Flower Essences to Calm High Energy, Excitable, Hyper Dogs

Your dog has more energy than you know what to do with. He’s wild; he’s obnoxious; he can’t settle down!

And you are frustrated.

Is he crazy? belligerent? ADHD? a “bad dog”?

• You’ve tried CBD oil and herbal calming treats and aids. Your dog’s not any calmer, but you’re now qualified to teach a class in Herbology at your local community college.
• Extreme exercise hasn’t helped. You now have a very fit, hyper, uncontrollable dog.
• You have a kitchen drawerful of quick-fix training devices. And those “alpha” techniques you were told to try…. Well, we won’t go there.
• You are THIS close to asking your vet to prescribe drugs to calm your dog the heck down (or you already have and don’t like the side effects).

Let me say, I sympathize. As a professional dog trainer, I’ve worked with my share of “wild child” dogs. And I’m going to suggest something that might surprise you.

Flower essences.

“Flower essences, you say? That sounds pretty delicate. I need something serious! Can flower essences actually help?”

In a word – yes.

Flower essences gently re-adjust emotional states that have gotten extreme or “off balance”. This includes helping level out dogs that are extreme in their energy levels and tendency to react impulsively to distractions and activity around them.

While they won’t reduce your dog’s need for adequate physical and mental exercise, flower essences can help take the edge off extreme behavior in hyper-active, wired, constantly “on the go” dogs.

Essentially, they make very subtle adjustments that help your dog be mentally and physically calmer and more relaxed. And – they can help her be more cooperative and easier to work with.

Kind of hard to argue with that, huh?

And, since I know you’ll ask:

• Flower essences have a long history of safe use and no side effects.
• They won’t sedate your dog or make him dopey.
• And because flower essences work on a subtle-energy level rather than a biochemical one, they don’t interfere if used alongside other supplements or medications.

So, yes, flower essences can be quite successful at helping calm and focus high-energy, impulsive, wired, easily distracted dogs.

But before we get to which essences can help, it’s important to realize that any one therapy or approach is really just one piece of the puzzle. No single therapy is a “magic wand” when dealing with hyper dog behavior.

Calming hyper dogs requires a holistic approach

When addressing hyper behavior in dogs, think “big picture” rather than “silver bullet”. In other words, think holistically.

This means that flower essences, like any therapy, should be thought of as a supportive tool; they should be part of an overall plan to address the problem.

That plan should include some fundamentals (just below), as well as specific things depending on what “type of hyper” your dog is.

Fundamentals every hyper dog should have:

Optimal diet. Hunger tension, poor quality ingredients, food intolerances, too little animal protein, gluten, and other dietary factors can lead to hyper-active behavior and poor impulse control in dogs.

If you suspect food intolerance and are having trouble discovering the source of the problem with elimination diets, consider Nutriscan, a saliva test you can send in by mail.

A healthy level of physical exercise. This means adequate but not excessive.

What is “adequate”? Depends on the dog, its breed and genetics. A field-bred Labrador will need more exercise to stay even-keeled than a show-bred Lab. An Irish Setter is likely to need more running time than a Cockapoo. Etc.

A variety of mental stimulation. Adequate here also depends on the dog. Breeds developed to do a job tend to have greater need for regular brainwork. There will also be quite a bit of individual variation in needs. (Know your dog!)

Self control and relaxation skills. All dogs, and especially hyper dogs, need to learn impulse control and how to relax when appropriate. For many dogs, these are skills that must be learned, then practiced regularly. Expect to spend time working on these skills.

Rest, down time, and quiet time. You wouldn’t expect a child exposed to constant frenetic activity to be able to settle easily.

As the human, it’s our job to make sure our dogs get sufficient nerve-rejuvenating peace and quiet. This may mean reducing sources of over-stimulation and over-arousal in their environment.

This definitely means ensuring your dog gets quiet, restful sleep, unbothered by things going on. Schedule it if necessary! Just make sure it happens. And time to get out, burn off, and just “be a dog”? This, too, needs to happen on some kind of regular basis.

Medical Considerations for Hyperactive Dogs

If your dog’s behavior seems extreme or doesn’t respond to your efforts to meet his needs, consider a thorough medical checkup. This is more than a quick annual exam. Your vet may wish to do bloodwork, a thyroid function test, etc.

