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Why Is My Golden Retriever So Hyper

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Are All Golden Retrievers High Energy

How to calm my Golden Retrievers down

Most Golden Retrievers are high energy, but that is not to say that every single one will be. There are several in the mix who prefer to be calm, cuddly, lap companions, especially in their older age or if you have a female Golden. Female Golden Retrievers mature faster than their male counterparts, so they grow out of their puppy phase faster. Most Golden Retriever puppies will be very high energy and require a lot of affection from their owner.

Positive And Negative Reinforcement

Discipline is;how;dog;owners communicate that some behavior is acceptable;to their pet and;others not.;To;succeed, a;dog must understand what actions;his;master;likes;and;those he does not.

If training has been done correctly and the dog misbehaves, a dont do that message should be given, or as we usually say, we should discipline our Golden Retriever.;

As already indicated,;the most effective way of disciplining your Golden Retriever is through positive and negative reinforcement.;Heres what that means.

Positive reinforcement,;also known as reward-based training,;means using a reward for desired behaviors. As the reward makes your dog more likely to repeat the action,;positive reinforcement;is the best technique for defining your dogs behavior.

For example, when you command your Golden Retriever to lay down, he wont initially understand what you mean, and thats normal. Youll need to use additional gestures to make him understand the meaning of lay down.

Once that is understood, rewarding him communicates that lying down should be done every time he hears the command. Your puppy will quickly learn nice things happen when he does the right thing.

In positive reinforcement rewards include:

Negative reinforcement;means taking something away or removing the reward to increase the frequency of the behavior.;It often causes confusion, but it does not mean bad or to punish.

Do Golden Retrievers Calm Down And How You Can Calm Them

Golden Retriever dog is so much full of energy. When you get a Golden puppy to your home, be prepared to get doses of energy bursts from the new canine friend.

So the natural question from new Golden Retriever owners is When will this Golden Retriever Calm down? With age, the energetic behavior of Retriever family dogs starts to settle down. At the age of 2-3 years, they start to show an understanding of the world and obey commands. At that time, it is enjoyable to own the Golden Retriever.

Every retriever dog is different. Some may take 2-3 years and others may show some maturity by 5 years. What I can tell from my experience is that even though their body grows up but the mental growth of Golden Retriever dogs is slow and is not at par with physical growth.

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Are Golden Retrievers Hyper

Now we know that Golden retrievers are really hyper dogs. Unlike other dogs, Golden retrievers start calming down at the age of two or three. That is when their official puppy stage ends. Golden retrievers are especially hyper in their puppy stage because they have a lot of pent-up energy that it has to manifest!

Now, many dog owners wonder why exactly is their Golden retriever hyper. It can be for several reasons including lack of exercise, lack of attention, boredom, you might be encouraging it or lack of training.

Lack of exercise

Golden retrievers need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. If they dont get the amount of exercise they need they might become hyper. All the energy that is built up inside of them needs to get out somehow.

For adult Golden retrievers the rule is they should be getting at least one hour of exercise a day. For puppies who are still developing 5 minutes per month age;is ideal. This is because their joints are still developing.

Lack of attention

Just like the lack of exercise can make your dog act hyper, the lack of attention can too. If you dont give your dog a lot of attention during the day, but give them attention when they act hyper, this is when they put 2 and 2 together. Your dog will likely have learned that behaving that way will get your;attention causing it to do it more.

Boredom

You have been encouraging it

Ignore The Hyper Dog Behavior

Why is my Golden Retriever so hyper at night?

Dogs seek attention from you. By paying attention to the hyper dog during outbursts, youre reinforcing the very dog problem behavior that youre trying to eliminate. The next time your dog is jumping or nipping at you in an overexcited way, give it a try no touch, no talk, no eye contact and see how you fare. You might be surprised how quickly the dog settles down.

Also Check: 8 Week Old Golden Retriever Puppy Training

Train Your Golden Retriever To Stop Jumping Up On People

Its happened again. Your neighbor stopped by for an unexpected visit, and as the back door opened, before you had time to act or even think, your visitor was on the floor.

The culprit? Your well-meaning, but overly excitable golden retriever.

When you brought home your cuddly ball of fluff, that excitability was pretty adorable, as was the jumping and licking that went along with it. Now that your retriever has grown, youre wondering what youve gotten yourself into.

As your neighbor can attest, theres nothing cute about a dog that knocks you down when saying hello.

Can you train your dog to tone it down and stop jumping up on people? Of course you can! Keep reading to find out how.

The Calming Trifecta For Dogs

Besides providing your dog with enough physical exercise appropriate for their age and breed, you can also engage their brain in relaxing activities that satisfy their canine instincts. I call these the “Calming Trifecta.” Sniffing, licking, and chewing release many feel-good chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins in your dog’s brain.

