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Original poster

Hyper dog at the start of every walk - how the hell do I calm him down?

55 replies

SirChenjins · 18/08/2022 22:16

It’s like he’s never taken on a walk…he’s 11 months, so still young yet, but as soon as lunch and dinner are finished he works himself into a frenzy, knowing that’s the cue for his walks. I’ve tried doing some brain games beforehand to try and calm him down, but it’s no good, he’s ‘in the zone’, and have tried turning and going home when he’s worked up but that just prolongs the hyperactivity. The first 15 minutes of the walk are a nightmare - he barks at everything, sniffs manically at every blade of grass, and can’t be let off lead (as we’ve discovered). Any ideas how I can calm him down before we leave? He settles down as the walk progresses.

OP posts:
Sweetlikechocolate6 · 18/08/2022 22:18

No help but following as mine is similar

whereamu · 18/08/2022 22:19

Maybe mix up the times of the walk?
Have you watched the tv show Dogs Behaving Badly with Graeme Hall? May be a similar dog on there that you could learn from?
It's always the owners fault Grin

Original poster
SirChenjins · 18/08/2022 22:24

We both work hybridly and alternate our days, so we’re limited to lunchtime and after dinner through the week. We are more flexible at weekends but he’s always the same, doesn’t seem to matter what time we go.

Yes, I’ve watched Dogs Behaving Badly and fully accept it’s our fault - but we’ve no idea what we’re doing wrong!! 😂

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Pegsmum · 18/08/2022 22:29

I’d try and mix up the timings of the walks, so he doesn’t get into too much of a routine and doesn’t associate mealtimes with walks. Could you can take him by surprise and sometimes put him in the car and drive him somewhere for a walk? Maybe the brain training games before walks are actually heightening his senses and winding him up? He is still quite young and heading for his adolescent stage so hopefully he may settle down as he gets a bit older…good luck!

Original poster
SirChenjins · 18/08/2022 22:34

Tried taking him in the car to places - it’s the same when get there. He’s practically turning somersaults and doing a high speed tap dance whilst barking at everything that moves for the first portion of the walk. It’s mortifying.

Anyone want a cockapoo?!

OP posts:
mountainsunsets · 18/08/2022 22:39

Definitely no set walk times - if a dog expects to be walked after meals or as soon as they wake up, it will show in their behaviour, especially when they're young.

Have you done any "capture the calm" training with him?

Personally my dog isn't allowed out on a walk until he's calm. When he was young, if he played up at any point while getting ready for a walk, we sat down and didn't carry on getting ready to take him until he was calm. I'd do the same on walks too. Calm calm calm.

Original poster
SirChenjins · 18/08/2022 22:49

Honestly, we’ve tried to calm him by rewarding when he’s calm and settled but as soon as the harness and lead come out and he gets a sniff of a walk it’s like it’s too late - we could be there for hours while he’s working himself into a frenzy to the point he shakes. It’s more a case of how to calm him when he’s in that zone iykwim?

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TheLeadbetterLife · 18/08/2022 22:52

When our dog was young he was a bit like this on walks, and would zoom around the park like a mad thing. We found that doing ten to fifteen minutes of obedience training exercises at the start made him much calmer and more responsive.

MsAdoraBelleDearheartVonLipwig · 18/08/2022 23:39

You’ll have to be there for hours then. Seriously. If he’s that worked up there’s no quick fix. Lead put straight back in the drawer the second he goes nuts. Wait till he’s calm then try again. And repeat ad infinitum. He has to learn to associate the consequence of the lead going away with his own behaviour. By continuing with the walk you are rewarding the behaviour and he thinks it’s ok to behave like that. As harsh as it sounds you are reinforcing the behaviour by giving him what he wants and expects. I know it sounds daunting, I’ve been there. It has to be instant though, he has to see the lead disappear the moment he starts playing up. Then he will start to realise that he gets what he wants when he’s calm.

Underscore21 · 18/08/2022 23:43

No help really but I think it's a young cockapoo thing and hopefully he'll grow up and out of it.