Make sure your vet or other wellness professional is able to evaluate your dog’s structure and soundness to identify any possible pain or discomfort issues, which can aggravate hyper-active behavior.

Hyper dogs: are they all the same?

I work a lot – both as a dog trainer and flower essence practitioner – with dogs that their owners consider “hyper”. Of course, part of what we consider hyper depends on the dog’s owner. My idea of high energy and fun loving might be your idea of a crazy, hyper dog.

But with that in mind, I tend to see four basic types of dogs that get labeled “hyper”:

1. Dogs that over-react to activity or environmental stimuli with action.
2. Strong-willed, intense, blast-through-life, high energy dogs.
3. Restless, always-moving dogs that can’t settle.
4. Dogs whose energy and attention is pulled every which way by overwhelming distractions in the environment.

Let’s look at these one at a time, at what flower essence blends can help, as well as practical tips to help keep you sane with that particular type of dog.

1. Dogs that over-react to activity or environmental stimuli with action.

The first is the dog that reacts to activity or environmental stimuli with action. He basically matches his energy to what’s around him (or over-matches it, as the case may be).

This dog may or may not be high energy in general. most of the time. He can do just fine (i.e. be calm) if his environment is quiet and calm. Often, he can be calm and relaxed in an active environment – once he’s learned to tune out the “noise”.

But when this dog lives or works in a highly chaotic environment, or if he’s never learned to tune out the little excitements and interruptions of everyday life, he gets over-stimulated, and has trouble thinking calmly through the excitement.

What kinds of situations can cause dogs to get over-stimulated?

• Children playing active games, running, yelling
• Teenagers doing what teenagers do
• The excitement of doggie daycare, or the dog park
• Arrival of visitors to the house or property
• Familiar, routine events that they look forward to: “walkies!” “obedience class!” “dinner!” 🙂
• Agility classes and trials, lure coursing, herding, and other active, highly stimulating work
• Hunting tests and trials

Main Bach flower essences to help over-excited, over-stimulated dogs

Because I see so many clients whose dogs have this very type of problem behavior, I put a lot of thought into this a few years ago.

The Bach flower essences that follow can be extremely helpful for dogs that get over-aroused and can’t control themselves or think clearly through the chaos:

Vervain. This Bach flower essence is especially helpful for dogs that naturally feel they have a job to do. They might be herding dogs, guarding breeds, terriers – or may just be an individual that has a responsible nature. Whatever the genetics of the dog, this is a dog that is driven to behave in a predictable way.

Because this type of dog can easily get over-zealous and over-intense, Vervain is the ideal flower essence, since it tempers over-striving and over-intensity. It doesn’t water down the responsible, work-driven nature; just makes it more even-keeled and helps keep it from tipping over into hyper and unfocused. (Read my article on Vervain flower essence for dogs if you’d like more details.)

Impatiens is the Bach flower essence that remedies impatience, lack of cooperation, and emotional (and the resulting physical) tension. In dogs that want everything done yesterday, that can’t see the point in waiting for anything to happen, Impatiens flower essence increases patience and cooperation.

White Chestnut promotes a quiet mind. It’s superb for calming thoughts that just won’t stop running around in the head. For dogs that think and think and plan and even worry, White Chestnut can be an important remedy.

Chestnut Bud is the Bach flower essence for breaking habits. Certain dog behaviors are prone to becoming habitual, and certain breeds and individuals form strong patterns of behavior easier than others.

Chestnut Bud loosens up habitual behavior and opens the emotional brain to new learning. It’s excellent for dogs that have gotten in a rut with their reactions, and for any dog that needs help learning new routines.

Walnut buffers from outside influence. If your dog is easily affected by the energy and influences around him, Walnut can help provide a stabilizing influence.

Cherry Plum is the Bach flower for loss of control. Dogs that truly seem unable to control their impulses, that react lightning fast to noise, activity, or other stimuli, and that appear to struggle with self control can all benefit from Cherry Plum flower essence.

