A few weeks ago, I held a live chat where readers could ask their dog behavior questions directly, getting an immediate response AND getting to chat with me. Who would not want that?
One of the questions we covered from one of the participants was particularly interesting, and I want to share the story here with those of you that were unable to attend. The question I was asked: My dog is a pomeranian/sheltie mix, so he’s hyper to begin with. I have been trying to keep him from running in the house, as he slides relentlessly on the hard wood floors. It seems that he has two speeds, sleep and full steam ahead.
Now, I have read a lot about pomeranians and my niece is one, but I also have a ton of personal experience. Back when I was still a pup, our family’s alpha was an eleven year old Pomeranian. He was not much of a fan of the endless energy I had then, nor did he appreciate my attempts to play with him. In fact, he managed to get me in trouble a few times with Mom, but I was ALWAYS in trouble with him. I am not sure if he did not play with me because I was twice his size, when I was only four months old. It could have been because he was a little old man that set in his ways!
Now, as for the sheltie part… Well, that almost speaks for itself. They are pretty high-strung, especially since they are a herding breed. It may be that he is restless, since he is not doing the job he was bred for, or maybe he is herding invisible sheep through the house. Naturally, if he is still a younger dog, then this level of energy and behavior is expected, but this guy is already six years old, so the seemingly boundless energy is not related to puppyhood.
He has a grasp of a few very basic commands, but that is not enough obedience training for a dog with an “on/off” switch. Even dogs that are normally very active and intelligent, such as Springer Spaniels and Border Collies, benefit greatly from obedience training, as they are focusing their energy on their intelligence. For many pet parents, potty training is the fullest extent of training they undertake with their four-legged pal. Then, they believe that their dog has full run of the house.
Not so fast!
He also must learn to be respectful of his master’s crate, the family home. For this situation, I suggest that you will help your dog burn off some energy without sliding around the house by designating a certain area of it for play. I also suggest that you purchase an interactive toy, such as the Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Strawberry with treat spot. I am saving up to buy one with all the change we pick up when we go for walks or to the dog park.
Another interactive toy suggestion for you would be a Crazy Pet Bumble Ball motorized pet toy. The Strawberry allows you to stuff kibble or treats in the toy, and as your dog plays with the toy, the goodies will fall out giving him instant rewards for the play, further encouraging him to use his energy by playing in the designated area, rather than running through the house like a holy terror.
My brother, Tax, used to take his interactive toys into his crate and beat them up all night long, even when the treats were gone. His crate is where he keep EVERYTHING that is “his.” Mom says that giving him his interactive toys close to bedtime is an excellent way to discourage “spend the night company.”
Your dog should be taught that in other areas of the house, he will only be able to go leashless if he behaves. You should keep the leash on him while he is learning, because you cannot train what you cannot control. In this case, you cannot train what you cannot catch. If you attempt to teach this without a leash, your dog will view this as more playtime, and he will never settle down.
In addition to what he has already learned, he should know the following commands:
As you can see, we have the first four covered here on the site, and we are planning on covering those final two shortly. It is pretty important that you work with your dog to master these in every room of the house, as well as outside. For example, if Tax and I start playing a little too rough in the house. Mom just says, “sit”, we do, and now she is back in control of her crate, our home.
