My dog has crazy energy bursts. How do I calm and control him?

I certainly understand and sympathize with your situation. I have one younger dog that is much too high energy for my older dogs (and me sometimes). I have a few suggestions for you that have helped me. One thing that people think of first is treats that keep them busy for a longer period of time. This does seem to help. You can use long lasting treats like a Kong filled with peanut butter, yogurt, treats, etc and frozen so it takes longer for him to eat. My dog also really like Bully Sticks which I also freeze to make them last a little longer. Keep Rocky mentally and physically busy during meal times. I love using a feeding balls like a Buster Cube or Tricky Treat ball to feed meals in. It keeps him busy for at least 5-10 minutes at each meal and requires him to work. And speaking of working. I have found that my dog is the most tired after we have done a good round of training. Even though it sounds like you have done a basic obedience class, I would consider trying an advanced class, a nose work class, a tricks class, etc. And if taking a class isn't an option right now, work on training at home. When he goes on walks, make him sit at each corner before he crosses the street. Or work on teaching him a new trick. It sounds simple, but additional mental stimulation can go a long way. Playing with other dogs is a great outlet for energy. If you haven't tried it yet, look into your local dog park or doggy daycare center. Sending my youngest dog to daycare once a week has made a huge difference in his energy level. There are a number of interactive dog games and toys available now. Outward Hound makes a number of toys that your dog has to figure out a puzzle of some type before they get a treats. Here are some ideas for those. https://www.petco.com/category/dog/dog-toys/interactive-dog-toys/dog-puzzle-toys-and-games I have not tried the Clever Pet yet, but it is an electronic interactive toy that I am intrigued about. clever.pet So, I think the key is to vary his activities daily and include a wide range of physical and mental stimulation. Be sure to be creative to tire him out on a regular basis and help everyone keep their sanity. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Since she is so young it is difficult to tire them out. If you are able to I would take her on a long walk two to three times a day. I would also take her to a park or go out in the backyard to play with her for some time. One good way to burn energy is swimming. I did a search based on your zip code and you can contact this place to discuss letting her swim there. http://www.mauimeadowfarm.com/canine-aquatics.html The best thing you can do is really do as much as you can with her to tire her out. Thank you for using PetCoach!

I certainly understand and sympathize with your situation. I have a young dog. I have a few suggestions for you that have helped me. One thing that people think of first is treats that keep them busy for a longer period of time. This does seem to help. You can use long lasting treats like a Kong filled with peanut butter, yogurt, treats, etc and frozen so it takes longer for him to eat. My dog also really like Bully Sticks which I also freeze to make them last a little longer. Keep him mentally and physically busy during meal times. I love using a feeding balls like a Buster Cube or Tricky Treat ball to feed meals in. It keeps him busy for at least 5-10 minutes at each meal and requires him to work. And speaking of working. I have found that my dog is the most tired after we have done a good round of training. Even if you have done a basic obedience class, I would consider trying an advanced class, a nose work class, a tricks class, etc. And if taking a class isn't an option right now, work on training at home. When he goes on walks, make him sit at each corner before he crosses the street. It sounds simple, but additional mental stimulation can go a long way. Playing with other dogs is a great outlet for energy. If you haven't tried it yet, look into your local dog park or doggy daycare center. Sending my youngest dog to daycare once a week has made a huge difference. There are a number of interactive dog games and toys available now. Outward Hound makes a number of toys that your dog has to figure out a puzzle of some type before they get a treats. Here are some ideas for those. https://www.petco.com/category/dog/dog-toys/interactive-dog-toys/dog-puzzle-toys-and-games I have not tried the Clever Pet yet, but it is an electronic interactive toy that am intrigued about it. clever.pet So, I think the key is to vary his activities daily and include a wide range of physical and mental stimulation. Be sure to be creative to tire him out on a regular basis and help everyone keep their sanity. I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using PetCoach.

Increased exercise can help. Walking (not running in a park or yard) for at least 30 minutes twice a day (some dogs need much more), doing basic training to give her mental stimulation, using puzzle toys to feed her meals, and scheduling 10 minutes of cuddling/grooming time a day can all help. You can also check out some general pet behavior books - Decoding Your Dog and anything from Sophia Yin are some of my favorites. If you're not having success on your own, i recommended getting a positive reenforcement only trainer or a veterinary behaviorist to help you out. Good luck!

Hi there! Great question! The best thing you can do for him is CONTROLLED exercise. Meaning, you can take him for short walks on a leash. What we don't want is him running around freely, jumping or playing with other animals. If you can control the exercise that would be best and that way he won't be crazy! Take him for multiple short walks throughout the day. I would take him walking where there is not a lot of stimulation from other dogs. If you are finding he is still too "crazy" you can always call your vet and ask for a mild sedative however, vets try to reserve sedatives for severe cases. I hope this helps! Best wishes!

Hello. A 2 year old un-neutered male dog will require LOTS of exercise to tire him out. You may just have to exercise him more. Also, neutering will decrease the amount of restless energy he has and is a good idea for other health concerns as well. Try taking him for longer walks, playing with the ball so he gets a lot of running in. Be careful not to perform any of these when it is very hot out, if it is more than 25-30 degrees do not run your dog.

Personally, I love interactive toys. I recently had a trainer work with my dog who focuses on brain games vs. physical activity, and he's done very well with that! One thing you can easily do, is when you get home, take handful of kibbles or small treats and just toss them into the back yard. Then he has to go and find them. This is very easy to do, and will tire him out of sure. Toys that I like are the kong wobbler, feeder balls or treat dispensing balls, the pickle pocket, the everlasting treat, and even a good old kong toy stuffed with some frozen fresh ground peanut butter (avoid any peanut butter with xylitol of course), greek yogurt, or pumpkin. My one dog doesn't really like the kong wobbler or the treat dispensing toy because he gets frustrated very easily. You'll just have to do a trial and error with Leny. My puppy really likes the treat ball and the kongs, as does my older guy. The older, more frustrated guy, really likes the everlasting treat ball as well. I order a lot of things from chewy.com because the prices are great, and if the dogs don't like the toys, it's not a huge waste of money, and I can just give them away. There is also something called a "snuffle mat" that you can purchase or make, that I think is a great idea for dogs after they've finished teething and don't chew things up anymore. (Of course if Leny winds up just being a chewer, I'd be careful with this too so he doesn't ingest any pieces). The snuffle mat is basically a mat with pieces of long fabric that you toss the food on. Then brush the pieces back and forth to hide the food, and let Leny sniff around and look for the food. I actually have this on my 2019 bucket list to make for my dogs. Of course, just to mention, there's always a huge benefit to working with a trainer, to help you streamline Leny's daily routine, so that he gets rid of the most energy and is calm and content. I hope you find this answer helpful! Best of luck!