How to Help Dogs With High Energy and Anxiety

Exercise and training help high-energy, anxious dogs.

Most dogs were bred for a job, such as herding, guarding, hunting or retrieving. Few dogs today live on farms or get to do the jobs they were bred to do. A working collie can happily spend all day managing a flock of sheep or herd of cows; a pet collie without a job has few outlets for high energy. Dogs are also primarily pack animals, so they may develop separation anxiety when left alone all day long. Training and exercise can help high-energy, anxious dogs.

Things You'll Need

• Dog toys
• Dog chews
• Crate

Instructions

1. Exercise your dog daily. Take him for walks or runs, and put a backpack on him to give him a sense of purpose. Enroll the dog in a pet daycare facility--even once a week will help wear him out and boost his confidence. Arrange "play dates" with a friend or neighbor's dog.

2. Combine training with play to help teach the dog self control. To help the dog feel like she is doing a job, make her sit before you throw her a ball, or teach her how to jump over low obstacles or do simple tricks such as shake hands and roll over.

3. Give your dog long-lasting chews or interactive toys when you leave the house. Most pet stores sell a variety of toys that can be stuffed with treats. Giving these types of toys to your dog will give him a time-consuming challenge as he seeks to remove the treat.

4. Offer agility training opportunities for your dog. Many training facilities have herding, obedience, agility or flyball classes that provide an outlet for the dog's energy and an atmosphere for socializing with other dogs.

5. Crate train your dog. Dogs who become destructive (either because of boredom or anxiety) when you leave should be contained not only to protect your belongings but to keep them safe from chewing inappropriate objects. Don't over-use a crate, but do use it if your dog can't be safely left unsupervised.

6. Make leaving and coming home very low-key. Dogs who become anxious, destructive or noisy when left alone are easily overstimulated by arrivals and departures. Calmly hand your dog a chew toy or scatter some kibble on the floor or in the crate just before you leave, and walk out without a fuss.

7. Talk to your veterinarian if your dog's hyperactivity or destructiveness doesn't improve with increased exercise and training. Make sure there's no medical cause, and ask about anxiety medications if the dog's behavior is extreme. Medication combined with behavioral modification exercises can be effective for highly anxious dogs.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient. Dogs may take several years to fully mature and calm down. If you train your dog and provide her with outlets for her enthusiasm, she'll mature into a well-behaved pet.

• Don't comfort or soothe your dog if he's acting anxious, because this simply reinforces his perception that his anxiety is justified. Either ignore the behavior or divert his attention to a game or a walk.

• Never punish your dog for being destructive or making a mess when you leave. He isn't doing this out of spite; he's doing it because he's anxious. If you walk in and become angry, you'll make the problem worse, because he'll become even more anxious about your homecoming.

References

• Dog Owner's Guide: Give that dog a job to keep him happy
• Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue: Separation Anxiety
• Dog Owner's Guide: High Energy Dogs!