How to Calm an Overactive Dog at Home

Most of the time, we love our dog's energy, the extra-ness of the dog. But there are times when we absolutely do not love. We wonder what has changed when we can tolerate our dog's very familiar behaviors at one moment, but not at another. In this moment, we are not tolerating our dog's overabundance of energy. Perhaps your pup starts leaping and barking over the doorbell, even though the delivery person has already come and gone.

The good news is this: hyperactivity in dogs is rarely a behavioral flaw. In fact, our experience is that at least 99.9% of hyperactive canines are simply full of excess energy and lacking in constructive outlets for it.

Without sufficient physical and mental stimulation, as well as adequate routine, some dogs can develop very annoying behavioural problems, such as chewing up furniture, barking, or being restless.

One of the most common issues that people deal with is that, house dogs who with very high energy and their owners have no idea how to redirect that energy. Directing that energy can literally turn your home from a war zone to a peaceful place where you, and your dog, can live in.

Whether you've just brought home your new furry friend or brought an old friend home after years away, many dog owners will at some point be concerned about how to calm their dog. Obedience and training is one of the main areas we cover here in this blog:

1. Increase Daily Exercise

Here’s the #1 reason for hyperactivity in dogs, It's that your dog has not yet burned off his energy enough for it to start resting or staying just peacefully. High-energy breeds especially need structured activity every single day. You can give your dog the following activities that can take a lot of energy from your dog:

1. Long walks or runs
2. Fetch and tug games
3. Backyard agility training
4. Off-leash play (where safe) 

Dogs that are able to release their physical energy are much easier to relax at home. Think of it like this: A tired dog is a calm dog.

Watch this video by McCann Dog Training on How to calm your dog through the means of exercise or physical activity.

2. Provide Mental Stimulation

Dogs don't just need physical exercise, they also need mental challenges that can take their energy. Just like humans, both the physical and mental activities can drain the dogs energy. A bored dog often becomes an overactive dog. Try introducing one or more of the following to make them calm:

1. Puzzle toys
2. Hide-and-seek games
3. Training sessions
4. Scent games

It doesn’t take a long for you to calm the over reactive brain of your dog and to tire them out with a reported 10-15 minutes of the above mentioned mental stimulation tasks.

3. Create a Predictable Daily Routine

What we never think is about the dog's routine. Dogs feel calmer when they know what to expect. A structured routine helps regulate their energy and reduces anxiety. A simple daily rhythm could calm your dog, just make sure you give time to your dog for the following activities:

1. Morning walk
2. Midday playtime
3. Evening training session
4. Nighttime chew or relaxation activity

Once your dog understands the routine, their energy becomes predictable and manageable. And, this way you and your dog can both live in peace and calm.

4. Teach Calm Behavior

Many owners unintentionally reward hyperactivity. We have written before about the fact that most animals learn to perform certain actions because they are rewarded and others are punished.

A perfect example of this is jumping up. Your dog may be jumping up on you because he has learned that it is one of the best ways of getting your attention. For example, if your dog were to sit and beg for a treat it is likely that you will eventually give in and give him what he wants. What he may have realized is that a small amount of jumping up at the start of his begging routine catches your attention far quicker than sitting still for his treat. Once he has your attention he can then continue with his request until you give in and hand over the treat.

To remove this kind of behavior, you should learn to discontinue the old behavior and reward your dog when the dog is doing the following activity:

1. Sitting quietly
2. Lying down
3. Relaxing near you

5. Use Long-Lasting Chews to Release Energy

Calming dogs in the home through nature based chewing. A really common way for dogs to relax is to chew, chewing also takes a lot of energy. And, a wonderful way to help reduce stress in the dog, as well as to combat boredom, and to generally help keep their minds occupied.

A Long Lasting Chew can help to manage the behaviour of your dog, therefore helping to reducing the need for your dog to chew on other items, such as corner of the table, the couch, your favourite pair of shoes, the carpet and most importantly barking.

The key is choosing healthy, durable chews that keep dogs occupied safely. If you're interested in the most long lasting chew, One of the solution could be our Himalayan Dog Chew.

Final Thoughts

An overactive dog isn’t a bad dog, it’s simply a dog with energy waiting for the right outlet. By combining:

• Physical exercise
• Mental stimulation
• Structured routines
• Natural chewing activities

You can turn hyperactivity into balanced, healthy behavior. And when your dog needs something engaging at home, a long-lasting natural chew can make all the difference.

Explore our natural dog chews and give your dog a healthy way to stay happy, calm, and occupied.