What to do when a puppy is overstimulated?
Doug Runte
2025-06-26 04:29:14
Count answers: 6
We have a crate but haven’t tried locking him in it yet because we are afraid he will hate it. He is in a playpen and last night we tried to ignore him until he self-settled, but he just barked as loud as he could for an entire hour. Whenever we play/exercise he gets continually worked up and then overtired to the point of no return and then turns into a biting and barking machine, running around panting (clearly exhausted) but won’t sleep. Clearly we cannot tire him out and expect him to sleep when he is pooped.
Eddie Rippin
2025-06-26 02:30:26
Count answers: 6
Decrease exposure to stimuli. The most obvious way to prevent sensory overload is to decrease the dog's exposure to sensory information. Socialization should occur in a controlled setting under close supervision, ideally with a handler for each dog. It's important to keep interactions calm and low-key since high-energy interactions can cause can intensify a dog's response and increase the likelihood of sensory overload. A simple way pet parents can reduce the chances of sensory overload is to ensure their dog gets plenty of exercise and mental stimulation throughout the day. Mental and physical stimulation help dogs relax and may make them less likely to become overstimulated when exposed to external stimuli. Many behaviorists suggest counterconditioning, a form of behavior modification, to address overstimulation in dogs. Dogs with severe reactivity or very low thresholds for external stimuli may benefit from Behavioral Adjustment Training (BAT), a more advanced behavior modification method. BAT encourages dogs to ignore sensory information that typically elicits a negative response.