Dog aggression isn’t the only problem you’ll face when you have a pit bull. These dogs are also known to be hyperactive. They have endless energy that you may not be able to catch up with them.
That said, you’re probably asking yourself when will my pit bull calm down. Or how can you train them to be less hyperactive than how they used to?
That’s what we’ll be dealing with in this article.
Why Is My Pit Bull Hyperactive?
First off, not all dogs are the same. Your pit bull might be more hyperactive than others.
But that’s because they have a higher energy level. They need to have some sort of outlet to let it all out. Unfortunately, this can be destructive.
They will play and run around the house and knock down lamps and tables. Chewing on furniture and shoes are also caused by hyperactivity. Besides the broken stuff, you may have a hard time getting them to calm down.
When Will My Pit Bull Calm Down?
Hyperactivity in pups is rather common. They’re still exploring their new surroundings. Despite being asleep most of the time, they spend their waking hours playing around.
As time goes by, most pups will learn to settle and calm down. Even energetic dogs like pit bulls will do that. By the time they reach maturity, they’ll be calmer than when they are pups.
This will be around 12 to 18 months. By this time, you’ve also likely trained them.
Training them properly will also play a big part in their growth as calm and balanced dogs. Any unruly behavior such as hyperactivity should be dealt with.
Exercising with your Dogs
The energy level is one of the main reasons why dogs are hyper; give them enough time to exercise.
It’s best to get these dogs when you have an active lifestyle yourself. You can bring them along for long walks or jogs. The more time you spend exercising with them, the more they can remain calm.
That’s because they won’t have that excess energy they need to let go.
If you can’t be as active as them, playing with them will be a good idea. You can play fetch with them or let them run around the backyard.
As much as possible, don’t keep them inside the house with nothing to do or they will get bored
You can also maximize their walks and jogs by giving them a doggie backpack. This is a safe way of helping them exercise more and getting rid of that extra energy.
You may also extend the length of each walk or take longer routes. Or you may try to walk them twice a day if that’s the only way you can give them enough exercise.
If your dog gets physically ill or in pain after prolonged exercise, ask your vet for a better choice. They will suggest a toy or a schedule that will work for your dog.
However, if you can’t physically keep up with these dogs, they may not be the best choice for you.
How to Deal with Hyperactive Pit Bulls
Some dogs remain hyperactive. That’s despite being trained well, exercising more, and turning into adult dogs.
If that’s the case, the reason why they are hyperactive may not simply be their energy level. It’s possible they do this because they want your attention.
Most of the time, we give our dogs attention when they do something wrong. Dogs don’t really know what’s good or bad. When it elicits the attention they need and want, they do it.
All the chewing and running around may be because you don’t give them enough attention. Or perhaps you’re giving them attention for the wrong things.
That said, here are a few things to help you deal with your pit bull’s hyperactivity:
Ignore their Excitement
Sure, it’s tough not to get giddy when your dog is adorably excited. But that may lead them to believe you’re excited when they jump on the table or so. Plus, you should only scold them when they do something bad.
There are too many owners who find their dogs cute when they chew the sofa. Yes, that may be the case sometimes. But one positive reaction from an otherwise bad behavior will make them do it again.
Reward the Calm Moments
Pit bulls have an eager-to-please attitude. They’ll do anything to get treats from you. You can use this to your advantage.
Reward the calm moments. For example, stand in front of them and watch their reaction. They may wag their tails, jump at you, or run around. Don’t react on these and, instead, give them a treat when they lie back or sit calmly in front of you.
Conclusion
Pit bulls are misunderstood dogs, especially when talking about their personalities. They are known as dangerous and problematic. But they are actually really sweet and gentle.
Although pit bulls have problems with hyperactivity, it’s something you can easily fix.
