Living with a high-energy dog can feel like managing a tornado inside your home, leaving you exhausted while they seem ready for another marathon. Instead of relying on medication or harsh discipline, you can implement proven, natural strategies to help your dog find their “off switch.” By adjusting their routine, environment, and mental workload, you can transform chaotic energy into calm contentment.
Assess the Daily Routine: Physical vs. Mental Energy
Many owners make the mistake of trying to physically exhaust a hyper dog. While exercise is vital, relying solely on fetching or running only builds an athlete with more stamina. To truly calm a hyper dog naturally, you must balance physical activity with mental stimulation.
switch to Decompression Walks
Standard walks around the neighborhood often fail to tire out a high-energy breed. They walk in a straight line on a short leash, which can actually build frustration. Instead, try a “decompression walk” or “sniffari.” Put your dog on a long line (10 to 15 feet) in a safe area and let them lead the way.
Allowing your dog to sniff extensively is crucial. Sniffing lowers a dog’s pulse rate and burns significant mental energy. Fifteen minutes of intense sniffing is often more tiring than an hour of brisk walking.
Implement Brain Games
A bored dog is a hyper dog. If their brain isn’t working, their body will make up for it with destructive energy. Integrate brain games into your daily schedule. This can be as simple as hide-and-seek with their favorite toy or practicing nose work by hiding treats around the living room for them to find. This engages their natural foraging instincts and depletes energy reserves that physical exercise can’t touch.
Ditch the Food Bowl for Enrichment
Feeding time is the biggest missed opportunity for calming a hyper dog. If your dog inhales their kibble in 30 seconds, they have lost a chance to work for their food. Transition entirely away from bowls and use mealtime as an enrichment activity.
Licking and Chewing
Licking and chewing are self-soothing behaviors that release endorphins and dopamine in a dog’s brain. Use slow feeders, lick mats, or stuffable rubber toys. You can mix their food with plain yogurt, pumpkin, or water, stuff it into a toy, and freeze it. This turns a one-minute meal into a 30-minute calming activity that naturally lowers their arousal levels.
Scatter Feeding
For a simpler approach, take your dog’s meal to the backyard and scatter it in the grass. This forces them to use their nose to hunt for every piece of kibble. The act of sniffing involves deep breathing, which physically calms the nervous system.
Teach the “Off Switch”
Some dogs simply do not know how to stop. They remain in a state of high arousal because they believe activity is always expected. You must teach them that doing nothing is a rewardable behavior.
Capture Calmness
This is a powerful training technique where you reward your dog for relaxing without being asked. Keep a jar of treats nearby. Whenever you see your dog lie down, sigh, or rest their head on their paws of their own accord, quietly place a treat between their front paws.
Do not click a clicker or praise them enthusiastically, as this will likely excite them again. You want to reinforce the relaxation itself. Over time, your dog will start offering this behavior more frequently because they associate being calm with good things happening.
The “Place” Command
Teach your dog a solid “Place” command. This involves sending them to a specific mat, bed, or raised cot and having them stay there until released. This is not a punishment; it is a job. Their job is to stay on the the mat. This creates a physical boundary that helps them regulate their impulses. Start with short durations and gradually build up to 20 or 30 minutes while you eat dinner or watch TV.
Create a Calming Environment
Dogs are highly sensitive to their environment. If your home is chaotic, loud, or stressful, your dog will mirror that energy. Making subtle changes to your home atmosphere can significantly reduce hyperactivity.
Aromatherapy and Sound
Certain scents and sounds can naturally soothe a dog’s nervous system. Diffusing dog-safe essential oils like lavender or chamomile can help promote relaxation. Be sure the oils are diluted and never applied directly to the dog without veterinary guidance.
Similarly, sound therapy acts as a natural sedative. Studies have shown that reggae and soft classical music effectively lower stress levels in dogs. Playing “Through a Dog’s Ear” playlists or similar bioacoustic music can drown out triggering street noises and signal to your dog that it is time to sleep.
Reduce Visual Stimuli
If your dog goes crazy barking at people passing by the window, they are living in a state of constant alertness. This chronic stress manifests as hyperactivity. Block their view using translucent window film or close the blinds during peak traffic hours. Removing the visual trigger helps their cortisol levels drop, allowing them to settle down.
Consider Natural Supplements
If behavioral changes and enrichment aren’t fully resolving the issue, natural supplements can offer support. These should not replace training but can take the edge off a hyper dog’s anxiety or excitability.
Look for supplements containing ingredients like L-Theanine, tryptophan, chamomile, or valerian root. CBD oil (derived from hemp) has also gained popularity for its ability to support calm behavior without sedation. Always consult your veterinarian before introducing any new supplement to ensure it is safe for your dog’s specific health profile.
Check Your Dog’s Diet
Finally, examine what you are feeding your dog. Low-quality foods packed with carbohydrates, sugars, and artificial colorings can cause blood sugar spikes and behavioral issues, similar to a child on a sugar high.
Switching to a high-quality, high-protein diet with limited fillers can stabilize their energy levels. Ensure they are getting the right balance of nutrients, as deficiencies can sometimes manifest as restlessness or irritability. A species-appropriate diet provides steady fuel rather than erratic bursts of energy.