Overly energetic dog: how to deal with misbehavior?

[NuJudge]

I'm looking for ideas on how to deal with high energy in a dog. I'll appreciate the energy level come bird season, but its a bit much now.

My wife brought home a Lewellin Setter for me, which is an offshoot of the English Setter breed. I've never seen such energy in a dog. My wife will take it on a 5-mile walk, and when it gets home it will run for hours in my back yard, wearing a 'racetrack' into the grass.

I got an attachment for my bike that projects out and to the rear of the rear axle, and there is a spring-loaded leash that connects a harness on the dog to the bike attachment. Weather permitting, with breaks for water, we go for 5 mile ride/run most days, and he's still full of beans when we get home.

Does anybody have any other ideas?

[Artful]

Second Dog so they can wear each other out. - works for mine.

[remy3424]

Wait about seven years and you might notice a little change....or a trip to the vet...I have a GSP and he drives my wife crazy...at seven years old he seems to slow down earlier in he evenings...he gets better in the field every year...I know my dog loves pheasant hunting even more than me, and I really like it a lot! Few things for me are more enjoyable than hunting with a great dog.

[jsizemore]

I got an Endurance Certification (AD) for my Bouvier when we trained in Schutzhund. 12 miles in 2 hrs. with a 15 minute break each hour. You can ride a bike or run. This test points to good structure in the dog to maintain an 8mph pace for 1.5hrs of running. Work toward higher levels of obedience. Once a runner makes a break you want a well conditioned recall or down. If he's young he may outgrow the high activity level. Most pointers don't.

[fryboy]

ummm here's a few ideas .... ;)

https://www.google.com/search?q=dog+obstacle+course&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=t8a0U4a4E5KiqAbnp4GgDQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&biw=1152&bih=779

[Leslie Sapp]

I've raised English pointers for years, and they do not typically begin slow down until they get around five. All bird dogs are high energy machines. Our present one, at ten years old, is in constant motion.
Even at 10 years, she still stays so skinny we have been accused of abuse by some well meaning but ignorant folk.

[Moonie]

You think your dog is high energy, search for vizsla... I've never seen a dog with as much energy as one of those. Thankfully not ours, but at a puppy play class that had one he traumatized our Great Pyrenees with the energy he had, he was too much for our GP and a Great Dane puppy to handle, would go back and forth between them. Even the guy in charge of the class said he had never seen a dog with that much energy, and he had been doing the puppy play class for 3 years...

[DeanWinchester]

Teach him to run a tread mill and run it out of him. Better yet, teach yourself to keep up with him and live longer for it when your heart is a healthy as a horse.

[perotter]

Attach the dog to the front of the bike instead of the back. Don't bother to peddle the bike and let the dog do the work. That is what I did with high energy dog. Starting out be sure not to go to far from home until you know how far it takes to take the edge off the dog.

[dragon813gt]

Is this thread about how to wear out a high energy dog or how to deal w/ bad behavior? They are two completely different things. I have a three year old GSP that is pure energy. I try to take him on a three mile walk everyday. Mind you that three miles is what I walk. I strapped a spare iPhone, w/ a GPS program running, to his collar to see how many he did. He ran 8.2 miles that day. He's never been on a lead and I let him run as far as he wants when on the walks. Hunting is a different matter. That training was done w/ a shock collar and he learned quickly what was not allowed. The collar is still put on him but it's been years since I had to push the button on the remote. At 3yo I don't have to take him for walks daily. But by third day he is getting antsy. Spend as much time as possible w/ the dog and run him into the ground. You will have the best friend in the world.

You can't have a thread about dogs w/out posting pics ;)
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa39/dragon813gt/Anakin/645FF8C3-ADD9-4614-812C-0F64CCAD9A3B-941-000000E205936F74_zps9744412d.jpg

[searcher4851]

I am pleased to see that no one has suggested doggie downers. It's so unfortunate that when it comes to their children, a lot of folks go to drugs as the FIRST choice.
You didn't mention the age of the dog, but even high-energy dogs have a tendency to level off with age.