Secondary, “supportive” flower essences for over-stimulated dogs

Aspen will help the dog that, as he gets over-aroused, starts to become apprehensive and jittery about the situation. This is quite common when dogs are in circumstances they feel are too much for them. Aspen helps relieve anxiety and improves courage and confidence.

Larch is a confidence booster. Larch flower essence restores confidence lost through scary or overwhelming events. Lack of confidence can contribute to over-stimulation, so this can be a very helpful essence to consider for easily aroused dogs.

Elm is a helpful essence for dogs that get overwhelmed in certain situations. It also can help dogs that are under pressure in general and starting to feel the weight of it. This can be trial dogs, working dogs, service dogs, or any dog put consistently into situations that are more than he can handle emotionally. Elm reduces overwhelm and improves mental stamina.

Beech remedies intolerance. If part of your dog’s over-arousal is difficulty adjusting to changes in his environment, Beech can improve his ability to handle that confidently.

Cerato is the Bach flower to consider if your dog’s impulsiveness and over-arousal is a result of “reflecting” your own energy and tension. This is a very common problem in performance and show dogs!

If your dog has trouble distinguishing your stress from his own (i.e. he seems to blend energy with you), Cerato can help improve boundaries and increase your dog’s ability to react as an individual, instead of as an extension of you.

Aldaron Essences’ online store closed permanently on May 31, 2023. I no longer sell flower essence formulas directly to customers.

Instead, I’m focusing on developing the Aldaron Essences blog into a premier resource on flower essences for dogs and other animals. I’ll also be expanding my dog training website, Train2Behave.com, as well as my Etsy store of mostly dog training- and breed-related apparel and gifts.

In the coming weeks, you can expect new pages on this site that will detail some of my most popular flower essence formulas for dogs. These pages will replace the old links to those products on the store. Thanks for your patience during the transition!

Best,
julie

From our Formula Line: flower essences for intense, over-stimulated dogs

Aldaron Essences’ Hyper Drive is a unique blend of Bach remedies specifically for intense, overstimulated dogs. It’s been successful formula for:

• Dogs that get super wound up with all the chaos at doggy daycare and dog parks.
• Dogs that go into out-of-control overdrive when company arrives.
• Dog running agility or herding stock that get so fired up they lose control.
• Hunting dogs that get so stoked when on the line that they can’t hear their handler’s commands.
• Dogs that respond to pressure by getting “the zoomies” in class or when trialing.

This is a nice combination to gently restore balance to a dog’s ability to think clearly and calmly when distracted. It improves impulse control and increase patience in easily over-stimulated dogs.

Tips for living and working with easily over-stimulated dogs

•  Make sure your dog has adequate exercise, particularly before going into the challenging situation. If unsure, do some research into what kinds of exercise are best for your type of dog.
• Aim for a variety of types of work and play to improve your dog’s emotional and mental flexibility. Choose from any number of dog sports, obedience training, tricks training, scent work, or work your dog’s mind withbrain games you can play right at home.
• Particularly with immature dogs (up to 3 years old in some breeds), do your best to avoid remaining too long in overly stimulating environments to the point that the dog gets “locked in”. Try short visits or training sessions in that environment, leaving and coming back briefly, so your dog can learn how to handle (and turn off) arousal.
• Regularly practice impulse control in play, training, and everyday life with your dog.
• Take advantage of enrichment adventures that allow your dog to chill out, burn off, and just be a dog on a regular basis.
• Practice relaxation exercises, beginning in easy situations, then gradually add in activity over time (and as your dog improves).
• Consider target training and platform training as aids to teach your dog how to focus and think in the face of distractions.

2. Strong willed, intense, blast-through-life dogs

This second type of high energy (and sometimes hyper) dog tends to be pushy and bossy – although he may come across as simply energetic.

His jumping is to get your attention, get you to do something, get a reaction out of you, entertain himself, etc.

Why are some dogs so pushy and bossy?

“Intense and bossy” may be the dog’s personality. Very smart, and/or highly driven dogs will look for a way to use their big brain and intensity.

It may be a passing phase or life stage. Boundary testing is a common stage for adolescent dogs to go through, especially in working or hunting breeds that need a job. They can become pushy, bossy, and challenging. (See my blog post on Bach flower essences for teenage boundary testing in dogs.)

