How to Train Energetic Dogs

Dogs love to bark, run and jump. With an excitable dog, however, these activities are unmanageable, making learning even the simplest obedience skills difficult. Many excitable dogs end up in shelters, or worse. Chronic agitation can indicate an underlying medical condition, so consult a veterinarian to rule out disease before beginning basic obedience training. Teaching an excitable dog to calm down and stay in one place should be the foundation of a training program aimed at building a positive connection between you and your dog, as well as teach manners.

Things You'll Need

  • Clicker
  • Treats
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Instructions

  1. Increase Your Dog's Attention

    • 1

      Give your dog a brisk walk or play with it for about 15 minutes to drain some of its energy. Bring your dog to a small, quiet area of your home that has no distractions. A room without kids, toys or other dogs is ideal. Hold the clicker in your dominant hand and small high-value treats like boiled chicken or liver bits in the other hand.

    • 2

      Stand close to your dog, about 1 to 2 feet away. Say your dog's name once to grab its attention. Do not repeat. If your dog looks at you, press the clicker tab to emit the sound so it coincides with its attention. Stand in place. Bring the treat all the way to your dog's nose (don't dangle it in front of it) within a few seconds of clicking. Repeat your dog's name and click and reward each time your dog makes eye contact or demonstrates interest in you.

    • 3

      Make all of your movements slow and speak in a low, calm tone. Sit on the floor next to your dog. Continue to build your dog's interest in you by saying its name once, clicking for attention and rewarding immediately. Repeat this exercise several times until your dog shows immediate attention when you say its name.

    • 4

      Practice a few attention exercises in a quiet area of the house. Now that your dog maintains more interest in you rather than moving around the room, increase the training challenge by teaching your dog to stay in place.

    Train Your Dog to Stay

    • 5

      Stand within 2 feet of your dog, or sit next to it on the floor. Tell your dog to sit. Click and reward with a small treat the instant its rear end hits the floor. Make soft, warm eye contact, unless eye contact triggers a fearful response. In that case, gaze just above your dog's eyes.

    • 6

      Say "Stay." Wait for a count of one second. Click and reward if your dog holds its sit. Repeat one-second stays, five times in a row. When your dog can stay for one second, increase the duration in one-second increments until your dog stays for five seconds. Stay within 2 feet of your dog.

    • 7

      Add time to your dog's stay. Once your dog can stay in place for five seconds, increase the length of its stay. Delay the click and reward to build duration. Say "Stay," wait five seconds, then click and reward. Repeat "Stay," only this time wait six to eight seconds before rewarding. If at any time your dog moves out of place, or becomes agitated, start over. Lower your expectation by reducing the amount of time the dog must hold its position before clicking and rewarding.