Comments on: How to calm an excited dog http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/03/18/how-to-calm-an-excited-dog/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:11:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lindsay Stordahl http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/03/18/how-to-calm-an-excited-dog/comment-page-1/#comment-150473 Lindsay Stordahl Sun, 21 Aug 2011 15:34:57 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=5065#comment-150473 Thanks for your comment. I do a lot of things like that with Ace but I do need to be more consistent with him. When he gets excited and barks or whines, it's usually when we are rushed or when a friend is along and then it's unreasonable to turn the car around. What did you do when you had other people in the car? Thanks for your comment. I do a lot of things like that with Ace but I do need to be more consistent with him. When he gets excited and barks or whines, it’s usually when we are rushed or when a friend is along and then it’s unreasonable to turn the car around. What did you do when you had other people in the car?

]]> By: Tiffany http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/03/18/how-to-calm-an-excited-dog/comment-page-1/#comment-150264 Tiffany Sun, 21 Aug 2011 02:34:01 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=5065#comment-150264 I completely understand what you are going through with your excited dog. I adopted a hound mix a few months ago. I still have a 15 year old Lab at home who is as calm and submissive as they come. Getting this new excitable dog was a shock. The most important thing for me is consistency. She loves to swim, and quickly learned the car's path to the lake where we would go each day over the summer. First it was a little whining, then it was a lot of whining when we got about half way there, then it was, whining, yelping, and guttural howls, then it was all of those with some barking for good measure. I finally wised up and decided to turn the car around and go back home when she started her litany of excited noise making. It was very irritating to have to turn around, drive home, and then wait until she was laying down in a calm manner before I would try driving to the lake again. It takes a lot of patience and consistency to extinguish unwanted behavior. It seems like once I get one problem solved, another one crops up. Such is the life with dogs! I completely understand what you are going through with your excited dog. I adopted a hound mix a few months ago. I still have a 15 year old Lab at home who is as calm and submissive as they come. Getting this new excitable dog was a shock. The most important thing for me is consistency. She loves to swim, and quickly learned the car’s path to the lake where we would go each day over the summer. First it was a little whining, then it was a lot of whining when we got about half way there, then it was, whining, yelping, and guttural howls, then it was all of those with some barking for good measure. I finally wised up and decided to turn the car around and go back home when she started her litany of excited noise making. It was very irritating to have to turn around, drive home, and then wait until she was laying down in a calm manner before I would try driving to the lake again. It takes a lot of patience and consistency to extinguish unwanted behavior. It seems like once I get one problem solved, another one crops up. Such is the life with dogs!

]]> By: Lindsay Stordahl http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/03/18/how-to-calm-an-excited-dog/comment-page-1/#comment-35003 Lindsay Stordahl Sat, 24 Jul 2010 16:03:23 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=5065#comment-35003 I appreciate that advice and will give that a try. My dog does not have a reliable sit-stay even in general "exciting" situations like when a dog comes running up to us at a park or something. So I am going to try your idea. If it doesn't help us out in agility, it will still help us out with general obedience. Thanks! Keep up the good work with your Aussie! I appreciate that advice and will give that a try. My dog does not have a reliable sit-stay even in general “exciting” situations like when a dog comes running up to us at a park or something. So I am going to try your idea. If it doesn’t help us out in agility, it will still help us out with general obedience. Thanks! Keep up the good work with your Aussie!

]]> By: Lori http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/03/18/how-to-calm-an-excited-dog/comment-page-1/#comment-35002 Lori Sat, 24 Jul 2010 15:31:28 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=5065#comment-35002 I actually play flyball with my very excitable Aussie. With flyball excitablity gets very dangerous, very quickly because you've got 7 other dogs in the ring and the dogs have to be able to deal with an excited dog running right at them. I tried the usual I-need-to-be-calm stuff, the problem I had with it is that it relies on me being emotionless even though I'm excited to get in the ring. It started sucking the fun out of flyball for me. I finally started teaching my dog how to control her excitement when she saw I was excited. I started out by sitting in a chair at home and having her wait across the room. Then I would call her to me all excited like I hadn't seen her in years. If she jumped on me, it all stopped. I would wait until she sat and then reward her in a calmer manner. Eventually she got the point that I would maintain my excitement if she came and sat in front of me. I started moving this idea into new environments and requiring her to listen to what command I gave her (rather than a default sit) if she wanted me to stay excited. As soon as she didn't listen, excitement stopped. When she did listen I'd give her a little excitement and reward. She learned that the best result came when she did exactly what she's suppose to. She got to be excited with me, and I had control over her. As I'm sure you're aware, this didn't fix things over night. But it allowed us to both be excited in the ring and still be safe. She's no longer nipping at me or other dogs, she stays by my side even though it seems she's lost her mind. Basically she's learned to control herself even if she's excited. So that's what helped me. I've still got a terrible barker in the ring, but it's much more acceptable in flyball so I don't know if this will help you there. I actually play flyball with my very excitable Aussie. With flyball excitablity gets very dangerous, very quickly because you’ve got 7 other dogs in the ring and the dogs have to be able to deal with an excited dog running right at them. I tried the usual I-need-to-be-calm stuff, the problem I had with it is that it relies on me being emotionless even though I’m excited to get in the ring. It started sucking the fun out of flyball for me.

