Can a dog be over stimulated?

[clvrbxr]

To me they're a lot like toddlers - sometimes they just need to be put to bed even though they are protesting "I'm not tired!!". Young Sadie gets completely amped and bugs the heck out everyone in the house (especially Luther!) at a certain time of the day so I've learnt to pop her in her crate where she just passes out for an hour or so. I have identical mats in my kitchen and office and have taught the "go to your mat" command so now she is very good at putting herself there quietly resting without being told to.

On the days we haven't gotten out as much I give the dogs a marrow bone to chew and that seems to settle them for longer than a stuffed kong or bully stick. They'll work away at them for a few hours at a time. Plus they seem to tire themselves out from the gnawing and sleep much better that evening. I think that mental stimulation can be equally as tiring as physical exercise.

 

[Clavin]

I was wondering how long it was going to take for someone to comment on the avatar as it related to my question of over stimulation...good job, you win the prize Actually the photo was taken at night during the time where the Boxer Dog sleeps like a log. I try not to have him on the bed nearly as much these days. The dog sleeps soundly up there, the human does not.

I am going to put Clavin in the crate more during the day especially after walks or one on one play time with him. The comments about structured activities is a very good one and I am going to try and do those type of things that were suggested in previous posts.

I'm also finding talking to him in a much calmer lower voice is helping a little. Haven't done it long enough to really comment further on it but I know voice inflection is so important in many aspects of training and just everyday activities.

I keep "telling him" no more Boxers, next time it's a Bulldog but I don't think he believes me. Funny non of my other Boxers did either

 

[johann]

I keep "telling him" no more Boxers, next time it's a Bulldog but I don't think he believes me. Funny non of my other Boxers did either

My DH always told Johann "We should have gotten a great dane (much lower energy)" when he was a puppy. Johann's solution was to grow to almost great dane sized.

 

[whiskers]

Also, I am grateful for this post. It has shown me I need to do more structured things with Boa, instead of always just wanting free running and playing (Dog park, open fields, etc...) as his excercise. He is showing a lot of the signs mentioned in a lot of the replies in this thread. And yes, I am lazy when it comes to the structured stuff, long walks, etc... But reading this thread has got me kicking myself and feeling like a bad dog owner. Gonna start with Boa as soon as I get home tonight.

It really is amazing the effect certain activities have. Getting them all amped up and crazy sometimes just makes them STAY amped up and crazy . I wish I would have known this when Juno was a puppy, because for a very, very long time, all her exercise came from activities like that.
It's definitely easier to just let 'em loose at the dog park, and I'll admit some days that is all I can force myself to do--but a nice long walk with some obedience practice thrown in tires Juno out, and keeps her in a calmer state.

 

[johann]

It really is amazing the effect certain activities have. Getting them all amped up and crazy sometimes just makes them STAY amped up and crazy . I wish I would have known this when Juno was a puppy, because for a very, very long time, all her exercise came from activities like that.
It's definitely easier to just let 'em loose at the dog park, and I'll admit some days that is all I can force myself to do--but a nice long walk with some obedience practice thrown in tires Juno out, and keeps her in a calmer state.

It is still important to give them some outlet to run around like a complete fool. Otherwise obedience training will be very, very frustrating because they'll have too much energy to listen/learn.

One compromise to try is to go to the dogpark for half the usual amount of time, and then go for a walk afterwards and work on basic obedience commands. That way he'll still get to run and play, but afterwards gets back into a calmer state of mind.

 

[BitchMonkey]

Interesting thread....

Hi, newbie on the forum here. I've not posted yet but I have just raised a Crackpuppy from 9 weeks to 17 months so I can feel your pain. I do exercise the heck out of him, he's become a great retriever with a LOT of training. I use a chucker and the two tennis ball trick, chuck one, he fetches and if his attention wanders when returning to me, I bounce the second ball so he comes for it, drops the first ball, and I chuck the second. I can get him pretty well worn out after 45 minutes.

But IMHO I think the main thing that has helped was my calm-down bear hugs. I do it when visitors come over and he gets hyper, when another dog walks by the front screen door and he's wigged out in past (not aggressive, just hates not being able to go sniff & play), and when I get home after work or being away. As he's freaking out and kidney beaning to no end, I get down and put him in a soft headlock so my cheek and his cheek are together and I'm looking him in the eyes, and quietly say shhhhh, shhhhh, relax buddy boy, reeeeee-lax, good boy gooooood boy and scratch his back. After a thousand iterations it's now an instant cure! My training has always been mostly positive reinforcement of good habits "good BOY!", stern No's and a staredown contest for bad, and he's turned out pretty darn good for an unsnipped alpha male!

Fortunately I am more alpha than him! And far stronger!

 

[Dell]

Mental vs. physical

Well, I had typed this hopefully eloquent message and our darling Kona deleted it with one nudge of her chin. Sweet girl...thank you for your help and I'm so sorry my lap was not available for your pillow and you had to resort to the keyboard.

Our Kona is only 4 months old, but since I work from home and my boss doesn't exactly want to take 2nd place to a demanding puppy, I started researching how to have a calm pup from the day we brought her home. It's a work in process and sometimes I have a wild kangaroo and sometimes I get this sleepy pile of puppy snuggles.

We do a couple of things with her (and also with our senior mutt who's body has slowed down but brain has not) that really help. Free play doesn't seem to phase her. We do about an hour walk...some meandering, some pulling and leash training still...and occassionally the dog park or playing in the nighborhood. She can do that ALL DAY LONG. And it seems the more she does it, the more she craves it and gets even more rialed up.

What I've found that wears her out is focused, structured, mental exercise. Four or five sessions of training for about 3-5 minutes at at time (she is a baby still). Sit, down, stand, spin left, spin right, roll over, shake, fetch, drop it, leave it, come...we've even invented games..she has to find which couch her ball has rolled under, etc. She seems to like learning. Her attention span is short, but whenever she gets a little wild, I break out the treats and leash and we train, train, train. Boom, she's calmer, focused and usually will go play on her own for a bit. We also don't entertain her all the time. I really want her to be satisfied in her own company. It's tough to resist her bumping my legs with a toy or demand to play, but if I can hold out, she'll usually go happily chew on something on her own. Again, she's 4 months old...I may be very diluted in hoping this will last, but I'll take it while it lasts.

She also goes to puppy class and that seems to really wear her out. All that sitting and being quiet then working. And the trainer said we can teach her "settle" where she knows to go to her place and quiet down. To do that, sometimes I put her in her crate just because...she likes the crate already and we both need a break. She will just play with her toy or chew the bone and we both get some "alone time". Not punishment at all, but I don't want her to have separation issues and that was my best guess at how to create separation since I'm home all day too.

Good luck! Hope you and Calvin find some moments of calm in that great California sunshine.

 

[Clavin]

Thanks Dell. Kona is adorable.

At 4 months Clavin needed his periods of rest. At now almost 2 1/2 years those days are long gone I guess that is the main advantage of a 2nd dog in the household...maybe next time.

Best of luck with your precious girl.