 weeks old. She is a good puppy overall, but when she gets hyper she becomes very aggravating to be around. She jumps on everything and bites on everything including our clothes and arms.

I have tried redirecting her, but she comes back twice as hard. If I say "no", she will growl at me and jump at me as if it is a game. I say "off" when she tries to jump on furniture, but she keeps going anyway. Please help me.

Joslin from Houston, TX

Feedback:

RE: Dealing with a Hyper Puppy

Although I don't have any specific advice, I would recommend reading either "Animals Make Us Human" or "Animals in Translation" by Temple Grandin. She's a professor with wonderful insights into the animal world (primarily cattle, horses and dogs). She has autism and sees many parallels between animal and human behavior. "Animals in Translation" has several sections on hyperactive dogs. (03/01/2009)

By Nell's Mom

RE: Dealing with a Hyper Puppy

Your puppy isn't trying to hurt you. She thinks you are playing with her. You must distract her and get her occupied with something else. For example swing one of her toys and when she takes it, you say "good girl" and give her a small reward. We dice cheese in about 1/8" cubes for rewards. She will quickly learn when you say her name to pay attention to you to see if you have a treat. My wild child settled down from blood letting playing (my arms were bloody) to a well mannered dog. The key is to get her to focus on you. (03/01/2009)

By flapdoodle ann.

RE: Dealing with a Hyper Puppy

I think your puppy is just going through what we call "puppy puberty". She's testing you just like our human kids do. My advice would be is to just keep redirecting and correcting her when needed. Being consistent is especially important at this time. Be sure to also praise her well when she does what you ask. In my experiences, puppies do much better with lots of praise every time they do what we want them to. Even if you didn't ask her to do something. For instance, if she sits in front of you when you get home instead of jumping on you, then really praise her with a "good girl, good sit!"

Also, be sure to give her plenty of, rough and tumble, outdoor exercise time so she can burn off some that puppy steam. Good Luck to you. (03/01/2009)

By Jo

RE: Dealing with a Hyper Puppy

We have a 3 year old Rat Terrier/Border Collie. She was such a horrible puppy that we wanted to return her within hours. Our solution for the biting was a muzzle. Yes, I thought it was cruel at first, but eventually we just had to show her the muzzle and it would stop the bad behavior. By thriftyboo

RE: Dealing with a Hyper Puppy

You need to declare dominance over the puppy, which you obviously have not done. The dog believes it's in charge. With that breed of dog, you need to nip this behavior in the bud while it's small. Flip the puppy onto its back and lay across her, hold her neck so she can't move until she relaxes. This may sound cruel, but it is not. Dogs need to know who is the Alpha in the home, and it ought to be the human. It won't hurt her. Get some obedience training for her, ask your vet for advice. (03/01/2009)

By Wendopolis

RE: Dealing with a Hyper Puppy

She probably needs to be exercised. If possible take her for a long walk or use roller blades. Even a treadmill will help. Dogs like that have a lot of energy and need a way to burn it up. With regular walks she will use up all her energy and be more relaxed at home (03/01/2009)

By PICO

RE: Dealing with a Hyper Puppy

We inherited a one year old chocolate lab who had apparently never been disciplined by his former owner. The biggest problem we had was his jumping whenever he got excited. One day he jumped as high as my husband's head. At that point, I put him on the floor on his side and held him by his neck until he was completely submissive. He has never jumped again. (03/02/2009)

RE: Dealing with a Hyper Puppy

Have you ever watched adult dogs with puppies? One thing that a lot of people don't pay attention to is how the adult dogs discipline the kids. Typically an adult dog will place a paw on the top of the puppy's head and force them to the ground. They will hold them there for a moment then let them go, if it continues, they do it once again. Given that you are the "boss" you are the adult dog, you need to do as the adult dog would do to the pup. You don't have to be rough about it, simply press them to the ground as doing so in a firm voice you tell the no. After a moment, let them up, ignore them, and walk away. Play time is over.

Good luck and happy puppy time. (03/02/2009)

By TxBluEyes

RE: Dealing with a Hyper Puppy

Joslin, check with your vet before taking her on long walks. We have boxers and our vet told us that short walks are great, but long walks should wait until they are at least 6 months old. (03/05/2009)

By boxergirl76