I finally started teaching my dog how to control her excitement when she saw I was excited. I started out by sitting in a chair at home and having her wait across the room. Then I would call her to me all excited like I hadn’t seen her in years. If she jumped on me, it all stopped. I would wait until she sat and then reward her in a calmer manner. Eventually she got the point that I would maintain my excitement if she came and sat in front of me. I started moving this idea into new environments and requiring her to listen to what command I gave her (rather than a default sit) if she wanted me to stay excited. As soon as she didn’t listen, excitement stopped. When she did listen I’d give her a little excitement and reward. She learned that the best result came when she did exactly what she’s suppose to. She got to be excited with me, and I had control over her.

As I’m sure you’re aware, this didn’t fix things over night. But it allowed us to both be excited in the ring and still be safe. She’s no longer nipping at me or other dogs, she stays by my side even though it seems she’s lost her mind. Basically she’s learned to control herself even if she’s excited.

So that’s what helped me. I’ve still got a terrible barker in the ring, but it’s much more acceptable in flyball so I don’t know if this will help you there.

]]> By: Lindsay Stordahl http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/03/18/how-to-calm-an-excited-dog/comment-page-1/#comment-24480 Lindsay Stordahl Sat, 27 Mar 2010 15:30:44 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=5065#comment-24480 I haven't heard of this and will check it out. Thanks! I haven’t heard of this and will check it out. Thanks!

]]> By: Sarah http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/03/18/how-to-calm-an-excited-dog/comment-page-1/#comment-24460 Sarah Sat, 27 Mar 2010 10:10:27 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=5065#comment-24460 Another thing I forgot to mention, T Touch. Has anyone ever tried this? It's like a doggy massage focused on their T zone, hence the name. If not look it up on the internet it works well and can be done almost anywhere. Another thing I forgot to mention, T Touch. Has anyone ever tried this? It’s like a doggy massage focused on their T zone, hence the name. If not look it up on the internet it works well and can be done almost anywhere.

]]> By: Lindsay Stordahl http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/03/18/how-to-calm-an-excited-dog/comment-page-1/#comment-24420 Lindsay Stordahl Sat, 27 Mar 2010 00:01:30 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=5065#comment-24420 My parents' dogs are calm until my dad comes home because he makes such a big deal about seeing the dogs. They cry and squeal and jump and run around with shoes in their mouths when he opens the door. He thinks they do it because they like him best. My parents’ dogs are calm until my dad comes home because he makes such a big deal about seeing the dogs. They cry and squeal and jump and run around with shoes in their mouths when he opens the door. He thinks they do it because they like him best.

]]> By: Omar Reyes (Dog Care Journey) http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/03/18/how-to-calm-an-excited-dog/comment-page-1/#comment-24406 Omar Reyes (Dog Care Journey) Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:28:03 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=5065#comment-24406 Misha is quite calm during the day, but when the kids get home from school its like she is another dog altogether. Oh, and when the particular friend comes over to visit my son, she freaks out. Stuff we are working on. Omar Misha is quite calm during the day, but when the kids get home from school its like she is another dog altogether. Oh, and when the particular friend comes over to visit my son, she freaks out. Stuff we are working on.

Omar

]]> By: MrsMoody http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/03/18/how-to-calm-an-excited-dog/comment-page-1/#comment-24318 MrsMoody Thu, 25 Mar 2010 08:27:05 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=5065#comment-24318 I notice my dog is becoming more excited if there are kids around. Thanks for posting this, more knowlegde :) I notice my dog is becoming more excited if there are kids around. Thanks for posting this, more knowlegde :)

]]> By: Lindsay Stordahl http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/03/18/how-to-calm-an-excited-dog/comment-page-1/#comment-24141 Lindsay Stordahl Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:32:05 +0000 http://www.thatmutt.com/?p=5065#comment-24141 Sounds like that works really well. Thanks for the idea. I know sometimes I need to make sure not to act frustrated. Sounds like that works really well. Thanks for the idea. I know sometimes I need to make sure not to act frustrated.

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