Is Your Dog Hyperactive, Or Are They Just Overtired?
Why sleep, fulfilment and behaviour are all tied together...
Something we are seeing a lot of at the moment is owners coming to us with dogs who are barking at every wee noise, pulling like mad on the lead, stealing things around the house, following them from room to room and generally acting like they have absolutely no off switch.
I completely understand why people look at that and think, “My dog is hyperactive,” or “they’re just being naughty,” because from the outside, that is exactly what it can look like, but a lot of the time, the dog is not being bad. They are overtired, overstimulated, under-fulfilled and absolutely wired.
They are not getting enough of the right outlets in their day, so they never properly settle. Then because they are not settling, they are not sleeping well. Then because they are not sleeping well, their behaviour starts getting worse, then it becomes a bit of a cycle.
A lack of outlets can affect sleep, a lot of people think that if a dog is tired, they will just go to sleep. Some dogs will, but plenty dogs won’t.
Especially young dogs, working breeds, anxious dogs, sensitive dogs, or dogs who have never really been taught how to switch off.
Instead of taking themselves away for a proper sleep, they get fidgety, pace about, bark at noises, follow you every time you move. They start picking things up they shouldn’t have and they struggle to listen because their brain is just not in a place where they can think clearly.
That is why we always want to look at the dog’s full routine, not just the behaviour that is annoying you in that moment.
The way I see it, is if a dog has had no real fulfilment, no proper outlet, no sniffing, no training, no play, no structure and no way to use their brain or body properly, it makes sense that they are unsettled.
Sleep matters, but it is not always the starting point
Sleep is a massive part of behaviour, a dog who is not getting enough good quality rest is going to find things harder and they will usually be more reactive, more impulsive, more easily frustrated and less able to make good decisions. But for a lot of dogs, the reason they are not sleeping well is because their needs are not being met properly when they are awake.
And no, I don't mean just walking them for hours on end, for some dogs, that just creates a fitter dog who still has no off switch! It is about giving them the right kind of outlet.
A lot of the time, appropriate exercise and fulfilment helps skim off that top level of anxiety, frustration or arousal that the dog is carrying around with them. It gives their body somewhere to put that energy, it gives their brain something to work through, and it makes rest feel much more possible afterwards.
Because when a dog has had no real outlet, asking them to just go and lie down can be really hard. Their body might be tired, but their brain is still looking for something to do, and that is when you see the pacing, barking, stealing, mouthing, following and general restless behaviour.
When we meet that need properly, even in a simple way, we often take the edge off. The dog can breathe a bit, their nervous system can come down a level, and sleep is not something we are forcing, it is something they are actually ready for.
That might be training, sniffing, play, breed fulfilment, recall games, scentwork or structured walks. We do not want to run them into the ground, but we do have a responsibility to make sure their needs are being properly met.
Signs your dog might be overtired and under-fulfilled
Not every behaviour issue comes from lack of sleep or lack of fulfilment, but these are things we see all the time in dogs who are struggling to switch off:
Barking at every wee noise
Pulling hard into the lead on walks
Taking ages to calm down once they get worked up
Following you from room to room
Stealing things and playing keep away
Constantly looking for attention
Struggling to settle in the house
Getting more reactive on walks
Getting mouthy, frustrated or frantic
Sleeping lightly and waking at every sound
If you are seeing a few of these together, it is worth looking at the bigger picture instead of only focusing on stopping each behaviour as it happens.
The answer is not always more obedience, more commands, or trying to correct every single thing your dog does. Sometimes we need to step back and look at what their day actually looks like.
Are they getting enough proper rest?
Are they getting the right kind of outlets?
Do they have structure in the house?
Have they actually been taught how to switch off?
Because sleep, fulfilment and behaviour are all tied together.
When a dog’s needs are being met properly, they are usually able to think more clearly, settle more easily and cope better with everyday life. That is why we always look at the whole dog, not just the behaviour that is frustrating you in the moment.
If this sounds like your dog, a 1-2-1 is usually the best place to start so we can help you work out what is missing and put the right support in place.
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