Recommended Reading: Golden Retriever Rescue Ohio

What To Avoid When Training Your Dog Not To Jump

  • Do not shout or get angry. Shouting will only confuse your dog, and depending on their personality, they will either become afraid, or even more excited. Either way, it doesnt promote a respectful relationship and can be very counter-productive.
  • Do not knee your dog in the chest. Many books and web articles suggest you raise your knee to block your dog when they jump. This can work, but we cannot condone this method. On one leg its easier for you to fall and get hurt, and you could also potentially hurt your dog. Please use the force free, positive methods above, not violence!
  • Do not push your dog off you. Pushing will quickly become a game to your dog and wont teach them anything. Its a form of interaction, and interaction is rewarding. To you, youre telling them off, to them they got a reward. And rewarded behaviors increase. So, no pushing!
  • Do not punish your dog after they have jumped up. Your dog will not understand punishment after the fact. They may think youre punishing them for saying hello in the only way they know how, which might lead to your dog running away from you in fear instead of greeting you happily. ;Instead, ignore unwanted behavior and pile in with rewards for the behaviors you do want to see.

What Dogs Are More Prone To Being Hyper

Look at my crazy big hyper puppy – Golden Retriever India

All dogs can be affected by the zoomies, from a Siberian Husky to a Teacup Chihuahua.

Big, small, short-haired, long-haired, family pet or guard dog the urge can strike them all! That being said, the behavior is more common in younger dogs who have more energy to burn than their older counterparts.;

You might find that dogs in the puppy or adolescent stage are especially prone to being hyper. They become overwhelmed with energy that they dont know how to handle.;

The result is a quick energy release that typically comes out as a crazy, haphazard run.

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Dont Rub Your Goldens Nose In His Dirt

Its not instinctive behavior for your new Golden Retriever puppy to potty outside; it is only natural for him not to go where he sleeps. Some inexperienced dog owners believe that rubbing their puppys nose in their urine or stools after an accident will make them never repeat it. Yuk!

And wrong! This is a misconception, and it will only teach your pup to fear you. Its also gross, unnecessary, and filthy. You have to toilet train him!

We know dogs learn by association, and your puppy may associate your disapproval with trying to hide where to go. He may poop under the bed or behind the couch if he thinks you will be angry.

Instead, if your Golden Retriever pees on your carpet, quickly correct his behavior and redirect him outside. Reward him when he finishes off by giving lots of verbal praise and a training treat.

Golden Retrievers Get Bored

Similar to the issue of the lack of exercise, Golden Retrievers get bored and act out by showing their hyperactivity. The boredom can stem from many things like a lack of attention, exercise, or not having enough stimulating activities or training. To keep your dog from feeling bored, it is best to keep up their training and introduce new games and activities for them to try. Much like children, they need to be constantly stimulated, so switching up toys, or taking them to a dog park so they can have new interactions are great ways to rectify this.

Read Also: What Is The Best Dog Food For Golden Retrievers

What To Feed A Hyperactive Dog

Food can play a role if your dog is too hyper.

Carbs, especially sugar, let the blood sugar level rise very quickly. So, after its consumption, dogs might become a little too hyper.

Its generally a good idea to feed dog food with lots of proteins in it. But for hyperactive dogs, its even more important. To find out more about what to feed a hyperactive dog, .

But be aware that this is rarely the issue. If you got the other things right, food plays a minor role.

Retrievers And Their Energy

Why is my Golden Retriever so hyper?

The retriever breedsat least Labradors and Golden Retrieverscome with seemingly endless amounts of energy.

You see this in the way they run everywhere they go. And in the way they chew everything. Or in the way that they dig holes through the seemingly rock-solid dirt that tractors would struggle with.

The worst part of their energy is when they meet new people. One of the most common complaints about these breedsbesides their sheddingis the fact that they have a tendency to jump around and on new people.

It is important to remember that these dogs were bred to be working retrievers. Stamina and high energy are traits that breeders have sought to keep active in their dogs. These traits give the dog the ability to go all day out in the field running miles and miles without slowing down.

The challenge for most retriever owners is that they are not using their dogs out in the field day in and day out. So, your Golden Retriever or Labrador has all of this energy, but they dont have a way to burn off the energy that they were bred for.

Every Dog is Different

I think we should point out that not all Golden Retrievers will have uncontrollable bursts of energy. Like people, dogsÂ;vary from animal to animal. There are some that exhibit the hyper trait for their whole lives and others will be calm even as a little puppy.

