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.
Most puppies start to calm down as they approach their maturity age, which is usually around 12 months, but for larger breeds it can be more likely to occur between 18 months and 2 years.
Several foods, such as blueberries, sweet potatoes, turkey, oily fish, and whole brown rice may help in calming dogs down, but those foods alone will not fix the problem of an anxious dog.
As any pet parent with a high-energy pup knows, active dogs need lots of exercise. You might think physical exercise is the only way to release your dog's extra energy. Walking, jogging, or playing with an active pup is a great place to start.
The most challenging time of raising a puppy is the adolescent period. Dogs become “teenagers” and seem to forget everything they have ever been taught. This period is individual to each dog, but it may begin when he's about eight months old and continue until he's two years old.
Stage 5: Adolescence (6 – 18 months) This can be the most difficult time during a puppy's development – adolescence. Your cute little puppy is becoming a teenager and will start producing hormones which may result in changes in behaviour.
The adolescent period typically begins around six months of age, and will be over when a dog reaches physical maturity around two to three years old. The most pronounced behavioral issues will be noticed between six to 12 months old.
If your dog seems hyper, or overly-excited, the problem likely stems from boredom and a lack of stimulation. So in order to address the problem, you have to assess the way you are interacting with your dog and the kind of activity your dog gets on a daily basis.
“Their stunning flashes of brilliance and creativity are reminders that they may not be Einsteins but are sure closer to humans than we thought.” According to several behavioral measures, Coren says dogs' mental abilities are close to a human child age 2 to 2.5 years.
Undesirable behaviours such as barking, chewing, counter surfing, house-soiling and jumping up commonly begin to occur at around 3-6 months of age.
One of the best ways to manage over-excitement is to direct your puppy's energy toward something healthy like an activity or toy. Structured play like Fetch, plus access to mentally stimulating puzzle games and toys, are all super useful tools to help your puppy maintain activeness. Do reward calm behavior.
According to experts, the ideal time to train a dog is when they are around 7 to 8 weeks old. This is a great time as they are still new to the world to start to understand commands and what is expected of them.
The ideal time to begin training is around 7 to 8 weeks for most puppies, and the most effective training involves positive reinforcement and gentle commands. This is also the age to begin socializing your puppy to new people and new species, allowing them to explore and have new experiences.
It does appear that as dogs age that they become calmer but in fact, your dogs energy level is set at a certain age and will not get less, what will happen though, is that your dog will learn when to be excited and when not to be.
Melatonin can be an excellent supplement for your dog. The sedative qualities in melatonin make it effective in calming down and soothing anxious dogs.
Bananas are loaded with magnesium, which helps with muscle growth. Magnesium is important for cellular energy. Magnesium helps relax your dog and plays an important role in heart function.
Turkey. If your dog seems overly anxious in the evening hours, you may want to consider adding turkey to his diet. It's a good source of L-tryptophan, an amino acid often associated with the regulation of sleep.
The dog breeds that are more likely to have this problem are the German Shepherd, Australian Shepherd, Border Collie, Jack Russell Terrier, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Bichon Frise, Toy Poodle, Labrador Retriever, Cocker Spaniel, and German Shorthaired Pointer.
Dog massages, snuggles and a good brushing can help distract a dog from its triggers and make it easier for them to feel safe and at ease. Mentally stimulating toys can provide a distraction for pets experiencing anxiety, hyperactivity and boredom.