My spoiled dog is bored and driving us mad!

[NotJustACigar]

She gets at least two walks a day, one of which is over an hour long and involves running around free on the beach or playing with other dogs in the park. She has tons of toys, she gets nice things to chew on like yak sticks, we play ball with her or tug several times a day, she gets to go out in the garden whenever she wants, she gets tons of cuddles, I am almost always with her....but it's not enough! She paces the floor for ages, bangs at the door, growls at me, whines....wanting to go out for another walk or to play in the park or to be given human food, or just for something magnificent and wonderful to happen to her...but I'm exhausted! My life cannot revolve around her anymore than it already does.
She also has issues around food...always wanting treats and pestering us and everyone else she comes across. In the dog park whenever someone is giving them out she is always first in the queue for treats and tries to get them all for herself without letting the other dogs get a look in!
Any suggestions please? She is 18 months and a mixed breed who was rescued from Romania when she was 3 months. Will she settle down a bit more? Please tell me she will!!!!

The constant pushing for food and treats could very well be related to her life before. If she was hungry all the time and had to struggle for every bit of food then obviously food will be massively important to her.

Stop giving her human food when she asks. She needs her food that's all.

Stop responding to her every request. She doesn't need to be let out or walked every time she asks.

She needs to learn to self settle and be calm. She doesn't need to be permanently stimulated and 'on the go'.

Too much stimulation can lead to a dog that doesn't know how to relax.

She needs a routine where she's exercised early in the day (so that she has nothing to niggle you about) and then has periods of down time where it becomes quite clear to her that she's not your priority.
She can't get to dictate the way the day goes; that's stressful and unsettling for her and very irritating for you.

I would send her to doggy day care a couple of times a week to tire her out and give you a break. One of the types where they have lots of other dogs and fields and games and just have a total party all day.

She sounds overstimulated. I would look into rewarding calm/quiet times and behaviour. and teaching Plus an article on teaching your dog to do nothing.

She sounds hugely overstimulated and wired up to me.

What downtime does she get and how much sleep is she getting through the day?

She sounds massively over stimulated.

The links another poster included from YouTube are a good place to start, but effectively you'll need to teach her to settle and ignore demands.

She might be physically tired, but not mentally. Do you spend time training with her in short bursts? Is she using her brain to work out puzzle toys? Is she learning new tricks?

Do you treat for the sake of treating, like you getting a biscuit from the biscuit tin, or do you make her work for them, and give them in response to work? Perhaps keep yak chews/pigs ears for “in bed” toys- ie, she only has them if she’s settled and “in your bed” Take them
Off her, put her back in bed, and re give. Repeat.

Thank you, I think you're all completely correct, she's overstimulated. When I was away for two weeks my husband says her behaviour was much better- probably because he just ignored her when she's acting up whereas I feel sorry for her if she seems bored so try to do something to entertain her. I've realised that's the problem - I'm rewarding the behaviours I don't want which is totally daft! Thank you, I will look at the links and suggestions in detail and try them out.

Your husband has the right idea

Dogs need to learn to settle alone - it's actually really important. It's not healthy for them to be wired and on the go constantly, and given constant attention.

Have you ever taught her to settle while you get on with things? So if you're doing housework or something, is she happy to just sleep or sit on the sofa and watch you, or does she have to follow you constantly?

I would work on leaving her on her own in a room - use a babygate so she can see and hear you but can't access you. At first she will bark and whine and pace but just ignore her. When she's quiet for a couple of seconds, give her lots of praise.

Reward all the good things, even if they only last a second or two, and ignore the bad. I know it's hard when they whine and pace but if you reward by telling them off (all attention is good attention!) they have no reason to ever stop the behaviour.

My DH wfh and I do sometimes too and thus we have no choice really but to ignore DDog at times. Once he is walked, toileted, fed, has water and a comfy place to lay then all his needs are met and I have no issue with ignoring him if he is barking or whining for attention. Once we do that he usually lets out a big huffy sigh and lies down for a sleep.
We found he is worse when the kids are off school/ at weekends when we are all around and we have to make a conscious effort to ignore him or he gets hyped up and overstimulated and starts jumping, mouthing and chewing stuff up.
I have tried to reward the lying down calmly as in those videos but failed a bit over Christmas. I shall go back to it now as it makes a lot of sense. I have also seen something suggested to take 50 pieces of kibble out of their dinner and give it every time you catch them doing a behaviour you like eg lying calmly. That strikes me as a good idea too.