Puppy going crazy - what to do?

[JosieJosie1]

We have a new pup - 2 months old. We’ve had him just over a week. We’re doing great with potty training and sleeping and we’ve also started sit/fetch-give and have some really good instructions on teaching him touch / leave it which we will start tomorrow. He can be a wee pet most of the time but he’s quite bitey as he’s teething.

About twice a day he just goes mental. Running around snapping at our legs, barking at us, growling at us. Doing laps of the garden.

How do we deal with this? I don’t want to shout at him. I don’t want to run away as he will chase me and think it’s a game. He bit my ankle quite badly just now out in the garden.

Any ideas????

When my puppy had the zoomies and was bitey and out of control it meant he was like an over stimulated over tired toddler and needed an enforced nap.

He got put into his crate when he would throw his bed about and then crash out to sleep emerging a nicer calmer puppy. With time you will recognise the trigger points so that they don't get to that over stimulated state.

Normal behaviour called the zoomies!

We use a licky mat to calm ours down, really works. Put it in the crate with him

For us that was a sign of nap time being needed too.

Yep our puppy went mental and it last a few months. Be prepared to have a few trousers, socks etc ruined while you get through it. As others have said generally means they are tired and need time out like something to chew on. A small frozen kong helps....definitely had me in tears a few times!

Same here. Does he have a crate or do you have somewhere enclosed you can put him to sleep? Mine used to cry and throw his bed around in his crate and then abruptly conk out.

Thanks all, we have a crate but I was told not to use it for punishment or put them in there against their will. So I will try put him in with a treat to chew on and see if he’ll calm down. It’s definitely frustrating. I always feel so bad for being annoyed at him.

Ah the dreaded zoomies, turns them into monsters. They do grow out of the hideous biting fairly quickly. Just disengage, give pup a toy and they should eventually crash.

Completely normal puppy behaviour. I ran round with mine..

Zoomies.

BastardDog still has moments of these and he is nearly 2.

My dog still does it after a bath and he had his 9th birthday last week!

Yep, they are tired and need to nap. So sometimes a chew toy, sometimes an enforced cuddle in the puppy cuddling chair, you start t9 realise that the6 are heading for cookies and intercept it sooner to encourage a nap. , still happens now she’s 17 weeks but it’s easier to deal with as she’s more likely to calm herself down.

Yep, overtired zoomies. My 7 year old still has zoomies

He doesn’t need all that training all at once, he’s just a little baby. It takes a year or more to teach a dog all he needs to know so no hurry.

Hi @Hovverry I was told you only have until they’re 14 weeks to train them before their behaviours largely become ingrained and difficult to change without extensive training! I’m feeling the pressure!

We had this before our pets got castrated and it was usually kickstarted by them going for a poo 😂 so we called it the poo poo dance 💩 anyway, keep an eye out if these bursts of energy are triggered by that. After they get 'done' it seemed to stop.. I think if he hurts you whilst he's in one of these manic episodes I would be firm with him (not crate or shout and definitely not hit) but just say in a cross, firm slightly louder voice (like with a child) and show him it hurt. We do that with our dog if he's been a bit overzealous and he gives us a lick to say sorry (bless him)

14 weeks? no way.....we got ours at 16 weeks and have taught him loads......'bang bang' is the best, he lies down and plays dead. the cutest thing

ours is triggered by post walk tiredness, and yes, a poo!!

I was told you only have until they’re 14 weeks to train them before their behaviours largely become ingrained and difficult to change without extensive training! I’m feeling the pressure!

Where did you hear that?

8-16 weeks is the main socialisation period but you can teach tricks at any age! Just be aware that what's cute in a puppy isn't always cute in an adult dog! If you wouldn't want a full grown dog doing something, don't let the puppy do it either.

I was told you only have until they’re 14 weeks to train them before their behaviours largely become ingrained and difficult to change without extensive training! I’m feeling the pressure!

I totally understand that pressure. However, I now realise that actually whilst that can help mould behaviours it actually isn't something that is set in stone.

My dog was ill for many months as a puppy that training took a back seat for a long period of time. He was a confident puppy but due to much needed vet admissions he became fearful which no amount of socialisation during that early window would have changed. It showed to me that whilst it helped it's not totally black and white.

Apart from recall, obedience training took a back seat as a puppy for us. We went back to a lot of obedience training as an adult post 2 years of age and he picked it up so quickly and easily at that age. In fact try and remember all those rescues that come with no training which turn out to be really well behaved dogs with the right owners, training and attention.

What I am trying to say is whilst it is totally beneficial to get in good experiences in those first few weeks it doesn't mean that once that period had closed it's downhill from there. Training is a marathon that is over the dogs lifetime rather than a sprint for the first 14 weeks.

I think maybe I have been confusing behaviour with socialisation regarding the urgent period. Thanks both for your insights! I will panic less haha.