5 Surprising Signs Your Dog Needs to Calm Down
It’s nap time.
Do you have a dog that seems to have an endless supply of energy? One that runs around the house, barks incessantly, and chases its tail until it’s dizzy? A hyper dog may initially seem cute, but it can become challenging. How can you determine if your dog is genuinely over aroused?
In this article, we'll take a deep dive into five surprising signs that your dog needs to calm down. From zoomies to biting, we'll explore what these behaviours mean and how you can help your dog relax. So, if you're ready to learn how to help your canine companion find their inner zen, read on!
Zoomies: More Than Just Playtime - Zoomies refer to when your dog suddenly starts sprinting around the room uncontrollably, jumping on furniture, and sometimes even knocking things over. It seems that your dog has a watch and knows exactly when the time is right and he zooms, nips, pulls at your clothes, destroys items and generally causes chaos. While it may look like your dog is just playing, often zoomies occur because your dog’s arousal level is too high. If allowed to continue, it leads to increased stimulation, which increases the arousal level. It may seem odd, but exercise will actually increase your dog’s arousal level. Although your dog may seem calmer or tired out after a long walk or vigorous play session, it is an illusion. The baseline level of arousal has not changed.
Let’s talk about Humping. Zoomies may include humping or be an alternative to zoomies. Some dogs hump toys, chairs, other dogs or even people. It’s embarrassing and can even be painful if the dog humps a person. Humping is a natural behaviour that some dogs use to relieve stress and should not be punished.
Tail or Light Chasing: Fun or Frustration? - Tail chasing is a common behaviour among dogs that owners often find amusing. However, it may not always be a harmless activity. Tail chasing can be a sign of anxiety, boredom, or even neurological issues. When a dog chases its tail excessively, it can cause physical harm, such as skin irritation or injury.
If you notice your dog chasing its tail more frequently or persistently, try to identify the underlying cause. Is it bored or anxious? Does it lack mental stimulation? Has it had enough rest? Providing your dog with rest and mental stimulation can help address the issue. However, if your dog continues to chase its tail excessively, it's important to seek professional advice from a veterinarian or veterinary behaviourist.
Biting: An Indicator of Stress - When arousal levels become too high, dogs may bite people or other dogs. This does not mean that they want to cause harm, rather that they are overwhelmed. Excessive biting or chewing can be a sign of stress, anxiety, boredom or frustration when they lack proper stimulation. Excessive biting or licking of paws may indicate that your dog is in pain and you should have your dog checked by a veterinarian. It's essential to determine the underlying cause and address it accordingly.
Destroying Property: Bad dog or stress? - We’ve all seen videos of “guilty” dogs but the truth is that they are images of stressed dogs. One of the most common destructive behaviours that dogs engage in is destroying their beds and other property. This behaviour is often a dog’s attempt to cope when its arousal level is too high or is feeling stressed or anxious. If your dog destroys property when you are out, it may indicate that your dog has difficulty being separated from you or is bored.
Barking: Communication or Anxiety? - Barking is a form of communication for dogs. Dogs bark when they notice something interesting, to warn, when they are afraid or in pain but, excessive barking could be a sign of boredom, anxiety or stress. If your dog barks and howls incessantly when left alone, it may indicate that it has difficulty being left alone or separated from you. Understanding your dog's barking patterns and addressing the underlying cause is essential for their well-being and your peace of mind.
What is arousal?
Arousal is a state of being. If we think of it on a scale from 1 – 10, 1 might be a dog that is unconscious while 10 might be zoomies. Both good and bad things can contribute to over arousal, whether it is a visit from a favourite person or fireworks. Being able to regulate arousal levels like a light on a dimmer switch is an essential skill for every dog.
What do I do?
The list may seem overwhelming and you are probably thinking that it will be hard and time consuming to address these issues. The good news is that one approach will significantly improve all of these issues and can prevent them if introduced to puppies. That approach is to teach your dog Calmness.
Calmness is an essential state of being for dogs that is crucial to their overall well-being. It is a skill that can be taught and learned no matter how old a dog is. The absoluteDogs unique approach to training dogs for Calmness has proven to be effective in creating happy, healthy, and well-behaved pets.
Dogs learn the skill of Calmness through Calmness Games, the Calmness Triad and Boundary training. The games are designed to help dogs learn how to relax and remain calm in various situations, from greeting guests to being left alone at home. The games are fun and engaging, and they encourage dogs to use their brains in a positive way, which helps them to reduce stress and anxiety. They use positive reinforcement because dogs learn best when they are rewarded for exhibiting calm behaviour, rather than being punished for undesirable behaviour.
The Calmness Triad
Passive calming activities – Licking, sniffing, or long-lasting chews, are natural stress relievers and a significant portion of a dog’s daily food allowance can be given via lick mats, stuffables like Kongs or Toppls or home made enrichment activities. By keeping dogs engaged in these games, they are able to exercise their minds and bodies, which helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Puzzle Dog has excellent resources in its Facebook group and a free course for owners.
Rest – Toddlers need nap time and so does your dog! Adult dogs need to spend 50% of the day sleeping and another 30% just loafing around. Ensure that your dog has quiet time every day in an area where it will not be disturbed. You can give it a long-lasting chew or lick mat to keep it occupied but leave the stimulating toys in the toy box.
Calmness Protocol – reward your dog for calm behaviour, especially if there are distractions and your dog remains calm. If you are in the kitchen and your dog is resting calmly on its boundary, reward the calm behaviour.
Supplements
We have been hearing a lot about the gut-brain connection and this is true for dogs as well. Supplements, such as Calm K-9, may benefit your dog by targeting the gut and brain. Developed by a veterinary behaviourist, dog trainer and canine nutritionists, it contains Tryptophan to relax and calm, probiotic L-glutamic Acid, and Passiflora and Lemon Balm. I used it for the first year that I had my rescue dog, Bianca. She had chronic diarrhea for the first three months and I wanted to rebuild her gut flora. I really wish that Rescue K-9 existed then!
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you have a hyperactive dog that is exhibiting any of the five behaviours discussed in this article, it's crucial to address them early on. Ignoring these signs of over-arousal can lead to more severe problems down the road. Calmness is a crucial skill for dogs, and it is something that can be taught and learned. The Calmness Games developed by absoluteDogs are an effective way to train dogs for calmness and by incorporating these games into their training, dog owners can help their pets to become happy, healthy, and well-behaved members of the family. Remember, a calm dog is a happy dog. So next time you see your dog doing zoomies, chasing its tail, biting, destroying its bed or barking non-stop, take action and help it to calm down. Let's help our dogs achieve the calm they crave.
