Meet Honey, a pure bred Pit Bull Terrier who arrived at my doorstep with a whopping case of HYPER hyperactivity ! This beautiful and super sweet girl was rescued from a Puppy Mill and was, in fact, still lactating when she came to Calm K9 ! Honey was never trained or socialized with other dogs, and she was also not exposed to different environments as a puppy. Honey was highly distractable and nervous, with an over the top prey drive and absolutely no leash manners whatsoever ! She jumped ! She started ! She pulled ! She barked ! She whined ! She would not listen ! She gobbled her food ! Whew - she was quite a handful !
Many of the calls I get from clients have to do with what is often described as "out of control enthusiasm", ranging from jumping up on people, barking for attention, chaos at the front door, physically nudging people AKA "space invaders", pulling on the leash, bolting out of open doors, etc... Not every hyperactive dog is as challenging as Honey, but nonetheless, a hyper dog can be, at best, a nuisance and, at worst, uncontrollable in a dangerous situation. Now that the weather is favoring outdoor activities, and summer is on it's way, this is a great time to focus on these types of behaviors and get to work modifying them, as you and your dog will, undoubtably, be out and about together, enjoying our fine Northern California sunshine - and of course, we want our outdoor adventures to be as enjoyable as possible for all concerned !
Although various hyperactive behaviors may seem to differ significantly from each other, the real work begins with establishing clear and consistent boundaries and rules for your dog, while at the same time making sure that his/her needs for mental / physical exercise and stimulation are being met. By addressing these core issues, you help your dog learn what is expected and allowed in any given situation. By ensuring that your dogs needs are met, you are creating the optimal situation for your dog to be ready and able to learn new modes of behavior. When you have achieved this status quo in your household, all of the different bothersome behaviors will be remarkably tamped down. What a relief !
At Calm K9, we work on this deep level with all of our 4 legged clients (as well as the occasional tripod) ! During a Private In Home Consultation, we spend as much time as needed to get a thorough understanding of a dog's behavioral issues, and begin our work with him or her by addressing the relationship that exists in the household between owner(s) and dog. Oh boy, do we love happy dogs, and we strongly encourage appropriate playfulness ! Here at Calm K9, we think of healthy play as "controlled exhuberance". When you are dealing with a dog as strong as Honey, who also carries the stigma of her breed, it is especially important to be able to intervene when things begin to teeter towards mayhem !
A wise trainer once told me that "excitement and aggression are on the same page", and the truth of this statement is played out in dog parks all across the country on a daily basis. As dog lovers and owners, it is our responsibility to ensure that our dog(s) are well trained when out in public areas, be they dog parks, city sidewalks, or seated with you in front of your favorite coffee shop. I certainly do not advocate "training the dog out of the dog" by any means ! Rather, as a matter of courtesy and safety, it is up to us to make sure that our dogs are not hyperactive beasties, and the basis for this begins at home by defining and maintaining rules, structure and boundaries.
A couple of last thoughts - Chad Mackin, a colleague of mine, has written a superb article on what motivates dogs to learn. Remember that old habits die hard, and while your dog is on the path towards a calmer demeanor, celebrate the little and big victories along the way ! Many small steps does a big leap make !
And Honey ? What about Honey ? Well, after a few months of training with me, Honey is happily crate trained, has some doggie friends, walks proudly alongside of me on a loose leash, loves to play fetch and returns the ball to me every single time, has traveled from the hills to the sea and back again acquainting herself with the world at large, savors her food, has pretty darn good manners and a nearly flawless automatic sit, is generally much more relaxed, and continues, every single day, to develop into the fantastic dog she was always meant to be !
