Puppy Crazy Time

[scotchbunny]

Hi, looking for some advice!

We have our lovely 13 week old pup. She is calm, eager to please and playful. We have had her 2 weeks now and things are going really well. The last few nights she appears to go crazy around 6/7pm taking an hour to calm down. She has tea at 530, walk at 630/7 and then once home goes from happy and calm to demented like a switch is flicked. She runs around the room literally like a possessed puppy, jumping on and off furniture, barking and nipping if we try catch her. The aim is to get her and put in garden but it's near impossible!! Plus, I'm attempting to curb barking, I don't want her to bark more than is necessary as I don't want to annoy the neighbours any more than we already do(noisy kids). Then she decides that's enough and flicks the switch back off!!!! Lies down for cuddles and tummy tickles, grrrrr! If she weren't so darn cute.....
Help!

[Deadnettle]

I think most if not all dogs do this at some point. All the dogs we have had since puppies have done it and so has the adult rescue. She should do it less often as she gets older. No idea on how to stop it though, sorry!

[dudsville]

If it's at the sAme time every evening could you get in there first with other activities or would that just postpone the inevitable to a later time?

[davos]

We play with ours. Get a ball out or the kids take her outside.

It's a very similar time to yours as well. After her walk in the evenings. I wondered if she was over tired. We walked her in the middle of the day yesterday and didn't have the manic evening with her.

I know both my kids had manic half hours if they were over tired. But maybe I compare dpup to the kids too much

[scotchbunny]

Thanks guys, yes, I wondered about walk time. We started after tea as everyone home by that time and it's hard when she can't walk much at the moment! Energy to burn off and yes we do plenty running about the garden. Has been a mighty wet, she's a wimp though in rain and runs to back door to get back in!

[TrionicLettuce]

Try pre-empting it and getting her brain working rather than just going for physical exercise. Doing something like playing with toys or charging round the garden with them can just hype them up even more. Something like a bit of training or scent games (hiding treats around for her to find, that sort of thing) can really help.

[GladysKravitz]

My puppy is exactly the same! Around 7pm he goes mad, barking, growling and nipping and trying to get on the sofa (he's not allowed). I try to turn my back and ignore him and praise him as soon as he's calm, but it's very difficult when his bites hurt. And I'm scared of what he might do to our cat when in one of these moods. He's going to be a big dog so I'm anxious to stop this, I'm glad to hear it's a common phase that he should grow out of! Also, it's coming up to a full moon, I wondered if this might be affecting him?

He's too young for walks but I think tonight I will pre-empt his crazy time by taking him in the garden for an hour or so. I'm sure in his case it comes from being over-tired as after his mad hour he settles down and sleeps on and off all night.

[scotchbunny]

Good advice re training rather than full play. Spent time today with sit which she can already do but progressed to stay then come. Walked before tea and then she had free play in garden, now she's a very tired pup!