Brokenfurnitureandroses · 18/08/2022 23:45

SirChenjins · 18/08/2022 22:34

Tried taking him in the car to places - it’s the same when get there. He’s practically turning somersaults and doing a high speed tap dance whilst barking at everything that moves for the first portion of the walk. It’s mortifying.

Anyone want a cockapoo?!

So funny, gave me a laugh picturing a tap dancing dog! My dog is the same BTW, goes nuts at the start of a walk, then calms a bit.

TheOnlyBeeInYourBonnet · 18/08/2022 23:50

MsAdoraBelleDearheartVonLipwig · 18/08/2022 23:39

You’ll have to be there for hours then. Seriously. If he’s that worked up there’s no quick fix. Lead put straight back in the drawer the second he goes nuts. Wait till he’s calm then try again. And repeat ad infinitum. He has to learn to associate the consequence of the lead going away with his own behaviour. By continuing with the walk you are rewarding the behaviour and he thinks it’s ok to behave like that. As harsh as it sounds you are reinforcing the behaviour by giving him what he wants and expects. I know it sounds daunting, I’ve been there. It has to be instant though, he has to see the lead disappear the moment he starts playing up. Then he will start to realise that he gets what he wants when he’s calm.

This is it really. Combined with lots of praise whenever he's calm.

You've unwittingly caused this problem with the very predictable routine.

SpicyMargs · 18/08/2022 23:55

That'll be the cocker in him! 😂

Like others have said, no set walk times. By walking him when he's like that, you're rewarding that behaviour. It's pain staking but you need to stop as soon as he starts. Make him sit until he's calm, no calm = no walking. You just have to be consistent with it.

NoSquirrels · 19/08/2022 01:22

It’s more a case of how to calm him when he’s in that zone iykwim?

Unfortunately, most trainers worth their salt will tell you the best strategies are to prevent the behaviour, rather than manage or control the behaviour.

That means not letting him get into the state in the first place, so boringly it does come back to changing your behaviour (no fixed routine) and doing as PPs say - lead back in the cupboard etc.

If he is playing up for the first 10 minutes of a walk then you need to do the same boring things too- sit, focus, don’t go any further steps, go home/back in the car if he won’t get with the programme!

It’s very dull. That’s the problem.

Original poster
SirChenjins · 19/08/2022 06:19

Thanks everyone 😊 I am limited to lunchtime walks through the week because of work but I can certainly vary the evening walk, and will try the obedience training before we go and/or turning back. Hopefully he will settle down in time, his parents were both calm whenever we met them (we know their owner, it’s one of DH’s friends) - he’s great fun but oh my word, that cocker gene is strong in him!

OP posts:
rose69 · 19/08/2022 06:56

He needs a walk in the morning

Original poster
SirChenjins · 19/08/2022 07:00

He’s a late waker and until I get this barking and hyperactivity under control I can’t inflict that on the neighbours at 6am. He’ll get a mid morning walk if needed, has free run of the garden and I do brain games to break up both of our mornings.

OP posts:
Newuser82 · 19/08/2022 07:12

mountainsunsets · 18/08/2022 22:39

Definitely no set walk times - if a dog expects to be walked after meals or as soon as they wake up, it will show in their behaviour, especially when they're young.

Have you done any "capture the calm" training with him?

Personally my dog isn't allowed out on a walk until he's calm. When he was young, if he played up at any point while getting ready for a walk, we sat down and didn't carry on getting ready to take him until he was calm. I'd do the same on walks too. Calm calm calm.

Yes, I'd do this too. As soon as the dog starts getting excited in the house just sit down and ignore him. When he is calm like up the lead and try again. If you go out the house and he starts getting hyped up come back in and sit down and wait, or else stand still on the walk until he is calm. It may take a long time but if you are consistent it will work.

bevelino · 19/08/2022 07:18

We have a cocker, who is an old girl now and she has calmed down with age but still goes absolutely bonkers when she sees her lead. The only way we can get her to calm down before a walk is to put the lead away until she calms down and repeat.

