10 month old puppy routine advice

[Happyhound]

Can anyone advise a good schedule for me?

I have a rescue dog coming up to 10 months. Collie x whippet. Had her for two months so she's still settling in. A few issues (separation anxiety and over excited on lead, working on these) but she's bright and very loving.

I'm home all day every day and she has free reign of downstairs and the garden.

Currently:

7am - up & out of crate for a wee/poo/zoom
7.05am - breakfast (in Kong)
7.20am -9am she happily naps on her bed while I have breakfast, get showered & dressed
9am - 3k outside walk & play/run in garden
10-12noon in her crate to nap/get used to settling herself; she whines.
12.05- lunch (in Kong)
12.25-6pm no set structure
6pm 3k walk
6pm-10pm no set structure
10pm bed in crate (very happily) though if she's hyper/over tired she goes in at 8pm.

I'm exhausted because I'm inputting SO much attention for 10+ hours of the day - not including 2x walks. I'm not getting anything else done. I do training every day with her for simple commands and lots of play, cuddles, enrichment activities...

Is that normal? Should she be sleeping more? Help! I'm knackered!

I would look at ways to increase brain games and training. Collie brain.
And ways to allow more off lead time. Whippet needs to run.
Plus rewarding any quiet time when you capture it.

I do lots of brain games with her without fail and as I explained, there no way of having off lead time sadly.

Every time I reward her for lying down e.g. "good girl" she gets back up. If I give her a treat for going on her bed she gets back up and whines for another.

I'm coming to the realisation if I can't find a way to make her happy and her needs met then she needs a new home ASAP.

The treating needs to be having a bed near you and tossing a treat on the bed when she’s settled. No verbal command to disturb her.
Any kennels or stable or barns locally with a space you could use? Any dog trainers or agility groups? Do you do any formal dog training?

Oh Op-does sound like hard work-I'm sure it will get easier but that doesn't help right now.

I wonder if any way you could gently introduce other dogs? In a controlled way? My pup would be a nightmare without being able to burn off energy running and playing with other dogs of a similar age. They need so much mental and physical stimulation at that age. We bought some jumps and a little obstacle course for pup (and DD) and they both love it.
Think your pup very clever and a bit bored. And then you don't have a minute to yourself.
It will get better-even "not rescue" pups of that age are exhausting!!
Good luck-keep us posted

Also my pup plays a lot with a pup she has know since they were able to put paws on ground-so very lucky-but they are seemingly rough-tumble about etc and looks rough but it is just puppy play and they both thrive on it

Any kennels or stable or barns locally with a space you could use? Any dog trainers or agility groups? Do you do any formal dog training?

No open safe space I can get to that I know of, no. I live in the middle of a city. I expect there are lots of dog trainers locally but I don't have lots of spare money. I attended a dog class with her (was supposed to be a 6 week course) but we were asked not to return as she was so awfully disruptive and I could barely keep hold of her. The lady running the class advised we approach the rescue center we got her from for help, which I did, and they told me to avoid her triggers (dogs, people, birds, motorbikes, cyclists etc).

Every where I turn, I feel it's a brick wall.

I appreciate the suggestions, I'm just empty. I'm stressed and exhausted, I can feel depression setting in which hasn't been a problem for a very long time. My mental health is diminishing.

I wonder if any way you could gently introduce other dogs? In a controlled way?

Great in theory. Just no idea how?

Thanks for your reply, I do appreciate it.

Some are saying do more with her, others saying less - is she over stimulated, or bored?

I physically cannot give any more - I have her entertained with puzzles, positive training, playing, enrichment activities, 2x age appropriate walks, reassurance, but if she's needing off lead time and other dogs then I can't see how to incorporate that on a daily basis.

Maybe just not the right home for her.

oh OP I couldn't not reply-just to say even my non-rescue pup has driven me to tears of frustration so I feel your pain-puppies are so hard.
I'm not sure how to introduce safely-have you got local fb pages for pups/dogs/dog walking? Was going to suggest one on one training sessions but that's even more cost.
I am obviously not a puppy expert only that I have got one the same age and I suggest def not over stimulated but at that age they need so much attention/stimulation/play/exercise that it's difficult to give them too much.
what's your pups rescue history? seems like that has a bearing on pups behaviour?