Some dogs will react to stress and uncertainty in their environment by becoming bossy and controlling (basically attempting to impose order where it’s lacking).

This may be a dog that needs more structure and leadership that it’s getting.

Situations that can trigger pushy behavior in dogs

In my experience, intense, bossy behavior tends to be brought out at times of excitement and/or uncertain structure:

• Feeding times
• Active play
• Going outside
• Going for a walk or run
• People arriving at your house or property
• Meeting other dogs on walks,
• Etc.

Main Bach flower essences to tone down pushy, impatient, impulsive dogs

Vervain is the Bach flower essence for the dog that knows it’s right. This is a dog that’s been genetically programmed to evaluate situations and come up with a way to approach them.

This is NOT a bad quality. In fact, it’s highly desirable.

But, if not properly directed, it’s a personality trait that can easily tip over into an over-zealous, know-it-all attitude.

Vine is the flower essence for forceful insistence on getting your way. This does not have to mean aggression. It can mean body slamming, blasting past or through others, forceful “telling off” (barking), etc. Vine improves your dog’s ability (and willingness) to communicate through more peaceful means.

Impatiens improves calm cooperation and patience. Dogs with poor impulse control, that can’t or don’t see the point in waiting, can benefit greatly from Impatiens flower essence.

Chicory is often an important Bach flower for pushy dogs. Chicory is a relationship-balancing flower essence. All too often (and it can be hard to see because it’s subtle), dogs that push and boss others around are working at manipulating relationships.

Chicory improves the balance of the relationship, helping both the dog that’s over-attached and needy, as well as the one that’s controlling and manipulative. (Although it should be said that this is rarely a one-sided deal. It can help the owner to take Chicory, too.)

Cherry Plum is the Bach flower for maintaining self-control. It’s different from Impatiens, in that with Cherry Plum, there is a true inability to maintain self-control, rather than just impatience. Cherry Plum helps alleviate compulsive tendencies.

Holly. I often add Holly to the mix for dogs that are bossy and impulsive, because it’s so easy for this type of dog to get frustrated and annoyed, even angry. Holly soothes the heart, reducing angry impulses, feelings of jealousy, etc.

Supportive Bach flower essences to calm high energy, intense, bossy dogs

As with the previous type of hyper, high energy dog, there are going to be other flower essences to consider, depending on your situation and your dog’s temperament.

The following essences are some of the more common ones I see needed for this type of dog. 

Larch. It’s not uncommon for a naturally push, intense dog to overstep his own level of confidence. He may have more instinct to impose order on his surrounding than ability to do it confidently. In this case, Larch flower essence can help balance the under-confident dog. Larch restores lost confidence and increases courage and willingness to try again.

Mimulus is a good Bach flower essence if your dog has specific fears. It’s not uncommon for dogs to “bluff and bluster” when they are actually unsure and uncertain whether something is okay. Mimulus reduces fear and improves courage and the ability to face fears head-on.

Heather is a complementary flower essence to Chicory, the relationship-balancing essence. Heather reduces excessive attention-seeking, which often goes along with over-attached, controlling attitudes.

Rock Water is a flower essence to consider if your dog’s energy and bossiness center around territorial concerns. If he or she is a wild child only when people or animals are entering a territory, Rock Water can help loosen up that rigid, unflinching attitude.

From our Formula Line: flower essences for bossy, impatient, impulsive dogs

Aldaron Essences’ Moderation is a Bach flower essence blend that addresses bossy, impatient, impulsive behavior in dogs.

Moderation helps tone down and encourage self-control and moderation in too-intense, “over the top” dogs. It improves patience and cooperation, and enhances self control.

Moderation has been a very successful blend of flower essences for:

• Intense, over the top, always “on a mission” dogs.
• Dogs that get hyper, pushy, and demanding when they don’t have your full attention.
• “Outta my way; comin’ through!” dogs that blast through people and animals as if they’re not there.
• Serious, always-on-the-job dogs that patrol and keeps watch endlessly.

Moderation balances this type of dog to improve patience and cooperation, and reduce over-striving. It tones down the super-intensity, helping your dog be more relaxed, with better self-control.