I have a 11 month old pitbull. I bought her when she was to Young to leave her mother and sibling’s. I did not know until it was already to late that pitbulls should not leave there mothers and sibling’s until they are older. I got my girl between 6-8 weeks. After I found out about this
I did everything I could , I watched videos I learned as much as I could about this. Well here we are at 11 months and my girl is off the hook crazy. We are faced with a delima. She’s getting aggressive towards my boyfriend and I. If we don’t play with her when she wants us to she lunges at us ,jumps on us ,growls and now she’s starting to bite at us. She is a very loving dog and very smart. I don’t want to give up on her i love her as if she’s my child. My vet put her 9n trazadone but 8t can make her really moody which defeats I the purpose. Sometime I breakdown and spank her and she snaps out if her aggressive attitude but that doesn’t help at all anymore she actually seems to get worse when I raise my voice . It’s like she’s challenging me. She thinks she’s the alpha here. I need some help desperately. I have to walk away from her a lot and go cry out of frustration. She also has a couple more issues. She loves people so much that she won’t leave ppl alone when they come over. I mean it’s bad. She won’t stay off of them and she will get the shakes if u don’t let her get next to whoever it may be. She does these spin like a alligator in the water. It’s to much for my friends and family. And last but lease she jumping our fence now to get to us when she wants to. I putting a whole new fence up right now. Do u hve any suggestions for me. I don’t want to walk away from my girl. I want to hire a good trainer to help me with her. I need to know how to teach her she’s not the boss around here and I need to know how to keep her off of us. We can’t clean the house or work in the yard because she’s constantly doing this to us. I feel bad cause when we got her we were both going to take turns walking her everyday but we both have a bad leg now but we have a yard she runs in all the time. We play fetch or just spend quality time with her . We are home 24/7. So she’s never alone. If we want to go any where we either take her along or she gets a babysitter here at the house. Plz help me . I want to be a responsible pitbull owner.
Srry so long . Thanks for reading.
Leah Villarreal
Hi Leah,
That sounds very frustrating indeed. If you have any more willpower, keep going! She is still very young, and if given the right attention and socialisation, she should become a sweet, attentive adult.
Are you trying your best to exert her energy? As I’m dog-sitting a Pit Bull at the moment, it sure does seem as though they have ENDLESS energy – as she’s 1.5 years old.
Make sure she’s being taken on either frequent or long walks. If you have a yard, try taking her out every so often to run around (play fetch, chase you/ball, etc.) You can try taking her to dog parks and or doggy daycare maybe once a week?
She should also learn that there should be quiet time. Try to create a calm atmosphere (music, soft voices, soft area for her to lay, soft petting/grooming) and reward her for good, calm behaviour.
Chew toys are great too. Although it may seem like she goes through a lot of them, hopefully this carries her into her adult years where she doesn’t need them so often.
Staying in a loving home is important for her, especially at this age! Try to see what routines you can modify to best get her energy exerted. This shouldn’t be an endless endeavour so try and hold on to hope!
Hi Leah, I have a 6 month old pit/husky mix. He does many of the things your dog does but with time and consistent positive reinforcement, he’s getting better. A 60-90 minute walk per day works wonders to keep him calmer. Also, if he’s overtired, he can be a bit crazy.. For instances like that, tethering him with his leash tied to a door handle has been extremely effective (Google search the specifics on how to do it properly). We keep him there for 1 or 2 minutes and release him afterwards. It calms him right down every time. Frozen stuffed kongs, frozen bully sticks and 15-20 minutes of formal training everyday, along with a long walk, all do the trick for us and allow us to enjoy the hyper, loveable, demanding and loyal creatures that are pits. Good luck!
I hope people responded – sounds like you really love your pup- but it’s hard. Training does help somewhat – I also think talking with other pittie owners helps too. More exercise, maybe she gets bored with the environment- since you said your home 24/7. Ours got given to us way too early- 6 weeks- maybe earlier – he can be a handful – we love him.. but it takes help
And support; sometimes I talk to the girls at the pet store, they have pits. I’m actually the grandma of The pup- he’s my daughters dog, but I help with him – I liked your idea about a good trainer – great idea / but do it sooner than later- we did it this summer and talking to the trainer was like talking to a therapist (for me- because l probably spoiled him too much …) the trainer talks were soothing – it really helped- sometimes I watch lucky Dog- that helps me too. I always struggle with setting limits – watching the show is like a parenting class. Good luck????????????????????????