@mumsiedarlingrevolta I've cried every day. Thanks for your reply.

I've had dogs before but never, ever had any issues like this.

I know nothing about her history at all, except she was given/found by the rescue center age 6 months, then adopted but returned a few weeks' later before I adopted her.

They told me she was returned because she wasn't house trained, but with me she's only had once accident and house trained really bloody quickly so I don't buy that now.

The center said she was (quote) great on lead (was a deal breaker for me as I'm not very strong and live in a busy area) and dog/people friendly. Which she is, but OVER friendly. She has zero impulse control.

There's no way could have hidden how she is so they lied.

I waited for 18 months for the right rescue dog to come along that ticked the boxes and feel completely gutted.

Just as a happy story my neighbours adopted a dog who had been given back 3 or 4 times before she was one. They have had her about a year and the difference is incredible. They were also lied to about a lot of things re their pup including breed
Are you on your own with pup? I think the impulse control challenging at this age as I have mumsiepup and all of
her friends the same age and they all find impulse control a challenge.
we do little things like put her food down and make her wait. But I wouldn't say I am confident with her impulse control. Just saying so you know it's not all because your pup is a rescue and that it's just 11 month old pups are bloody hard work...

Poor you. This sounds exhausting and like you've already done quite a lot to help her settle.

Will she settle and sleep if she's tired out? What does she do if you leave the room? Sounds to me like there's a lot of collie in her and the majority just don't have an off switch

Will the rescue offer any support? More than just telling you to avoid her triggers which don't sound at all practical

The problem is everything I want to suggest costs money which you said was tight.

Agility is a good thing to do and some places will teach you the basics without lots of jumping so good for puppies still growing.

Another thing to look for is scentwork training as once you have grasped the basics you could do at home to save money.

A 1-1 trainer is great as they will actually help you work with your dog and you. I have paid between £30 and £50 for a session and quite frankly that 1-1 1 hour session was worth millions of hours equivalent at any group training place.

They key is to find the 'right' exercise (both physical and mental) that is right for your dog. If I give mine the wrong exercise then it's useless in calming him and I would have been better doing nothing.

One of my friends found hoopers to be a solution with her young dog. No impact but using her brain.

I'd be happy to try agility - I don't know how she'd take to it though as she's not interested in human instruction at all.

Been working on 'stay' and 'come' every day and she doesn't get it. Or chooses not to? I can safely say she's had zero training until me and has probably been left feral. There's no eager to please, no obedience or concentration. Even for super high value treats. She wants to chase, dig, play (biting me often) or zoom.

She's either incredibly smart or very dim.

There's more sighthound than collie for sure - I see greyhound rather than whippet but no collie so not sure why the rescue decided that.

I think the key is trying to work out what motivates her then training will be so much easier.

Maybe switch to toys rather than treats. Does she like balls? Have two balls so when she sits and stays for just a small time throw her a ball. I use two balls because if an object is high value they usually won't give you their ball unless you have another so with the second ball in your hand get her to sit and stay and then throw it for her and you can retrieve the first.

She'll watch as I throw a ball (even a squeaky one I make out is super exciting) but isn't interested in getting it - I tried Frisbee, rope pulls, kong tennis balls, rubber chews, 'bacon flavour' toys, crinkly sound toys and all manner of sqeaky toys.

The only toys she interacts with are tug type toys (but she aims for and gets your hand) and cuddly soft toys that she likes to attack, stamp on with both front paws and then tear to pieces.

If I'm not specifically interacting with her 1-1, she'll tear the ivy off the wall, dig up the plants, counter surf in the kitchen, chew the skirting boards or bark at the birds. She never plays with her toys by herself. She'll do all this after a walk, after training, after having an enrichment activity - there is no 'off' switch.

