Many are those who claim to have hyperactive dogs. Although most actually have normal dogs, the explosion of the hyperactive dog phenomenon can be attributed to various factors:
- The popularity of breeds genetically programmed to have increased environmental alertness, vigilance, and high levels of activity (Labrador Retriever, Golden Retrievers, Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, etc.)
- Unjustifiable expectations for the dog’s behavior from owners, who have a poor understanding of its needs and behaviors,
- The buying and selling that leads to puppies ending up in the hands of unprepared owners for their training and care,
- The lack of sufficient exercise and socialization.
Hyperactivity in dogs can be defined as the behavior in which dogs exhibit frantic activity, unusually short attention spans, and high impulsivity. They may also exhibit depressive behavior.
However, what is it that differentiates a dog with normal high-energy behavior from one suffering from hyperactivity (Attention Deficit Hyper-activity Disorder, ADHD)?
Hyperactive dogs will focus very quickly on “click and reward” games. They are normally active dogs that have not learned to control their behavior – but they can, if we show them how. Truly hyperactive dogs cannot focus, even if they want to, regardless of how important or insignificant the task is.
Dogs with hyperactivity show attention deficits and a high degree of impulsivity, which makes it impossible for them to focus on a task for a long period of time. They are essentially easily distracted.
Hyperactive dogs tend to be particularly sensitive to sudden changes in the environment – e.g., with the presence of a person or animal – and obviously cannot adapt to the new stimulus. Furthermore, they seem to have an intolerance for boredom and an excessive need for novelty and variety. They do not do well with repetitive tasks (like obedience exercises), but may excel in situations that require creative solutions, like the Border Collie that often has to think for itself and make its own decisions about how to move the sheep.
Hyperactive dogs are also likely to be destructive and are often emotionally unstable. They can become almost uncontrollable and may exhibit aggression.
Causes and effects
Like so many other behaviors, hyperactivity is thought to arise from a combination of genes and environment. Of course, the high-energy breeds mentioned earlier are more prone to developing hyperactive behaviors, but a dog’s genes are just the canvas. Its personality is actually painted by life, training, and socialization experiences. Hyperactivity can be minimized or exacerbated, depending on social and environmental factors.
Enthusiastic dogs can often be identified early. They are often the puppies that constantly bite hands and will struggle against any attempt to be restrained or controlled, not just with a gentle struggle, but with violent resistance. A hyperactive puppy, if placed in a calm, structured environment, with an owner who provides it with sufficient exercise, socialization, and training, has a good chance of growing up to be a well-behaved, albeit active, companion dog. In the wrong environment, this puppy is a disaster.
Exposure to overly active and playful children is likely to fuel hyperactivity and is just one of many reasons why children and dogs should be closely supervised. As enthusiastic characters, children tend to do exactly the wrong things in response to inappropriate behaviors. Hitting, holding still, running, screaming, which are guaranteed to escalate the puppy’s level of excitement. Even a puppy with a moderate activity level can be triggered into hyperactivity in the wrong environment.
As many trainers will attest, social isolation also has a significant contribution to hyperactive behavior.
A study conducted in 1961 by Waller and Fuller found that puppies placed in semi-isolation exhibited excessive behavior in their social contacts when placed in situations with limited access to other puppies. One of the conclusions of this study is that dogs may have a biological need for a certain minimum amount of daily social stimulation and activity, and if this need is not met, a dog compensates with excessive activity when placed in a social situation.
It is likely that the minimum amount of social stimulation required varies from one dog to the next. When faced with a dog that has higher than expected social needs, some owners resort to isolating the dog in order to manage unwanted behaviors. This leads to inadequate attention, inadequate physical exercise, adding fuel to the fire and creating a vicious cycle. When the dog is released from its confinement, its behavior is worse than ever, leading to more isolation, and a further decline in behavior.
In a study published in 1999 by Dr. Jean Dodds and Linda Aronson, in collaboration with Dr. Nicholas Dodman and Jean DeNapoli of Tufts University, 634 dogs were evaluated for thyroid dysfunction as it relates to various behavioral problems. Forty-two of these dogs were identified as hyperactive. Thirty-one percent of the hyperactive dogs (13) were diagnosed with thyroid dysfunction.
Chronic lead poisoning is also a possible cause of hyperactivity in dogs. Two common sources are destructive chewing of old linoleum or surfaces painted with lead-based paints.
There is also evidence to suggest that inadequate nutrition, especially early in life, can permanently affect activity levels throughout the rest of a dog’s life. Also, a diet high in protein, or containing ingredients to which a dog is allergic, can also contribute to hyperactive behavior.
