# Over-Stimulation Problem



## DSK9SAR (Apr 13, 2016)

I know this a German Shepherd forum, and mine is a totally different breed, but Germans are closer to Dutch's than a lot of other breeds, and i figure ya'll will be more experienced with a large shepherd than a lot of people on the general dog forums. 

Ok, a little info about him: he is a year old Dutch Shepherd named Apache. I have had him since he was 8 weeks old, and work with him everyday. He is indoor/outdoor, but spends the majority of the day outside in a fenced 2 acre backyard. Its because he wants too...he gets bored inside. 

Anyway, he does great when he is working. He is focused and calms down. However, sometimes he get way overstimulated and goes crazy. Its like a switch flips and he can't listen to commands he just did instantly a second before. When the flip switches, he usually tries to play. It is not aggressive at all, but he takes it too far and will get too rough with my arms, and tears my clothes. He doesn't listen to commands unless i calm him down or distract him first. And its not only while like playing or anything. It can happen anytime something exciting (or boring sometimes) happens (new people, dog, me doing something else, etc.) I have tried to ignore him (gets more crazy). And forcefully holding him till he calms down. The last one sometimes works, because i can hold him down and then once he sort of snaps out of it, i can give him a command. often he will revert back again a few minutes later. And holding him down is not a solution i want to rely on...he often thinks i'm engaging him in play and gets more crazy.

Have any of you experienced this kind of over-stimulation before? Not sure if this a dutchie thing or just a individual dog personality thing. Any suggestions on how to calm him down/get him to snap out of it? 

Oh, btw, it is not a lack of exersize. like i said, he runs in a huge yard everyday, and i take him on 2-4 walk/runs everyday, plus lots of hiking, training, and basic agility. I have also been being to do some training for SAR.


----------

