How To Calm A Dog Down (When They’re Getting Hyper!)

There’s nothing cuter than a dog in the middle of endless zoomies – but if your buddy is leaving you exhausted every day, you’ve gotta wonder, how to calm a dog down when they’re getting hyper?

Because as it turns out, your dog might be busy zipping and zooming about due to excitement, happiness, boredom…or even anxiety, stress, or another medical condition, like being in heat. (All of which increases the risk they might run away from home, away from safety, on a whim.)

So we’re going to cover the reasons your doing might suddenly be having these fits and bursts of energy – and what you can do to help them chill out a bit more. (As well as stay safe.) Let’s go!

Why is my dog so hyper?

Now before we all panic, let’s clarify: an energetic dog is 100% normal! Most dogs have a lot of steam to burn off and, therefore, they need daily activity. If your dog is bouncing off the walls it might just be a sign of happiness, excitement – or maybe boredom and a lack of stimulation.

Read more: Active Dogs: 10 High-Energy Dog Breeds For Outdoorsy Folks

On the other hand, well, there may be more concerning reasons behind your dog’s energy and activity. Including biological factors like a dysfunction of dopamine in your dog’s brain – so they never learn to fully relax or control their impulses.

⚠️ Which, if you’ve got a puppy, an untrained dog, or one that hasn’t been spayed/neutered at home, can spell trouble.

Because when your dog has too much energy to burn and can’t control their impulses, it’s possible their instincts may override their training at different points.

⚠️ Meaning they might be more likely to run away from you to:

• Sniff out a female in heat nearby
• Escape the yard to meet and greet the neighborhood males nearby (if they’re a female in heat)
• Chase down and capture “prey” (including woodland animals – but also fellow joggers, passersby, or other animals)
• Run away due to fear, stress, or even separation anxiety

Where there’s no end to the dangers they might face if they’ve run off too far away from you.

Read more: Why Do Dogs Run Away? 6 Reasons Behind It

Is my dog just energetic…or anxious?

Now if your dog seems to just have a ton of energy to burn – but seems normal otherwise – it may not be cause for concern. However, in some cases, their extra energy may also be due to anxiety. (Whether that’s noise anxiety, separation anxiety, fear, or some combination thereof.)

⚠️ In fact, more dogs run away from home around “noisy” festivals like the 4th of July than any other day in the year.

So watch out for signs of anxiety in your dog like:

• Hiding behaviors, especially if it’s noisy outdoors or you’ve got a ton of guests at home
• Excessive vocalizing, including barking, whining, or panting
• Destructive behaviors, including chewing or scratching on objects and furniture
• Trembling
• Pacing
• A loss of appetite

💡Planning ahead for a runaway attempt is an excellent emergency measure – especially if you’ve got a dog that’s on the energetic side. (Even more so if they’re easily spooked!)

Which is where dog parents around the world (just like you) are strapping dog GPS trackers to their buddies’ collars.

Meaning with your very own Tractive GPS, you can now:

• Track your buddy’s movements in real time,
• Over an unlimited range,
• Across 175 countries (so yes, even while on vacation)

…with just a glance at your phone.

Because when you’ve got a missing dog at hand – especially one that can cover a mile in under a minute – tracking them in real-time can make the difference between finding yours safe and sound…or potentially never seeing them again.

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Can dogs have ADHD?

Canine brains are pretty similar to human brains in many ways. In fact, a 2021 study from Finland found a remarkable similarity between how Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Syndrome (ADHS) turns up in humans as well as dogs.²

Specifically, dogs that tend to be diagnosed with ADHS tend to be:

• Young (often around puppy age)
• Male
• Genetically inclined towards hyperactive, impulsive behaviors
• More likely to be fearful or shy
• Not the dog parent’s first dog
• Getting less than 1 hour of daily exercise and/or training
• Left alone for more than 8 hours on a regular basis

Are some dog breeds more likely to be hyper?

