Calm vs Hyper

Sometimes I feel like a Beauty Pageant Contestant when all I want is "World Peace and Harmony"! I truly do!! I want happiness, contentment and joy. Don't we all?! So how do we get that if our dog is hyper-crazy or a nervous wreck?

First all, we have to understand the extremes of bouncing off the walls all day long then crashing into a dead sleep just to start over again the next day is not what we want. Enduring this "Over the Top" energy just to fall asleep at the end of the day does not make a calm, content dog. Please understand, I do believe exercise is important but not just to wear out the dog to the point he doesn't want to move or can't. And who wants a well conditioned bad dog?

Now being a nervous wreck is a bit of a different problem. I think the base line of this problem is fear and lack of trust. This is a much tougher puzzle to solve than hyper-crazy. You may see your dog shaking, trembling, jaw chattering and believe me, they are not cold. These are emotional responses to how your dog views the situation at hand. The troubling part of this could be how your dog acts while in this state such as being defensive to the point of growling and biting or messy by submissive peeing.

Both hyper and nervous dogs are going through a physiological state of chemical change in their bodies.
1. Rush of adrenaline
2. Feeling an arousal alert or excitement.
3. Show of hackles on the top line of their bodies.

Side note: Keep in mind even happy dogs can raise their hackles. This just means they are excited. Think of what it is like to have "Goose Bumps". 

So what to do?
1. First all you need to be the Benevolent Leader. This means you need to control yourself to help your dog learn how to be calm; You must act gentle but firm and remain calm.

2. Create a daily schedule of movement and rest. Plan out your dog's day so that he does get exercise, time with you and time alone.

3. Practice being Calm: Give your dog a place to relax and make him stay there to learn how to be calm.

Making your dog lay down for long periods of time throughout the day will help them relax. The chemicals in their body will dissipate and they will stop feeling excited or on edge. Being calm can become a learned habit that way you won't have to live with crazy all the time. And maybe at first you will only have moments but you can have Peace and Harmony in your world.

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net
Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070