When you bring home a new puppy and discover that he or she has continually elevated energy levels, it may feel like you will have your work cut out for you with training. To get your unruly puppy to act like a well-mannered canine companion, you will need to be very patient and deliberate with your training efforts. Here are some important things to keep in mind while training your hyperactive puppy.
Use Positive Reinforcement
Puppies respond better to negative reinforcement with treats and praise. Punishments are confusing and scary to puppies. In hyperactive puppies, acute anxiety can manifest in attention-seeking or destructive behaviors. They will not always understand why they are being punished. Instead, they will simply understand that they are being punished and they will be anxious about it. In contrast, they can easily learn and understand why they are getting treats and praise.
Utilize Distractions to Deter Unwanted Behaviors
When your puppy is doing something that is unsafe or destructive, you can prompt change with distraction. If your puppy is nipping at you or chewing on furniture, direct his or her attention to a toy.
If you observe that your puppy appears to be persisting in poor conduct to get a reaction from you, do not validate those attempts by reacting. Instead, give your puppy a quick time out until he or she settles down.
Support Your Own Energy Levels
Having a puppy who is amped up almost all of his or her waking hours can be kind of a drain on your own energy levels. Having to exert energy to keep up with your fur baby’s antics to get your attention and play taxes the way that you regulate energy. You have to increase your own output in response to a new and demanding schedule of basic situational needs such as walk times and playtimes. You may also have to move and act swiftly when your puppy goes about exploring the world in a way that could potentially be unsafe. It is no surprise that a lot of new owners express surprise about the amount of energy that they have to put into raising a puppy.
While you are focusing on the health and wellbeing of your new furry charge, it is important to be attentive to your own health needs as well. Make sure that you are getting enough rest at night so that you will have the wherewithal that you need to be active with your puppy at the start of every new day together. Likewise, be attentive to nutrition while there are new exigencies in your energy moderation plus new demands on your schedule. Put thought and planning into meal prep, enhance your nutritional intake with opti greens, and avoid overburdening your digestive system with ultra-processed food.
Repeat Core Commands in Structured Training Sessions
Dogs need a lot of repetition in order to grasp key training concepts including leash manners and obeying commands such as “sit” and “down.” Repeating the same training exercises again and again can program a responsive reaction to cues that is almost automatic. Your dog will not have to put too much thought and effort into following commands once you have effectively programmed responses.
Set time aside every day to work on training exercises. Your puppy will not think that training is hard work. Instead, a high-energy puppy will love to have the chance to interact with you and learn.
Conclusion
Your puppy needs your help to have a great quality of life. Training keeps puppies safe, happy, and mentally stimulated. Training a hyperactive puppy can seem challenging, but consistent efforts can ultimately produce great results.
photo credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/ouLwcnXpaTs
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