If I ignore her (no vocal or eye contact) she will stare intently at me, then bark at me and chases her tail at 100mph, clearly frustrated.

She will lie down and eat a rawhide bone for 20 minutes until deciding it needs to be buried.

I'll look up how to do scentwork, she loves to sniff. She is very food orientated, it's just if there's something more interesting (which is anything/everything) then she's off and unfocused.

Positive training has always worked for my dogs before; they would very rarely get told off, I would swap, re-direct or distract and was consistent with that. But none of that works with her. She's instantly back to what she was doing.

I want to say I don't think her behaviour is her fault, at all. She can't help it, she's being a dog.

I feel like I'm completely failing her and very close to breaking.

I really appreciate the replies, and wish I could be more positive with the suggestions - I know I must be coming across like a pessimist.

My friend has a rescue collie that is absolutely not interested in balls, whereas chasing, food and human people he loves.

My friend takes him on very long walks, but after that she doesnt play with him at all. She worked out that he has no off switch, so she has to encourage him to settle down. Would he settle on a lead next to you? I don't think the barking and tail chasing is frustration, more over tiredness. I get that from my puppy when he is tired not when he is bored. I wouldn't say my puppy plays with toys by himself either, it is more that he can enjoy them if I am in the same room, as long as I don't get into the habit of playing with them and him simultaneously, in which case you are setting yourself up to be in demand constantly.

It is actually a lot of work when you are first building up a bond, I'm sorry we are all saying it should be easier and to ignore, yes you are right you cannot just ignore and "leave" a dog that isn't had that input before. But perhaps there are ways of concentrating that input so you don't feel burnt out.

So if he likes playing with you a lot, then recall motivator could be a little play session, rather than just playing with him generally.

whereas chasing, food and human people he loves

She's the same, chasing is the best thing ever, all food should be hers and she adores people and will lick/jump/cuddle everyone.

in which case you are setting yourself up to be in demand constantly

That's exactly what I've done. She now expects 24/7 entertainment. So I shouldn't just play for 20 mins when she asks? (She'll bring me a cuddly toy to show me and run into the garden wanting me to follow).

She will settle if I'm on the computer and I close the living room door, but as soon as I move an inch she's up and expecting something. Velcro. If I ignore her she'll climb onto the dining room table. I have to remove her, so then she's winning by getting attention.

then recall motivator could be a little play session, rather than just playing with him generally

That's a really good idea. At the moment she doesn't have to work for anything really and I play on/off all day on demand. If I use 5 min play as rewards for recall training that might help? And I'll stop playing just randomly/when she wants?

I have to train my DH too. He's bloody useless with training (unless it's his rules like no dogs on sofa and no dogs upstairs) and he can't read her so he winds her up by being rough during play, rewards when she follows him, gets on her bed to cuddle her and stared her out yesterday because she was staring at him and she got really wound up barking (he's an idiot).

Actually she's much better with me when DH isn't home. Last week I decided to clean the house top-bottom when DH went out, I put some music on, happy calm vibes, and she did settle to sunbathe in the garden with no destruction or crying while I vacuumed. I'd forgotten that.

You poor thing. Young sighthounds / lurchers can be very full on.

Are you on any sighthound Facebook groups? Maybe you could put the word out that you’re after a play date with another sighthound. Others might be looking for exactly the same thing.

I think it is hard when you can’t give them off lead time. My whippet boy has had very limited running the last few weeks as he was injured in an accident at the park. He had staples in the wound with on lead walks only and since then I’ve been a bit hesitant to let him off the lead again. He’s pretty ratty at the moment and I really need to let him have a couple of proper runs this weekend to burn the energy off.

He’s also pretty tricky with some dogs. Gets right in their face to get them to chase him and is generally just asbo dog.

Have you looked into daycare in your area? Even if she just went once a week it would give you a day off and give her an outlet for her energy.

Finally, if she really is not as described and your setup doesn’t work then it may be that she has to go back. Not fair on either of you but as she’s still so young she’ll hopefully get another home.