Episode Four - The Truth About Overstimulated Dogs

If your dog seems constantly "on" - barking, reactive, unable to settle - you might think they have too much energy (sometimes referred to as the Zoomies)

But what if the real issue is too much stimulation?

In this episode of Paws and Reflect, Penny DiLoreto breaks down what overstimulation really is, how it shows up in everyday behavior, and why doing more can actually make things worse. You'll learn how modern environments overwhelm dogs, the signs to look for, and a simple way to create calm through balance - not constant activity.

Welcome to Paws and Reflect, where we explore the heart, science, and soul of living with dogs.

I'm Penny DiLoreto - certified dog trainer, behavior specialist, and lifelong dog lover, here to help you build a calmer, kinder, more connected relationship with your dog.

Thank you so much for spendin this time with me of Paws and Reflect. If this episode resonated with you, I'd love for you to share it with a friend or fellow dog loer - it's one of the best ways to help ore dogs and their people.

Ad if you haven't already, please be sure to follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.  I'll see you next episode,

“Thanks for spending time with me today on Paws and Reflect.

If this episode helped you see your dog in a new way, be sure to follow the podcast and share it with a fellow dog lover.

Until next time… stay kind, stay curious, and give your dog a little extra love today.”

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:25

Thank you for joining me and welcome back. In today's episode, we're going to talk about something I see all the time, but it's often misunderstood. It's overstimulation. If your dog seems, you know, hyper reactive, unable to settle down, constantly in the on position, you might think they have too much energy. But what if the issue isn't energy at all? What if it's too much input? Let's talk about overstimulation. Overstimulation happens when a dog is exposed to more input than they can process. That could be noise, movement, people, other dogs, activity in the home. Overstimulation doesn't always look the way people expect. It's not just the dog running around wildly. It can show up as constant barking, reactivity while you're out on a walk, while the dog's unleash, jumping or the inability to settle down, grabbing things, nipping people, frantic behavior, pacing or restlessness. You know, a lot of people call this the zoomies. And sometimes it looks like the dog just can't turn this off. And what happens is the more overstimulated the dog becomes. I've worked with dogs in this very busy household where there's always something happening, people coming and going, kids playing, noise, movement, activity, you name it. And the dog was constantly barking, jumping, unable to settle down. The owners thought the dog just needed more exercise, so they added more walks, more playtime, but it normally doesn't help because the dog weren't understimulated, they were overwhelmed. Their system never had a chance to calm down. So instead of adding more, we started taking things away. We focused on creating calm. That meant reducing unnecessary stimulation when we could, creating a quiet space, building in rest time, and slowing things down. And something really important happened. The dog started to regulate. They began to settle. Not because we did more, but because we did less intentionally. This is where we need to shift our thinking again from my dog needs more activity to my dog needs balance. Because modern life can be overwhelming for dogs, and when we constantly add stimulation without teaching them how to process it, we create dogs that are always in the on position. But calm behavior doesn't come from constant activity. It comes from balance, structure, and the ability to relax. So here's something you can try starting today. Ask yourself, where can I reduce stimulation in my dog's day? That could mean turning off some background noise, limiting chaotic interactions in your home, creating that quiet rest space, and shortening overly stimulated outings. And then add intentional calm, because calm is not automatic. It's something we teach and support. So if your dog feels like they're always in the on position, always reacting, always unable to settle, it may not be too much energy, it may be too much stimulation. And when we start creating space for calm, that's when everything begins to change.