If I had a dollar for every time I heard somebody say ‘my GSP puppy is crazy’ followed by an exasperated ‘when will my GSP puppy calm down’ I’d be a millionaire.
I’ve had my GSP Hank for 7 years, and I even remember the days when I’d be close to pulling my hair out wondering why this bundle of energy just wouldn’t calm down.
But in the 7 years that I’ve had Hank, I’ve learned a thing or two about the breed that has made me understand why they’re so energetic, and better yet how to keep them as calm as possible.
So, to save you from trawling the internet looking for answers as I once did, I’ve put together this blog post to help you keep your GSP puppy calm.
5 Ways To Make Your GSP Puppy Calm Down
✅ I definitely recommend this program Brain Training For Dogs, it’s quite literally a perfect program for GSP’s as it makes learning for them fun, and since its a DIY program, its super affordable when compared to traditional dog trainers in-house. Check it out here.
1. Be Understanding Of Their Age
This was a mistake I made, and it’ll be a mistake you’re making now. It’s so easy as humans for us to look at our GSP puppy and want them to behave in a calm and controlled manner, but they aren’t adults yet, and so we can’t expect them to behave like one.
Puppies need time to mature, to learn what they can and can’t do, and to learn how to control their excitement by putting their energy into the right things.
I’m not saying that you should just sit back and watch your puppy go crazy, because there are plenty of things you can do to keep them calm, but I am saying you’ll need to just allow them to mature with time.
With Hank, I noticed he calmed down a lot at around 5 years old anyway, but he’s still a bundle of energy at 7 too. This seems to be the case with most GSPs.
With GSPs, you need to be prepared for an energetic dog for the rest of their lives, because they were bred to be intelligent hunting dogs, so they have a lot of excess energy and intelligence that needs to be directed.
2. Give Them Plenty Of Exercise
With the whole bred to hunt thing in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you to hear that your GSP needs to be exercised a lot!
An hour or two a day is recommended, and whilst that might sound a lot, splitting that up into runs, walks, dog parks, and other activities to get their heart rate up over the course of the day makes it much easier to achieve.
As GSPs are friendly dogs anyway, taking them to dog parks to let them run around with their furry friends can be a great way to let them burn off some energy. Taking them somewhere where they can legally be off a leash is a wonderful thing to do, because the freedom mixed with the exercise really allows them to burn off all that excess energy.
But even if you can’t do this every day, taking your GSP with you whilst you do your daily exercise is a good idea. Whether it’s a walk or a run, your GSP puppy will appreciate their time outdoors, and the different sights and smells mixed with the exercise will certainly keep them stimulated.
3. Keep Their Curious Minds Stimulated
Talking of keeping them stimulated, a GSP needs to keep their minds as active as their bodies, because they are a naturally curious and highly intelligent breed.
I’ve found that treat games are a great way to keep Hank stimulated, but even as a puppy, placing treats inside a toy that they have to engage their minds with to release the treat was brilliant.
It doesn’t matter if your puppy is too young right now to follow commands and perform tricks for treats to keep them engaged, you can hide them around your house or garden and then release your GSP to find them. This gives them the experience of hunting, even if it is only finding where their favorite treats are.
Toys such as Kongs, bob-a-lots, and puzzle balls are all great ways to keep your dog entertained and their mind stimulated. But there are plenty of other toys for your dog too, all built around the same concept of hidden food that your dog has to find. In my experience this will keep them entertained for a long time, and you’ll certainly see a calmer puppy afterwards.
4. Pick Up Durable Toys
Not all toys need to be designed for mental stimulation. You should pick up a wide variety to keep them entertained, everything from chew toys to balls, and mental stimulation toys to cuddly toys – all of which will keep your dog busy, making it much less likely that their crazy energy will lead them to more destructive behaviors.
But one thing I would say is that whatever you pick up for your GSP, make sure it’s durable. Whilst other dogs might cycle through their toys evenly, it’s very easy for a GSP to become fixated on one toy for a long period, and if it isn’t durable, then that new fluffy rabbit you just bought will probably have the stuffing knocked right out of them in no time.
So before you pick up any toy, make sure that it’s durable, and make sure that it’s safe for them to use too.
By having a large selection of toys, you’ll be making sure that your GSP puppy has access to lots of different things to keep them entertained. This is so important because a bored GSP is often a mischievous GSP, so make sure they have lots of things to do to keep them busy.
5. Consider Training Sessions
This was something I was definitely dubious about at first, but honestly there’s no better way to keep your GSPs body and mind active.
While training sessions with a professional will always be better, because they know what they’re doing and there’s often other dogs at the session too, you can still keep your puppy engaged by training them at home if paid sessions aren’t right for you at the moment.
Training a GSP will require lots of patience, but these intelligent dogs will pick things up quickly too. The hard part is keeping them calm enough to listen in the first place, but make sure they have a reason to listen, such as a favorite toy or tasty treat, and they’ll soon learn.
Training sessions, whether at home or with a professional, can be very demanding, so just make sure that your puppy isn’t being forced to overdo it, or else they might become disinterested.
✅ I definitely recommend this program Brain Training For Dogs, it’s quite literally a perfect program for GSP’s as it makes learning for them fun, and since its a DIY program, its super affordable when compared to traditional dog trainers in-house. Check it out here.
But they are one of the best ways to keep your puppy engaged, and I always find that Hank is much calmer once he’s had the chance to really engage his body and mind.
After all, that’s the key to a peaceful life with a GSP – directing their attention to things they should be doing, so you don’t find them tearing apart your couch to satisfy their own curiosity.
Keep their mind and body stimulated, and you’ll see that your GSP is much calmer for it.
