How to teach a high energy dog to settle
You must actively teach and enforce a "place" command, because high-energy puppies do not naturally know how to stop and chill. Even when completely worn out from daily activities, they will use any free time to crave attention by barking, biting, and chewing furniture. This relentless hyperactivity ruins the bond at home and leaves owners beyond frustrated and ready to give up.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- This comes up 24.3× more often in r/dogs than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Teaching and enforcing a mandatory 'place' command for structured downtimeDid this help you?
- 2Trading high-value treats like chicken when retrieving guarded objectsDid this help you?
- 3Using snuffle mats, food puzzles, and treat-dispensing balls to provide mental stimulationDid this help you?
- 4Following structured relaxation training programs like Suzanne Clothier's or Karen Overall's protocolsDid this help you?
- 5Enforcing scheduled naps in the crate (e.g., 2 hours in crate for every 1-2 hours awake)Did this help you?
- 6Tether training or putting the puppy on a leash held down at your feetDid this help you?
- 7Using frozen licking toys like the Woof Pupsicle or frozen Kongs filled with pumpkin, yogurt, and peanut butterDid this help you?
- 8Providing teething rings and frozen whole carrots to soothe mouth painDid this help you?
- 9Darkening the room with blinds/sheets and playing calm dog music during napsDid this help you?
- 10Mental enrichment and puzzle toys to tire out their mindDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Around 5 months old I was ready to give up also.”source ↗
“She was so chill as a young pup but in the past month she has become an absolute maniac in the worst possible way.”source ↗
“when we’re just in the living room she never sits still. EVER.”source ↗
“it feels like since she’s turned 5 months our bond is gone at home and all she wants to do is run around and not listen to anything.”source ↗
“I just cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel right now.”source ↗
“My boy is 5 months in two weeks. And he's in the thick of teething... After so many weeks he got "crazy biting moments" at evening, he has hard time to settle for night, he really needs to chew and he wakes up often during the night.”source ↗
“I went through this for a a couple months and I was beyond frustrated, just like you are. Daisy had intense energy and was super mouthy and a wild woman.”source ↗
“I find she gets bored very easily and although I expected this from such a smart and hardworking breed, it is worse than I thought.”source ↗
“The thing is, we have a lot of activities every day, but as soon as she has any free time, she starts to crave attention, barking, bringing us toys, chewing furniture etc.”source ↗
“Our Border Collie/ Aussie mix was a little monster at 8 months. Even when she was absolutely worn out she didn't know how to stop and just...chill.”source ↗
“one thing that saved my sanity with a similar high-energy monster was teaching a "place" command and actually enforcing it.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 9How to handle a dog with intense guarding instincts
- 34How to mentally tire out a high energy dog
- 2Should I keep taking my friendly-reactive dog to group classes?
- 8Why is my puppy suddenly barking at every dog and person?
- 9How to handle a hyperaroused rescue puppy with kids
- 7Why does my dog police my bedtime?