Sometimes helping a dog relax means keeping him from getting nervous in the first place. Obviously, it’s a problem when guests show up and make a big fuss about their hyperdog. All that excitement and attention can be more than even the most meticulously trained dog can bear.

The solution? Putting your dog’s needs first.

That means you need to do two things before your guests arrive. First, ask them to completely ignore you for the first 15 minutes of your visit. Second, put a collar on it before you open the door, so you can correct it if necessary. Once your guests have arrived, invite them to move freely, as a hyperactive dog is less likely to become sad at a moving target.

If they can’t resist (and who can blame them?), Admit you’ve had trouble getting your dog overly excited with guests, and treat the event as an opportunity to educate him. Apologize and take control by carrying out a series of obedience orders in quick succession. By the time you’re done, he’ll be a calm dog, or at least a lot more composed than he was a few minutes before.

In the meantime, you can begin to alleviate this problem by treating your own home arrivals as if they were not events. Act oblivious to your dog, ignoring him and his antics entirely for the first 15 minutes. If he jumps on you, don’t yell at him; it will only inflame your enthusiasm. And don’t push it away; you will see it as a game.

Instead, focus on some other activity: housework or changing clothes, for example. If you get in his way in an attempt to get him into the game, stumble upon him relentlessly to screw up his modus operandi. Or, if you need to be fed or walked, do it without emotion. After the prescribed time, have fun – fight, play, hug, do whatever makes you both happy.