From the same 2021 study, some dog breeds were more likely to score high on hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors. Including:

• The Terrier family, including Cairn terriers and Jack Russel terriers
• German Shepherds
• Smooth Collies

While, on the other hand, these dogs scored the lowest on hyper/impulsive behaviors:

• Chihuahuas
• Rough Collies
• Miniature Schnauzers
• Poodles

Now a lot of this might have to do with how these dogs have been historically bred.

• German Shepherds and dogs from the Collie family tend to be raised and trained as working dogs – so they’ve learned to be highly active and react quickly.
• On the other hand, Poodles and Chihuahuas are more likely to be raised as companion dogs that are less active overall. (So less impulsive as well.)

In a nutshell, some of these factors aren’t in your hands – like your dog’s age or sex. But if you’re wondering how to calm a dog down, you’re in control of how much exercise, training, and quality time you’re investing in with your buddy.

So here’s…

How to calm a dog down: 6 practical steps you can take

Now in some serious cases, like if your dog has anxiety or symptoms similar to ADHS, you’re best off discussing your concerns with your vet. They may prescribe you specific anxiety medication, supplements, or even spaying or neutering as an option.

But before you head to your clinic, here are some steps you can take to help your dog burn off their extra energy that much better.

Help your dog get back to a consistent routine

Much like us, a big change in routine can majorly stress out your dog – which may turn up as hyperactive behaviors. (Like endless running around, demanding attention, and generally making a nuisance of themselves.) This might include:

• Moving apartments, cities, states, or even countries
• Bringing home a new pet or baby
• If a loved one passes away (or just isn’t around anymore – like if your kids move out of state for college)

Now not all dogs’ anxiety or stress manifests as hyperactivity. (Some might withdraw or seem depressed.) But in both cases, it can help to take little steps to help them develop a consistent routine. Including regular:

• Mealtimes
• Play time
• Sleep time
• Quality time together

All of which can help your dog feel calmer, more settled, and less likely to have all that extra energy.

Set up a “safe space” for your dog

Whether you’re at home or not, an enriched, “safe space” for your dog can work wonders in helping them calm down. One that ideally includes:

• A ton of toys and treats
• “Tricky” toys (like food puzzles) to keep them occupied
• A designated sleep area, like their crate or bed
• Some relaxing music or white noise, to help create a soothing environment
• A special blanket or even one of your sweaters (or even a pair of socks!) – something with your scent to help them feel reassured

Make regular exercise a priority

Doesn’t matter how much of a couch potato you both are – there’s no substitute for regular exercise, both physical and mental, for your dog.

With regular walks and playtime, you both keep your dog healthy, help them burn off their extra energy, and also help them feel more secure with a routine. (Win-win all the way, if you ask us.)

Read more:

• How To Tire Out A Puppy – And Keep Them Safe
• How Much Exercise Does A Dog Need?
• How Often Should You Walk Your Dog?

💡 Besides tracking your dog in real-time if they go missing, your trusty Tractive GPS also helps you log your dog walks! Perfect for staying motivated to your new routine and recording your daily adventures together.

Besides, from your Tractive mobile app, you can also check how active your dog is compared to other, similar dogs on your local leaderboard. (Nothing like a little healthy competition to stay motivated, right?)

Log Your Dog Walk

Keep your dog mentally active

Besides regular exercise, another way to help your dog calm down is keeping them mentally active. (The brain is a muscle after all and needs its own workout!) So they’re less likely to get up to mischief out of boredom or anxiety, if you invest in:

• Puzzle toys to help them stay active and engaged (especially if you aren’t home)
• Food dispensers that make your dog have to “work” for getting a treat (by, say, solving a puzzle)
• Giving your dog a “job” – like, say, babysitting your kids or cleaning up their toys. This can help redirect their energy towards a productive activity and prevent them from getting bored or restless.

• Regular training, especially for the most basic obedience commands. Take it slow and repeat commands like “Sit”, “Stay”, and “Come” as much as you can.
• Revisiting your dog’s training can help refresh their memories and ensure they’ll do as you say when you’re both outdoors.
• Try new methods of training, like, for example, with a clicker to help keep both you and your dog engaged. Clicker training for dogs is a tried and trusted method of positively reinforcing “good” behaviors.