It is the same with food, she is a greedy little thief and we have had to put a lot of work in to stop her going crackers when there is food around.

RedHelenB · 19/08/2022 07:22

SirChenjins · 18/08/2022 22:49

Honestly, we’ve tried to calm him by rewarding when he’s calm and settled but as soon as the harness and lead come out and he gets a sniff of a walk it’s like it’s too late - we could be there for hours while he’s working himself into a frenzy to the point he shakes. It’s more a case of how to calm him when he’s in that zone iykwim?

Mine was the same, walks are his highlight of the day. He did calm as he got older, he used to run around so much in excitement you couldn't even get his lead on. He never has set walk times though.

mountainsunsets · 19/08/2022 07:35

SirChenjins · 18/08/2022 22:49

Honestly, we’ve tried to calm him by rewarding when he’s calm and settled but as soon as the harness and lead come out and he gets a sniff of a walk it’s like it’s too late - we could be there for hours while he’s working himself into a frenzy to the point he shakes. It’s more a case of how to calm him when he’s in that zone iykwim?

Unfortunately the solution is to be there for hours, then. If you keep rewarding the behaviour, you're never going to see an improvement.

You could also try desensitisation - so get his harness and lead out at random points through the day, then put them away again, so he stops associating them with going for a walk.

I really do think he needs a morning walk though - expecting an energetic dog to wait until lunchtime is a bit unrealistic and won't be helping his behaviour.

Original poster
SirChenjins · 19/08/2022 07:59

I'll have a think about a morning walk....he's actually very calm in the morning, he'll have his breakfast, a sniff about and run around outside, will nosey about as everyone is getting ready at various times, and then goes back to his rug and will lie snoozing until around 10/10.30 which is when we'll play brain games, do a snack hunt for him, so some basic scent work, that kind of thing - then he'll have another nap until around 12.30/1 when he has his walk. My concern is if I add in a morning walk at a time when he's actually very calm then he'll start associating waking up with a walk and the barking and hyperactivity will start early and disrupt the neighbourhood at stupid o'clock. I think I need to get him calm for walks before I do that. Weekends are different, we walk him at different times then, but it's exactly the same.

@RedHelenB he does that too - even getting the lead on takes ages because we have to stop each time he starts jumping about and wait until he's calm enough to have his collar and harness on.

OP posts:
EdithStourton · 19/08/2022 08:04

I have a very excitable young dog who gets hysterically overjoyed the second we prepare for a walk. I get her to sit and refuse to carry on getting ready until she stops leaping about and yapping. It's helped - and it would help more if DH got with the programme!

She also has to sit and wait as I open the door.

One thing I've learned from bringing up a series of dogs is that some are just harder work than others, so don't beat yourself up about it. Our older dog had wonderful focus from an early age. This youngster... Don't even ask!

mountainsunsets · 19/08/2022 08:11

I suspect part of the reason he's probably so hyper at lunchtime is because he's slept all night plus most of the morning. Most young dogs would be climbing the walls if they'd been cooped up at home with no walk until midday or later.

Original poster
SirChenjins · 19/08/2022 08:16

One thing I've learned from bringing up a series of dogs is that some are just harder work than others, so don't beat yourself up about it

Thank you so much for these kind words....honestly, you don't know how lovely it is to hear them Smile. It really does feel a bit overwhelming at times - I feel like I was with DC1 when everyone else seemed to have calm, well behaved babies and toddlers and mine was....not.

We do all the things (I think/hope) you're meant to do - puppy classes when he was little, a weekly dog walker, walks with other dog owners for socialisation, a regular breed meet up night, we had a very experienced and much recommended behaviourist for a 1:1, we do brain games with him, he gets a good diet, plenty of exercise and mental stimulation and he's just so excited whenever we go on walks - they are his absolute favourite thing in the whole world. If we happen to see another cockapoo on our walks it's just THE BEST THING EVER!!!!!

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