Read Also: The Best Puppy Food For Golden Retrievers

How To Calm A Hyper Golden Retriever

Some positive methods to calm a dog down are:

  • Stay calm yourself a calm leader commands a calm dog!
  • Ignore for the most part, this activity. Positive attention will result in a bad dog.
  • Since you will come to expect a timetable for your puppys hyperactivity, be prepared All of the household needs to be calm without much evident active action or talking.
  • Give some time the puppy needs to vent out its energy.
  • Energy reminds me Is your puppy well exercised? Could he do with a bit more running during the day?
  • Reward a calm puppy once the puppy is settled, still staying calm, give a small bit of treat. Soon the puppy will realize calmness means treat.
  • Later add the word command of something like settle or calm along with the treat. Remember to do this after the dog is calm and not before.
  • Practice slowly changing your command timing from after to during to just before she gets hyper.
  • Finally, give your puppy some time to grow up. She will settle down as she grows without any repercussions and a more obedient dog following your command.
  • Keep trying and training
  • How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond by Cesar Millan is an awesome book if you need to learn some basic techniques on dog training and bringing up your cute puppy.

    Have a look at Angel, our golden retriever, how hyper she was! Can you relate to this video?

    Hyper Puppy Tip 3: Patience And Consistency

    It is easy to lose patience with a hyper puppy that has a very short attention span. I lost my temper many times with my first puppy and started shouting at him.

    However, I soon realized that this only made him more hyper. Here are some ways to practice patience and consistency:

    • Anger, frustration, shouting, banging, and hitting will only inject more energy into an already intense situation. This will cause the puppy to get even more agitated and even more hyper.
    • To calm a puppy’s hyper energy, we must stay calm. If you feel yourself getting angry, take a break from puppy and ask someone to stand in for you. If there is no one around, put puppy temporarily in his crate or on a tie-down and take a short break to collect yourself.
    • Always be consistent with the puppy so that he will know what to expect from you. It is important to set up some house rules and stick to it. Do not let your puppy come onto the couch one day and scold him for doing the same thing the next day.
    • Follow the NILIF program and make your puppy work for all of his food, toys, and resources.
    • If you stay calm and consistent, your puppy will learn from you and also become more calm and consistent.

    If you stay calm and consistent, your puppy will learn from you and also become more calm and consistent.

    shibashake.com

    Read Also: How To Make My Golden Retriever Gain Weight

    Aggressiveness In Golden Retrievers

    Golden retrievers are know for their sweet and friendly disposition and arent usually associated with aggression or aggressive behavior in general. However sometimes they may exhibit such behavior, which may be demonstrated in many ways and forms. The dog may growl, snap at another dog or individual, and sometimes even bite, but most times, anger isnt the emotion the dog is reacting to at all.

    There are many reasons for aggressiveness in golden retrievers, for example, dogs that show aggressiveness routinely may be or have been victims of abuse, disregard, improper training or poor breeding practices, and may have been witness to such events occurring to their progenitors, which may have lead to this behavior.

    Another reason for aggressiveness in golden retrievers is whenever new people are introduced or are visiting your home, since golden retrievers see their owners as part of the pack, they can simply feel threatened by an stranger being invading their space, or with the notion they will have to share their owner. Aggression can sometimes be also a natural response to fear, insecurity, pain, or illness your dog may be experiencing.

    Avoiding and Stopping Aggressiveness in Golden Retrievers

    How Do You Calm Down A Hyper Golden Retriever Puppy

    10 steps to calm dogs & hyper puppy | Why is my dog so hyper | Tips on high energy dogs activities

    There are additional ways to calm your hyper dog. First one being to wear out your dog by exercising and channeling the dog’s energy into something constructive such as playing a game of fetch or even a simple walk will help sometimes. Also engaging the dog’s sense of smell helps in calming the dog.

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    Tire Them Out With Exercise

    The easiest and most effective way to help your golden retriever calm down is to help them get all this energy out in a healthy way. This means regular exercise and play.

    Golden Retrievers need daily walks, but they can also go with your on runs. Its a great idea to combine your exercise time with theirs, and this way you hit two birds with one stone. They will also motivate you to keep pushing yourself since its far more likely that you will start feeling tired before they do.

    Need some ideas?

    Lack Of Exercise Can Cause Excessive Hyperactivity In Goldens

    Just how we humans can get cabin fever and want to go outside and do something to alleviate the mundanity, dogs are the same way. If your golden hasnt been walked, played with, or even let outside for several hours, they will get restless and want to let out that pent-up energy. The best way to combat this is to get them some exercise, at least 30 minutes a day is usually sufficient for this breed.

    Read Also: How Much To Feed A Golden Retriever Dog

    How To Calm A Hyper Dog

    If your dog seems hyper, or overly-excited, the problem likely stems from boredom and a lack of stimulation. So in order to address the problem, you have to assess the way you are interacting with your dog and the kind of activity your dog gets on a daily basis.

    Here are some simple techniques you can try at home to calm your hyperactive dog.

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