[searcher4851]

You can't have a thread about dogs w/out posting pics ;)
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa39/dragon813gt/Anakin/645FF8C3-ADD9-4614-812C-0F64CCAD9A3B-941-000000E205936F74_zps9744412d.jpg

Good dog. Thanks for the pic.

[doc1876]

my Border Collie insisted on jumping up on people, really his only bad trait. I gave in and got a shock cfollar, best investment I ever made. I don't use it often any more, but he has learned what is not allowed, and if I am expecting elderly or small kids, I put it in just in case.

As a side note, I also learned that if I use it on myself on acupressure spots, It makes my pains much less.

[Suo Gan]

I have owned a few bird dogs and you will never do it. They will be like a monkey on crack usually until they get run over. Have fun. You can run them behind the truck for ten miles, but they will be rarin to go again in half an hour.

I don't get enough enjoyment from bird hunting to keep dogs for a week or two of shooting a year...They have a one track mind, and I am not sure I really fit into their equation of MORE BIRDS, MORE BIRDS, MORE BIRDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was just the fellow that fed them and let them out to find MORE BIRDS, MORE BIRDS!!! To give them food to find MORE BIRDS, MORE BIRDS!!!

They are robots. Accept it. They really are not pets at all. Machines that find MORE BIRDS!!!

[Surculus]

I'm looking for ideas on how to deal with high energy in a dog.
Does anybody have any other ideas?

Isn't playing with your dog until it tires what the neighbors' kids are for? :-D

[Costs less than the 2nd dog idea: your neighbors pay for the added food & housing costs w/ my plan! ;) ]

[dragon813gt]

They are robots. Accept it. They really are not pets at all. Machines that find MORE BIRDS!!!
What breeds are you talking about? Did you let them in the house or keep them penned up outside. My family has had every type of bird dog over the years. All have been the perfect family dog when at home. But they were raised inside the home. They all got depressed when not around the family. My newborn son has a personal bodyguard and best friend for life already :)
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa39/dragon813gt/Anakin/46086577-AECB-44ED-A4B7-50377B5CE324-1080-000000E791B53681_zpse031ad71.jpg

[dakotashooter2]

I have an electronic fence covering about 2 acres. When I'm home the dogs are freed from the kennel and allowed to roam within the limits of the fence and burn off energy. That still doesn't slow down my springer very much and she usually manages to bag at least 3-4 songbirds a week. Even if I run them down the road a few miles within an hour they are ready to go again.

[FISH4BUGS]

Doggie downers work great

[osteodoc08]

I had a feist that loved to run and run some more. Weather permitting he'd follow behind me on my ATV. Even after 10-12 miles he'd come home, slurp up some water take a break and be ready to go. If he ever heard my ATV fire up and was inside the house, he'd run all over the house whining. He was such a loveable dog. Great with the kids. Wish I had him back. Dont have the heart to replace him.

Besides, my wife has 4 worthless ankle biters. Well, I take that back. The runt of the last litter, Remington, does like to ride in my jacket on the ATV and loves to walk through the woods with me. He's a small 3/4 Yorkie 1/4 poodle. (Dad was a yorkie poo and mom a yorkie). Maybe 3-4# at best dripping wet. He also doesnt mind sitting at my feet while I reload. Not my "ideal" dog, but at least I was able to bond with him.

[Russel Nash]

The pro dog trainers put a bar or pipe across the front rack of their ATV and then attach chains to it like this:

http://www.wildrosegermanshorthairs.com/images/Roading2.jpg

I had a vizsla I got as a pup from a shelter in the mid 1990's. I would kinda wrap the leash around the handlebars of my roommate's bike. Then the vizsla would pull me along. Get back home, and a half hour later he would be running in circles again like that Tasmanian devil cartoon.

I have two weims now. When I walk them, I use e-collars instead of leashes. They get more exercise that way zig zagging back and forth. Every now and then I will give them a little tickle just to keep them from walking out on the road or if they don't pay any attention after the the third "here" or "heel"