Urgent advice...

[Lovemusic33]

Brought my rescue dog home just over a week ago, all was going well, he’s pretty nervous (or so it seemed) but seemed calm, followed me around, came to bed at night etc.l, the odd accident for the first 2 days. I was then taken I’ll and had to go to hospital for 3 days, my mum stayed at mine and looked after him, she said he was doing great and behaving well but having the odd crazy moment in the evening. I have been home a couple days and the dog is sleeping a lot during the day due to it being hot but at 9pm onwards he’s going absolutely crazy, bouncing off the walls, charging around the garden, trying to jump on me, refusing to settle at bed time. Last night I put him back downstairs and went to bed, he passed everywhere, at 2am I brought him back up to bed but he went crazy again, trying to nip me and jump up. Because I can’t risk him jumping on me (had surgery) I had to put him on the lead and sleep with him attached to me, he eventually went to sleep but has good crazy again this morning and peed all over the living room floor before eating his breakfast and falling asleep on the sofa. The back door was open when he pissed everywhere.

I know he needs walking but he hasn’t had his last vaccinations yet. I am unable to walk far or do much due to having surgery and I’m afraid he’s going to hurt me. During the day he’s pretty chilled and relaxed. He’s 10 months old staffie x and has had no training due to the circumstances he was rescued from but is meant to be house trained.

Please help me calm him down in the evenings?

He’s a lovely dog when he’s being good but the evenings are killing me and he’s going to hurt me or one of the dd’s.

[Booboostwo]

I didn’t assume anything. You were kind enough to volunteer some information about yourself and I reciprocated. BTW are you no longer happy to agree to disagree?

[Lovemusic33]

😐😐😐
Sorry if I have caused arguments.

Anyway, I have kept him awake for most of the day, he’s now sleeping and crazy hour is looming. We have visitors soon so he will get lots of attention, I will then take him for a walk as close to crazy hour as possible. He’s been an angel all day, pottering around the garden. I have taught him to stay when I open the stair gate and he’s been fine when I leave the room without him. No more accidents in the house (so far) but I know come 9pm all could change.

[OverFedStanley]

^^Lovemusic33 dont worry that is nothing for the dog house

I hope you have a quiet evening and relaxing night .

[Booboostwo]

Apologies for hijacking your thread OP - you have nothing to apologize for. Glad to hear it’s going better, that’s the main thing.

[adaline]

If you can't walk him, what about brain games and training?

If he hasn't had much or any training, you can just do the basics - sits, stays, lie down, wait - they're great for tiring a dog out as well as impulse control, and you can do tricks too - mine loves learning new things and it tires him out way more than a walk.

What food have you tried him with? Mine isn't remotely interested in plain kibble but will do anything for chicken or doggy sausages.

[Lovemusic33]

adaline he’s on wet food as he’s not interested in kibble, I will try using chicken as that maybe more interesting for him.

I walked him this evening and it was like walking a different dog than I took out this morning, I think he’s going to need a lot more work on lead walking in the coming days/weeks. It’s hard work walking him a shot distance but we will build it up and hopefully it will get easier.

I had so calming spray come in the post today and have sprayed it around, he’s had a quick play with his squeaky toy and is now asleep. Fingers crossed I will get sleep tonight.

[Booboostwo]

Other ideas for motivating him with food treats are cheese, sausage (those cocktail sausages DCs love as well), liver, ham and blood pudding. The food reward will help him overcome his fears (which are perfectly understandable since he hasn’t been socialized) and focus on you both as a source of commands but also as a source of security.

[Lovemusic33]

I will test out some new treats, he needs fattening up anyway 🤣
He slept all night on his back with his legs in the air, this morning he is full of beans so I will walk him in a bit and do some training throughout the day (off work sick so plenty of spare time).

[adaline]

Good luck OP!

When we took ours to puppy class they used tiny cubes of ham or chicken and my god it worked - he would do absolutely anything for it!