So here's a question Is your dog actually high energy or did we accidentally train them to be high energy? Let's sit with that for a second, because it's one of those sneaky truths that hides in plain sight. You get a young, energetic dog, maybe a herding breed, maybe a mix, and of course they're curious, they're alert, a little bouncy. So you do what you're supposed to do. You give them walks, games, toys, training, stimulation. You want to be a good dog owner, and you are. You want to be a good dog owner, and you are. But little by little your dog starts to expect action, constantly and without meaning to. You built a pattern. They bark, you throw a toy, they jump up and down at the door, you grab the leash, they spin in circles, you laugh and engage. Even their wildest zoomies sometimes earn them a treat just for being cute. And now, what was once a regular dog with regular energy is now always on, or at least it seems that way. But here's the thing Most dogs aren't born needing non-stop entertainment. They're just really good at learning what works. And if Wild and Wiggly gets the good stuff attention, freedom, treats, fun then they'll keep doing it. Then they'll keep doing it, because dogs repeat what's been reinforced. So maybe the dog isn't hyper, maybe we've just created a schedule where calm never gets noticed and busy always gets rewarded. Now, this doesn't mean your dog's energy level is your fault. Dogs are individuals and some truly are more wired than others, but quite often we amplify it.

And let me give you a quick example. I had a client once who described her dog as a total maniac. He could never just calm down on his own. So when I asked what a normal day looked like, it went something like this Doggy daycare five days a week FYI, that's too much. Fetch after work, fetch before bed, weekend jogs with the owner and more fetch, that's a lot, even for a working breed. And what was missing? Any time where the dog is allowed and expected to just be to chill, to nap, to practice doing nothing.

Here's the shift. Instead of only rewarding energy, start rewarding calm. Catch your dog lying down on their own bed Quietly, drop a treat between their paws, see them pause during play, offer praise and take a break. Stop tossing a toy every time they bark. Wait for a moment of stillness, then reward. It doesn't take long. Dogs catch on fast. You're not punishing energy, we're just expanding the vocabulary, telling them that, hey, stillness and calm is valuable too. And over time, your dog learns that it's not their job to be a full-time entertainer. They don't have to be constantly on, they can rest, they can settle, they can relax, because maybe they were never truly hyper, maybe they were just trying to meet the job description that we accidentally gave them.