A dog trainer has shared a simple way to calm your excitable pet, without needing to use any words.
Dogs get excited by a variety of things, including when their owners come home for the day or when they see other people they are familiar with. Their daily walks and playtime can also cause them to bbecome bouncy and gregarious.
Although this is normal behaviour, it can sometimes be hard to get dogs to settle down. Owners of excitable pets might find it challenging to get them to listen and be calm at home when they need to be, such as when there are guests or children around. Plus, excited dogs can be difficult to control.
Southend Dog Training is a leading online dog training community, founded by Adam Spivey, author of How To Train Your Dog and How To Raise The Perfect Dog. He has built a “first-class reputation for his straight-talking approach” and has garnered millions of followers on social media.
Spivey recently posted a video on TikTok sharing his strategy to turn an excitable dog into a calm pet. He recommends the use of a short leash.
In the video, the expert mentioned that he worked with a bulldog that couldn’t play with other dogs because it was “too excitable” and “had no manners.” He instructs owners of dogs like this to pick up their pet’s lead without saying anything and just shorten it up.
Demonstrating this technique on a dog, Spivey added: “Let your actions do the talking.” He said as soon as he notices a pup getting more and more excited, he intervenes by picking up its lead, making it shorter, and stays “nice and relaxed”, without even acknowledging the animal.
The dog trainer continued: “I’m going to stay nice and chilled out. I want him (the dog) to calm down, his breathing to lower and then he can go back and play and every time he starts to get worked up a little bit, it’s almost like I’m going to control the dosage.”
After the dog laid on the floor once its breathing had lowered, this was when Spivey walked away as he knew the pooch had fully calmed down. Dog training resource Alpha Paws has also given some guidance on how to calm and train an overly excited dog.
It explains that the common causes of over-excitement in dogs is boredom and a lack of meeting their needs adequately so they may need more exercise and mental stimulation to be happy. According to Alpha Paws, something essential to keep in mind when dealing with a hyperactive dog is that your response “will determine the frequency of such behaviour.”
It claims that the best way to discourage an excited dog is to ignore them by not making eye contact, touching or talking to them. The dog training resource also recommends wearing your dog out physically with long walks and playtime, which are “crucial to channeling your dog’s excess energy”, helping them to stay focused and this “drains the extra energy, so they don’t act out.”
Dog owners who have tried Spivey’s technique of using a short leash shared how well this worked for them in the comment section of his TikTok video. One said: “My insanely excitable 10 month [old] pug is wild, this works beautifully.”
Another added: “This really does b***** work! My dog is just the same and since our behaviourist said about lead in the house we do this and BAM! Works so well!!”
