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Published: Oct 14, 2011

Obedience training is often most effective once a dog reaches the age of 9 months. At this time, pups tend to calm down and lose some of their non-stop puppy energy. Before this stage, puppies can be hard to train and control, VCA Animal Hospitals reports.

After the nine-month mark, most owners will have an easier time getting their pups to do what they ask of them. However, for some dogs—especially large active breeds—training may not be easy and they may pull on their leashes during walks, jump on people or bark for attention. These behaviors must be dealt with while a dog is still a puppy, otherwise an owner will have an unruly adult dog.

While a few of these dogs may have a medical condition or a compulsive behavioral problem that causes hyperactivity, usually this is not the case. Most often the acting out and excessive energy is due to a lack of adequate obedience training, sufficient exercise and daily routine.

To combat this problem, VCA suggests owners begin regularly-scheduled exercise regimens. Providing a dog with at least 30 minutes of brisk, heart rate-increasing play twice a day can reduce the amount of pent-up energy a dog has. This can make dogs easier to train as they'll be able to focus their attention on the task at hand, without being distracted by the urge to play. reports that owners should walk their active dogs in the morning before work to help them remain calm while they're alone during the day.