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Why is my dog acting up on his walk? What can do I?

My dog is little over a year now. With the exception of the last month or so, he’s always been very good on walks. However, recently whenever I walk him he will all of the sudden get in a playful, SUPER energized mood where he will start randomly running in one direction, run in circles around me, roll in someones yard, grab a stick and lie down to eat it, get into a low crouch like “cmon lets play” and start wagging his tail while backing away (almost like he’s playing “keep away”) and jumping like he’s happy to see me. Nothing has really changed as far as I can tell (both at home and on walks) so I have no explanation for the behavior and am searching for help. He’s a pretty strong dog, so its not easy to control him when he gets like this. And giving him commands when in this mood usually just further energizes him. Sometimes it seems like a scent will set this into motion but other times it seems unprovoked. Any suggestions as to why this may be happening or how I can get him to calm down while walking?

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It sounds like your dog is having a case of the "zoomies", which is more prevalent in young dogs and puppies. It is often a way for them to remedy pent up energy. Sometimes they will do them when you first get home, as they are excited to see you. If you are in a busy area, where zoomies could be dangerous, such as busy roads, lots of foot traffic, etc. you might want to spend a bit of playtime at when you first get home. If your dog does this a lot, it might be a good idea to try to exercise or play with them a bit before you leave, or hire a walker for the middle of your day, or whenever you are going to be gone awhile.

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It sounds like your dog has a lot of energy and may need more play time! I would suggest practicing calm behavior. Try giving him a stuffed kong and sitting with him outside and give him a few minutes to relax. If he starts to run around on a walk, hold the leash firmly and try to stand your ground and be as boring as you can be. Praise him with treats once he stops pulling.