Enroll your dog in an obedience class

If your dog is just way too energetic to handle – or you just can’t make time – leave some jobs to the pros by enrolling them in an obedience training class.

This can help your dog get used to hanging out with other pets and people, learn the basic rules of dog “etiquette”, and pick up some training commands – from the experts themselves.

⚠️ Because in an emergency – like if your dog’s gone running off after a woodland critter on a hike together – being able to override their instincts with proper training (especially for recall) might just save their life.

Read more: Dog Recall: How To Teach Your Dog To Come When Called

Track your dogs’ activity (for a dip or a spike)

Now if you’ve tried all these methods and your dog still isn’t calming down, it may be time to drop by your vet. And you’ll be best equipped to describe your dogs’ symptoms if you have actionable data at hand.

In this case, this could be a record of your dog’s activity over the last couple of weeks or months. (Rather than just jotting these down in a journal – you might forget or miss out on some important details which could be key to your dog’s health.)

“Keep track of your dog’s energy levels, especially how long they are able to walk.

If you notice significant declines, it could be a sign of pain, heart disease, or other illness.”

– VCA Animal Hospitals

💡 And if you’ve invested in a Tractive device, you’re in luck.

Because with its built-in motion detector, your tracker picks up on your dog’s movements throughout the day – including how many active minutes they get.

Which, with time, can help you figure out:

• Whether your dog’s activity has majorly spiked at some point during the day (and how often over a long-term period)
• What’s a normal level of activity for your dog
• Whether there’s a drop in your dog’s activity (which could indicate sickness or injury, in some cases)

⚠️ All of which can help you get your dog to a vet on time – much before their condition worsens. (And now you’re stuck with a heftier vet bill than before.)

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How to calm down your dog like a pro – and keep them healthy for life

Now in a lot of cases, your dog’s energy might be due to completely harmless reasons – especially if they’re an active, high-energy dog breed. But in other cases, it might be due to boredom, stress, anxiety…or even medical conditions like ADHS. (Which you should discuss with your vet, first and foremost.)

But before you drop by your vet, make sure to:

• Figure out if a change in routine is stressing out your dog – and try and get them back to a predictable schedule, step by step. (With tons of quality time together.)
• Create a safe space for your dog, ideally one with some relaxing music, toys, and something with your scent. (To help keep them calm.)
• Make regular exercise and training a priority. Enrol your dog in an obedience training class if things get too out of hand.
• Keep track of your dog’s activity over a week-by-week or monthly basis. With this actionable data at hand, you’ll be best equipped to describe their symptoms accurately to your vet.

⚠️ Because all too often, a dog that’s unable to control their impulses or just has too much energy to burn off might end up running away from home as a result.

But if you’ve got a Tractive device strapped to your dog’s collar, you now have…

So you can:

• Keep track of your dog’s activity,
• Gather actionable activity data for your vet,
• Plan ahead for an emergency (like a runaway attempt)

…all in one device, built with love for your dog – and for your peace of mind.

Stay on top of your dog’s wellness

Follow every step in real-time with unlimited range. Get alerts if they wander too far. Keep them happy & healthy with Wellness Monitoring. And let others – like walkers or sitters – keep an eye on your dog too.

Discover Tractive GPS

Want to see these tips in action? Here’s dog trainer Joel Beckman walking you through how to calm down an excitable young dog:

And if you’ve liked this post, share it with a friend or a loved one – and let’s help build a safer, kinder world for our furry friends together.

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Your furry friend’s health and wellbeing means as much as to us as it does to you. So we’ve made it a priority to only share medically-relevant content on our blog.

This post was checked, double-checked, and medically verified by Georgia-based vet, Dr. Dwight Alleyne.

Originally from Long Island, New York, Dr. Alleyne began his career at a no-kill animal shelter before becoming a licensed veterinary technician. He graduated from Cornell University Veterinary College in 2006 and completed an internship at Purdue University.

Now practicing in Georgia, Dr. Alleyne specializes in soft tissue surgery and ultrasounds. He also writes pet health articles on his website, “The Animal Doctor Blog” (www.anmldrblog.com).