Working with high-energy dogs
Let’s assume you have determined that you have a high-energy dog, rather than a hyperactive one. This can be good news, but you will still have to work on its upbringing.
• Increase the structure of its environment. Teach it, for example, to sit in order to immediately eat, go for a walk, or get a treat.
• Increase its exercise. Isolation in the yard is not quality exercise. Go out with it. Throw sticks, balls, take it to swim and to a dog park. And add things to its exercise. For example, teach it to sit before you throw the ball, make sure it gives you the toy when you ask for it, and that it sits before you open the door to enter the park.
• Increase its socialization time. If you have been leaving it outside because it is too unruly, grit your teeth and bring it inside. Use a leash, a crate, and baby gates as needed to integrate it into the family.
• Increase its training time. If you have already trained it, continue to an advanced level or teach it tricks that will keep it occupied.
Hyperactive dogs
However, what happens in the case where the dog suffers from hyperactivity? In some cases, these dogs exhibit behaviors that are so inextricably linked to organic causes that positive training alone cannot help.
Fortunately, a high percentage of these dogs can be helped with the judicious use of medications in combination with a behavior modification program.
These dogs tend to have a very good response to the process of positive reinforcement combined with short periods of rest.
A proposed calming program is the following:
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A tired dog is a good dog. Go out with it many times a day, play with it, throw the ball for it, climb a hill with it, create obstacles that you will teach it to jump.
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Management, Management, Management. Find ways to reward its good behavior and prevent unacceptable ones. Use a leash and a crate.
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Use the clicker correctly and quickly. Once you have laid the foundation with exercise and management, start a training program in which the reward will be given extremely quickly. Remember that even a moment of calm can distance a click and reward! Your dog does not need to do anything special to get the click and the reward. It’s enough even if it doesn’t do something unacceptable like jumping on you. Most dogs understand very quickly that with the sound of the click comes a treat. When your dog’s ears perk up and its eyes light up at the sound of the click, you know you have succeeded.
The goal of clicker training is for the dog to understand that the reward comes with specific behaviors – in this case, calmness. So, you can start by giving your dog the reward simply because all four of its paws are on the floor at the same moment. The whole process should work very gradually, lengthening the time in milliseconds. If the dog starts to hop, we just wait. There will be a small pause in which we can use the clicker and start over. Each training session should be relatively short, to avoid frustration for both of you, but you can do many in a day. You will have the most success, at least initially, if you have first taken care to make sure your dog is tired. When your dog can hold on for several seconds at a time, add the verbal cue of your choice – something like “Easy” and over time, you will be able to gradually phase out the click and food and use petting and praise as a reward instead of food. Keep your voice and body language calm and relaxing.
- Every dog needs its own place. You can use a leash and a clicker to teach your dog a very useful calming exercise, called “go to your place.” Throw a treat onto its bed and say “go to your place.” When it gets there and is ready to grab the treat, click!
Repeat several times, until it goes to its spot easily, and then tether it. Sit in a chair nearby and start reading a book. If the dog is restless, ignore it. When it is quiet, click and throw it a treat.
When it is calm and goes to its bed it will be rewarded. When it is restless and leaves its spot, move away. This is “negative punishment”: its inappropriate behavior makes a good thing go away.
When it is calm on its leash for long periods of time – up to 5 or 10 minutes with occasional treats, remove the rope and continue to reward it when it lies down calmly on its bed. If the dog starts to get restless again, tether it again.
You should also practice this when you have guests. Play with it before their arrival so that it gives you its best behavior. But if the dog shows too much excitement, it must go to its spot, even tethered if necessary, and wait until it is calm for guests to be allowed to greet it. When it is calm, it can come into contact with the guests. If it gets carried away, it must be tethered once more.
Dogs do not learn to be calm by being exiled to the backyard. Dogs are social beings, and time spent in isolation causes anxiety, which often causes hyperactivity. Dogs learn to be calm by spending time with people and being rewarded for their calm behavior. Benefits can be attention, praise, petting, and yes, clicks and treats!
Editing and translation of texts: Giorgis Taxidis.
Titles and sources of original texts:
Dealing With Hyperactive Dogs, Diagnosing and (more importantly) dealing with overactive dogs. Pat Miller, WDJ’s Training Editor, is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer, and president of the Board of Directors of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She is also the author of The Power of Positive Dog Training, and the just-released book Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog. http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/6_10/features/5576-1.html
Training Your Dog to Behave Around Guests, A positive training program for promoting peaceful paws, Pat Miller, WDJ’s Training Editor, is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer, and president of the Board of Directors of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She is also the author of The Power of Positive Dog Training, and the just-released book Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog. http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/5_2/features/5429-1.html
