How to calm down a hyperactive dog?
ByI have a boxer/dalmatian mix. He is WAAAY too hyper. I weigh 85 lbs and am only 5’1″.. he is almost 65 lbs and can take me out. He jumps, a lot, knocking me down and hurting me. I try to just pet him and play with him but he always ends up hurting me by either jumping, stepping on me, pushing me, etc. He goes outside to play for 2 hours daily. In this time he plays non-stop with our other dog. He runs back and forth and jumps all around. I take him to the dog park once a week for about an hour. I also take him on walks every other day, these walks last only 30 minutes because he is just too big for me and pulls me. What can I do to get him to calm down? At least to stop hurting me and pulling/pushing me?!
I’ve tried all the harness and non-pull type things to correct pulling. Non of them work. When he jumps I say “NO, DOWN” and turn away (this is what a trainer told me to do). He just does it again! I push him off the second time he does it and he thinks I am playing. I keep saying “NO, BAD” or other phrases of that nature, he doesn’t get it. If I try to pet him he jumps up or nibbles my hand. I got him just a few months ago from the shelter. He is appr 2-3 years of age. He knows how to “sit” “lay down” “no” “shake” but he just won’t do it unless you have food. Also, when we have guests over he pretty much mauls (does the same thing he does to me except more enthusiastic) them!! I won’t even let my friends come over anymore because of him.
Oh, and he barks non stop. When he is playing, when he is bored, when he is doing ANYTHING… or doing NOTHING. I don’t have much money to spend on obedience classes or barking fixes (shock collar, bark box, etc). HELPPP
5 Comments
May 13th, 2011 at 1:20 am
At what age did you get him?
You need to show him YOU are the pack leader and that he has to stop all these things pronto.
When he jumps on you, say “No” firmly and shove him off. Try a Halti or Gentle Leader to correct pulling. Choke chains are a useful tool for heel training. Biting is serious: for the first offense, just say “No” firmly. Scold for multiple offenses. And if he really won’t get the point, you may have to slap him (not hard, but enough to startle him).
May 13th, 2011 at 1:53 am
Just put him on a lead, look angry and say stop(when you look angry i know its mean but your dog needs to learn sometime). Hope it works!
May 13th, 2011 at 2:18 am
It sounds like he needs Obedience classes first and foremost. You need to learn how to control him and he needs to learn how to respond to commands.
He is not “Hyperactive”, both Boxers and Dalmatians are ENERGETIC breeds. Once you learn how to control him, you can walk him longer periods – A Tired Dog is a Good Dog.
May 13th, 2011 at 2:31 am
How old is he? 2 of my dogs (St/Lab mixes) were VERY hyper before. Now that they are 2.5 they seemed to have calmed down some. Now if we have someone new over forget it for the first 10 minutes because those people will get jumped all over (and they are big so it creates a problem). I would suggest trying to tire him out more. I have a laser light (bought for my cats) and these 2 pups LOVE it and go CRAZY. Tires them out pretty quickly and they are relaxed after wards. Be careful using this (my dogs are 70 lbs) so you wouldn’t want to shine it through a sliding glass door because you wouldn’t want him jumping through it or anything. But my third dog (Pit/boxer mix) acts like he doesn’t even see it – but then again he is more calm. Good luck. It wouldn’t hurt to do the obedience classes either (but that can be VERY difficult with a hyperactive dog) I would suggest a one on one with a trainer. I never did it and it seems like our pups are beginning to calm down some.
May 13th, 2011 at 3:19 am
use a gentle leader they are great.