What calms your dogs?

Slightlyconfused

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So Collie Pup was having a worried/hyper hour this morning so we are now watching the dvd of Take That Circus concert in Wembley and he is calm and relaxed on the sofa next to me.

This always settles him when weather is bad and freaking him out or he is just being a little hyper.

anyone else have dogs like this?
 

noodle_

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nope. mine sleep regardless :D the youngest has just turned one and quite happy to snuggle up next to his mum (moi)!... anytime - even when he's hyped up - hes a good puppy :)
 

Slightlyconfused

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So only I have the weird animals then:eek:

if I exercise him in his hyper mood he is even worse and switches off. so have to get him back to being calm pup before we can go out:rolleyes::cool: its getting less and less as he is getting older but I have noticed he doesn't do well when the weather changes all of a sudden as it has done from hot and dry to cold and rain. I think it screws his senses up.

Big collie was like this for a while and he hates storms even if there is no thunder so we have to make him a dark tent area and keep tv on so he can hide but still knows someone is there even if its just the tv.
 

Cinnamontoast

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Food and going out then doing kung fu moves on each other in the garden for a couple of hours! They like to play hide and seek behind the conifers, too. :)
 

PolarSkye

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So only I have the weird animals then:eek:

if I exercise him in his hyper mood he is even worse and switches off. so have to get him back to being calm pup before we can go out:rolleyes::cool: its getting less and less as he is getting older but I have noticed he doesn't do well when the weather changes all of a sudden as it has done from hot and dry to cold and rain. I think it screws his senses up.

Big collie was like this for a while and he hates storms even if there is no thunder so we have to make him a dark tent area and keep tv on so he can hide but still knows someone is there even if its just the tv.

No, not just you :). We have two collie crosses - one is so laid back she is horizontal and the other is a neurotic, nervy boy who doesn't respond well to sudden weather changes (HATES rain). The only thing that calms him is to put him in his "hole" . . . it's a tiny space between the sofa, the living room door and the magazine rack - he curls up tight in there, shuts his eyes, sighs (and has a little grumble) and calms himself down. Very occasionally, he curls up next to me on the sofa, but not for long - he seems to like the physical boundaries of his "hole."

P
 

Slightlyconfused

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No, not just you :). We have two collie crosses - one is so laid back she is horizontal and the other is a neurotic, nervy boy who doesn't respond well to sudden weather changes (HATES rain). The only thing that calms him is to put him in his "hole" . . . it's a tiny space between the sofa, the living room door and the magazine rack - he curls up tight in there, shuts his eyes, sighs (and has a little grumble) and calms himself down. Very occasionally, he curls up next to me on the sofa, but not for long - he seems to like the physical boundaries of his "hole."

P

bless him.

they are special dogs aren't they......we are half way through the dvd and pup is fast asleep:)
 

moppett

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i would always say exercise but you're right, when theyre really hyped up the best i can do is drive to the middle of nowhere and say goodbye to them until they have run some of the energy off as i'd be ignored totally!

otherwise it is a massive raw bone (the chewing and gnawing definitely is soothing), crate, and one of them never looks happier though than being able to have a snooze with me on my bed - all energy disappears and hes out like a light. the other nervy one is best ignored and will creep up to OH when he is playing PS3 and curl up beside him.
 

CorvusCorax

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Some dogs will load off exercise and be stimulated by it - chewing is a calming thing for a dog - hence why stressy dogs will chew furniture/whatever when owner goes out.

I don't always like to do it (dummy in mouth syndrome) but it depends on the dog.
 

Slightlyconfused

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I always put out fresh bones when I go out if weather is iffy, I know apart from the Take That DVD that is the other thing that calms him.

Pup is now chilled so will go do training for a bit with him before we go up yard for a run :)
 

Nikki J

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The OP posed the question "what calms YOUR dogs?". I have answered the question truthfully!! The very worst thing I could do to my dogs to calm them would be to shut them away ... this would stress them out unbelievably, to the point where Tai would start slicing doors, frames with his claws and Ben would howl!

However, after a knackering walk ... THEN they will lie calmly in the porch on their beds until they have dried off and their feet are no longer muddy.
 

FinnishLapphund

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The most important thing that calms my bitches is:

If I remember to stop and listen to what the tone of my voice is actually saying to them, instead of being stuck on the words that I'm saying.

And if I remember to stop and think about what my body language is actually saying to them, instead of being stuck on that they should do as they're told to do.

Because if I say CALM DOWN! with a body language saying , then the tone in my voice is most likely actually telling them AAARGH! together with a body language telling them = how the heck are they supposed to understand that CALM DOWN! means

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So I've learned that if I remember to be calm and say things with a calm tone in my voice when I want them to be calm, I will at least know that I doesn't add any more fuel to any hyper feelings that they might have.

Besides that, the other things that I could come and think of that I also might try is: massage, gnaw bones, using some of my Nina Ottosson "brain training" toys (e.g. Dog Tornado Wood), wait training (either laying down or sitting) or take a little bit longer walk than usual.

:)
 

PolarSkye

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The OP posed the question "what calms YOUR dogs?". I have answered the question truthfully!! The very worst thing I could do to my dogs to calm them would be to shut them away ... this would stress them out unbelievably, to the point where Tai would start slicing doors, frames with his claws and Ben would howl!

However, after a knackering walk ... THEN they will lie calmly in the porch on their beds until they have dried off and their feet are no longer muddy.

Agree . . . if Fred is stressed, no amount of exercise will sort him, but neither will shutting him away . . . he is stressed because he is frightened, not because he is under-exercised . . . being in the same room as us but in a safe, confined space is what works for him . . . wouldn't necessarily work for every dog, though.

P
 

Nickijem

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A real fire. As soon as my mad springers go into a room with an open fire, they will calm down and curl up in front of it.
 

Bosworth

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If I just say to them 'that will do' they stop what they are doing and lie down, then curl up and go to sleep :) But then I have a horizontal bedlington and a horizontal whippet, who are so easy and calm they never go hyper
 

leflynn

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A pigs ear or a cuddle, Boots is easily pleased. The only exception is whe he is tearing the garden up doing zoomies - then there is no chance of stopping him or calming him down!!!
 

Nikki J

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If I just say to them 'that will do' they stop what they are doing and lie down, then curl up and go to sleep :) But then I have a horizontal bedlington and a horizontal whippet, who are so easy and calm they never go hyper

Oh that reminds me of the film Babe. Farmer Hoggett saying "that'll do Pig!"

I LOVE that film!
 

Adopter

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My border collie was very hyper today between planes overhead and clay shootandng both noises that send him into frantic running round garden till he can hardly breathe.
It took him half an hour to get back to normal tonight. I try to avoid this but if something sets him off he is very difficult to distract and get back inside!
 
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