Tips for working and living with intense, energetic, strong-willed dogs

• Basic obedience training is a must. This is simply teaching life skills and communication skills to your dog. Done kindly and consistently, obedience training can be a lifesaver for intense, energetic, strong-willed dogs.
• Structure is non-negotiable for this kind of dog. Structure means predictability, expectations, and rules. Be sure these are set up to work and make sense for your – and your dog’s – personality, lifestyle and needs.
• This is frequently a dog that craves leadership. No, leadership is not “code” for bullying your dog. Good leaders inspire confidence and model calmness and poise. Strong-minded dogs require clear, consistent leaders.
• Give your dog some responsibility – try to find ways your dog can be useful in your household. This dog wants to help!
• Play is excellent mental and physical exercise, and done properly, strengthens your bond and relationship overall. You are always training, including during play, so be sure you play in ways that do not undermine your rules and structure.
• It’s not just about providing clear direction and rules, it’s also critical that you follow through on your rules. Your dog will be only as consistent as you are.
• It’s easy to get flustered with pushy, high-energy dogs, which makes communication even more important. Make sure you’re communicating clearly and effectively with your dog, and not inadvertently encouraging the problem behavior. (Don’t feel bad; it’s easy to do.)
• Patience is the queen of virtues with an intense, highly active, pushy dog. While teaching your dog impulse control, realize that your dog may be frustrated, too. Dogs generally prefer to communicate their needs in a peaceful, cooperative manner once they understand how to do so.

3. Restless, always-moving dogs that can’t settle

The third type of “hyper” dog is either naturally high-strung or a dog that doesn’t get enough physical or mental exercise to meet its needs. Dogs on exercise restriction while recuperating from illness or surgery often fall into this category, as well.

Main Bach flower essences to calm high-strung dogs filled with nervous energy

Vervain Bach flower essence is great for tempering over-enthusiasm in dogs that have a natural intensity and drive to be always on-the-go.

Impatiens helps restore calm and cooperation to hyperactive, excitable, uptight dogs.

White Chestnut remedies preoccupation and restlessness. This essence restores a quiet mind. It’s a good remedy for any kind of obsessive behavior or tendency.

Chestnut Bud is an important remedy for repetitive behavior in dogs. For dogs that are always moving, more out of habit than for any need or interest, White Chestnut can help reduce habitual behavior.

Aspen. Low-level anxiety can look a lot like restlessness, and vice versa. If you think your dog may have some ongoing nervousness, Aspen is the flower essence to reduce general, vague anxiety and increase an overall sense of self-security.

Agrimony helps the dog that becomes restless and agitated due to tension within the family. This is the dog that worries when people argue around him, or when there is conflict between other pets. Agrimony helps restore inner peace.

Heather is a good essence to use when your dog’s inability to settle has to do with keeping your attention on him. Heather reduces excessive attention-seeking in dogs.

Scleranthus should be considered if your dog’s energy is erratic or swings back and forth. Is your dog up and down, here and there, seemingly never able to decide what to do? Scleranthus can help level out mood swings and indecision.

Lavender is not a Bach flower essence, but a North American essence. Lavender is excellent for relieving nervous energy brought on by over-stimulation.

Chamomile is also a North American flower essence. A very soothing essence, Chamomile calms hectic thoughts and emotions, and helps release emotional tension typically help in the stomach.

From our Formula Line: flower essences to calm high-strung, restless dogs

Aldaron Essences’ Calm is our calming flower essence blend for high-strung dogs.

It contains five of the essences discussed above: Impatiens, Lavender, Chamomile, White Chestnut and Chestnut Bud. This blend is helpful for the dog that tends to be restless, “on the go”, and lacking patience.

Yes, he may plow through you, but more from impatience or lack of impulse control than out of bossiness or a desire to control.

Calm has been a wonderful formula for reducing restlessness, agitation, or excessive nervous energy in stressed, high-strung, or under-worked dogs. It’s also a favorite for calming dogs recuperating from illness or surgery and dogs on exercise restriction.

