Your dog may be hyperactive for a number of reasons, including the characteristics of their breed and potential anxiety-related conditions. If your dog is highly energetic, make sure they first get all their physical exercise needs met. Keep in mind mental exercise can be just as important as physical exercise.
It's more likely that your high energy dog isn't having his physical, mental, and social needs met on a daily basis. Dogs who have a hard time settling down might be operating under the influence of many factors, like breed drive, a lack of the right kind of stimulation, or a poor diet.
All dogs, by around 10 months of age are showing their true personality and energy levels which they will continue to display up until the point that their body (usually due to arthritis) slows them down.
Generally, most puppies will start to settle between 6 - 12 months, but as mentioned above there are a few other factors that can impact puppy energy levels. Some might say that female dogs are calmer dogs due to the fact they mature quicker than males, however a more impactful factor to consider would be their breed.
In a distraction-free environment ask her to lie down and then gently stroke her and see if she responds by lying on her side. When she does so, say the word relax. When you have repeated this exercise a number of times over a few days ask her to lie down and then say the word relax.
Ignore Hyperactive Behavior
When your puppy is acting hyper, any sort of attention that you give them will reinforce their behavior. So, as soon as your puppy starts getting over-excited, take a step back from the situation and completely ignore your puppy. Don't speak to, look at, or touch your pup.
One to three year-old pups can be very energetic, hardly staying still for a single minute. As they age, however, they will begin to take longer and more frequent breaks between spurts. Most dogs will lose that seemingly abundant energy as they pass the three-to-four-year mark.
Exercise And Playtime Are Important
In addition to burning off excess energy, regular exercise releases endorphins, which reduce anxiety and stress in dogs. You and your pup can enjoy many activities together, like walking, playing fetch, tug-of-war, or running around the backyard.
Dogs with ADHD demonstrate exceptionally short attention spans and a high degree of impulsiveness that makes it impossible for them to focus on one task for long. They are easily distracted. In contrast, most of the high-energy dogs that clients bring to me will focus very quickly on the click-and-treat game.
Breed of the Dog
Dogs like Border Collies, Golden Retrievers, Siberian Husky, and Terriers all are more susceptible to owner's complaints of hyperactivity.
Breeds that scored highest in hyperactivity/impulsivity were cairn terrier, Jack Russell terrier, German shepherd, and Staffordshire bull terrier.
While it's easy to assume a dog's exuberance means they're happy, the opposite may be true: Over-excited dogs may be stressed and anxious, which can lead to behavioral issues. Here's why dogs get overexcited, plus some tips for keeping them calm.
Yes, dogs get bored. Sit around the house all day with absolutely nothing to do and you'd get bored, too! Try some cool new toys or puzzles to keep your dog engaged and, of course, exercise always helps. Mixing up your dog's routine will keep him stimulated and happy—and the house intact!
Reward relaxed behaviours
Sit quietly on a chair with your dog on the lead and a blanket on the floor. Drop tiny bite-size treats to your dog as a reward for settling down on the blanket. Don't say anything to your dog while doing this. Gradually reward more relaxed behaviours.
Methylphenidate or dextroamphetamine are commonly used to treat hyperactivity in dogs, but a combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine may be more effective.
Signs that a Dog is Detecting ADHD
Dogs can use their sense of smell to detect an increase in sweat production. This tells your dog that you are active and getting anxious or fidgety. Your dog can provide help with this by being calm and consistent for you.
A hyperactive dog can cause havoc, racing around the house, knocking things over, and throwing themselves at people, they can also be dangerous if they start biting, scratching or breaking things. When they are in this manic state it can often be difficult to calm a dog down.