How to have a calm dog

[Hyperfish101]

We got a rescue back in July who seemed to settle quite quickly, however, I think he’s really at home now and is comfortable demonstrating lots of personality traits we are not keen on.

Main issues are his mouthiness and excitability, he’s 18 months so still young but god he gets hyper when there is food being eaten or when one of us goes out or ready to walk him. Leaps about and can snap and grab at us, he clatters his teeth. I have tried getting him to sit and stay for a treat to distract but it does not often work.

I just need him to calm Tf down! I did try obedience classes but he got overexcited at all the other dogs and it was impossible to train him. He’s hard to love at the moment. 😟

Won’t even mention the lead pulling, inappropriate barking. And lunging at lorries, 🙄🙄🙄

He does get enough exercise so it’s not that, plus lots of sniffy walks etc. Would a calming spray help? What would help?

Thanks. I might get a dog DNA test!

Decided to stop when he is jumping at walk times and wait until he’s calm before leaving the house.

Sit quietly on a chair with your dog on the lead and a blanket on the floor. Drop tiny bite-size treats to your dog as a reward for settling down on the blanket. Don't say anything to your dog while doing this. Gradually reward more relaxed behaviors.

read also why dogs follow me?
susandowdy.over-blog.com/2021/07/why-do-dogs-follow-you-into-the-bathroom.html

Perhaps try him with a house lead for a while , that way leads will be the norm and not as exciting a prospect .

Ah, PUTTS.

"Paws Under The Table Syndrome"; can be a thing with rescue dogs as they start to settle in. Also look up the rescue dog 'rule of three'. You've not had him long.

As others have said, to calm him be calm yourself (or yourselves). Most dogs get excited about going out for a walk, it's just a question of degree.

I'd go back to training classes and ask for some help around impulse control. He will get used to being around the other dogs there and really needs the basic life skills. Nobody will be judgey. It might feel chaotic at first but you'd be surprised how much they take in even when it seems unlikely they're learning anything. Try a club which teaches the KC Good Citizen syllabus as that's aimed at 'real life' skills and generally being a nice dog to live with.

If it's possible for someone to wrangle the kids and get them ready while you wrangle the dog that will make life easier while you're getting the training going.

Then, work separately (i.e. not when you're about to go somewhere) on teaching a calm behaviour (sit, down, settle - something where he is still) and once that's solid you can show him the difference between the behaviour you don't want - all the whizzing about and teeth clacking - by telling him 'no' and then asking him to do the thing you do want and rewarding that. Keep a short house line on him so you can lead him away from doorways or from herding the kids. Try to keep to as few commands as possible so that he listens and there's not a level of conversation, which just becomes white noise. It's important to have a positive action you can reward, too, so it's not a stream of constant 'Nonono'-ing. So, if he's being pesky, say 'Ah-ah' or 'Whoops' in a matter-of-fact way, steer him with your house line out of the situation then immediately ask for a sit, down, or whatever his calm thing is. When he does it, immediately tell him how great he is and reward him. He'll soon grasp what's wanted.

Most of the Rommies I meet are smart dogs and most seem to have at least one herding breed somewhere in the mix which tends to make them amenable to training once you get a handle on their energy.