Tips for supporting restless dogs with pent up nervous energy

• Hunger tension is a common cause of hyper behavior in dogs. If your dog’s behavior gets more unruly as mealtime approaches, it might be a hunger issue. Make sure your dog is getting adequate animal protein in his diet, and consider avoiding sugary carbs (such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.) that can cause uneven energy levels in some dogs.
• Physical discomfort and pain issues can bring on restlessness (and more serious behavior issues) in dogs. Your veterinarian should be able to evaluate your dog’s level of physical comfort, or refer you to someone who can.
• Make sure your dog’s exercise needs are met. If your dog is injured or on other exercise restriction, increase his level of brainwork. While mental work is not a substitute for physical exercise, it will help to satisfy, tire, and settle your dog.
• Enrichment adventures are both satisfying and settling. They should be part of every dog’s repertoire!
• Not all dogs understand how to relax without being exhausted. Practicing relaxing may seem odd, but can be a very helpful skill for high-strung dogs. Dr. Karen Overall’s Relaxation protocol is one well-regarded method for teaching dogs how to “take a breath”.
• At-home enrichment exercises are a great way to keep high-energy, active dogs busy and out of trouble.

4. Distracted, scattered, unfocused dogs

Scattered, unfocused dogs may be labeled as “hyper” when, in reality, they need help tuning out activity in their environment. These are dogs whose energy and attention are pulled every-which-way by overwhelming distractions in the environment.

They run from one attraction to the next, unable to decide which is the thing to actually pay attention to.

This is typically a situation-specific problem, rather than an all day, every day sort of thing.

Focus is both a skill and a talent. That is, dogs are born with a certain ability to be able to focus and tune out distractions.

But – every dog needs to improve that ability through successful practice. Maturity most definitely plays a part, as well, in a dog’s ability to focus on what he’s asked to do.

Common situations where dogs may lack focus

• Agility classes and trials, with all the energy, movement and excitement
• Herding trials and practice, especially when working larger flocks or lighter stock
• Busy households with lots of kids, visitors, other pets
• Chaotic doggy day care and boarding situations

Flower essences to help dogs with focus and attention

Vervain is a good choice for the dog whose lack of focus stems from an exuberant, enthusiastic nature. It’s also helpful for the responsible dog whose attention and focus is pulled in different directions because it feels driven to keep track of everything in its environment.

Elm. Many young dogs, and dogs moving up in level of difficulty in training, go through a period of overwhelm in the beginning. Elm helps with focus by reducing overwhelm.

Walnut is an appropriate flower essence when your dog’s lack of focus is connected to difficulty adapting to new environments, rather than the specific distractions there.

Cerato is for the dog that imitates the energy an/or behavior of those around it, unable to stay self-contained in the face of distractions. (This is common with young dogs.)

Peppermint is a North American flower essence that improves clarity, attention and alertness. This can be especially helpful when the dog’s mind becomes numbed and dull from over-stimulation.

Dill, a North American essence, improves focus by heightening your dog’s ability to work through distraction and sensory overwhelm.

Indian Pink helps your dog stay centered and focused when in high-activity, high stress situations. (This is another North American flower essence.)

From our Formula Line: flower essences to improve focus

Aldaron Essences’ Focus is our flower essence blend for the dog is overly distractible and lacks focus. Typically a dog that lives or works in an environment that pulls his attention this way and that, preventing him from settling and attending to the job at hand.

This dog may be active but not hyper or high strung in general, and can have trouble filtering out exciting sights, sounds, and smells in their environment.

Focus uses Bach and North American flower remedies to reduce overwhelm and strengthen your dog’s ability to tune out distractions and focus on the task at hand.

Summing Up

Though delicate-sounding, flower essences can be a powerful holistic tool for calming high-strung, excitable dogs. By balancing emotional extremes, flower essences can restore calmness, control, focus, and cooperation.

Which combination will be the most helpful just depends on how your dog expresses her natural high spirits.

Over-aroused dogs with poor impulse control; intense, bossy, dogs that plow through life; high-strung, under-exercised dogs; dogs that have trouble focusing; each need a somewhat different “recipe”, but all can all benefit from the balancing action of flower essences.

So – train your dog. Experiment with activities and lifestyle changes to see what helps your dog be more relaxed and in control. And if you’re ready for a solid, all-natural nudge in the right direction, give flower essences a try.