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Original poster

Puppy

31 replies

user1457017412 · 30/11/2020 21:11

Hello, I’ve a 10wk old puppy who has been with us for a week and a half. She sleeps fairly well at night and a couple of solid naps during the day. At the start and end of the day she is frantic and I am feeling quite trapped by her. She’s in the kitchen mostly and is v hyper in the morn and from 5pm onwards.

This evening we have left her in the kitchen since 8ish as she was just manic - lots of mouthing, frantic sniffing an unable to settle. She wined for a bit but then went to her crate so think she was overtired

She is due to get 2nd vaccines this week. Do things ease up a bit when they can get out for walks? Just now it feels a bit like cabin fever and being hemmed in.

All advice welcome!

OP posts:
GiraffeNecked · 30/11/2020 21:21

Zoomies, biting etc, all usually mean tired.they need to sleep a lot more than they think they do!

It gets much better once you can take them out.

Brain games are good, we used to tie a few treats in a frozen tea towel, or put some in an egg box, or used toilet roll inner, or make a ice lolly treat in a plastic tub...frozen meat juice. Kongs are good. Or a box with treats and screwed up paper. These all tire them out.

GiraffeNecked · 30/11/2020 21:22

They are only tiny now, and it does get better.

Original poster
user1457017412 · 30/11/2020 21:24

Thank you!

OP posts:
vanillandhoney · 30/11/2020 21:39

More sleep!

Puppies need about 18-20 hours of sleep a day.

Original poster
user1457017412 · 30/11/2020 21:59

She’s definitely not getting that much! I will try and be a bit more regimented re naps

OP posts:
Literallynoidea · 30/11/2020 23:11

Make her sleep more. Put her in her crate and shut the door.

GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 01/12/2020 06:39

Some are nightmares till you can take them out. Do you have friends with vaccinated dogs and decent-sized gardens that you can visit? Half an hour of that should wear her out.

Derbee · 01/12/2020 08:56

A 10 week old puppy shouldn’t be awake for very much longer than an hour at a time. Chances are, the manic behaviour is over tiredness.

vanillandhoney · 01/12/2020 09:03

@user1457017412

She’s definitely not getting that much! I will try and be a bit more regimented re naps
Yep, enforced naps/down time are the answer. Does she sleep in her crate? I would start popping her in there regularly for naps through the day.
Original poster
user1457017412 · 01/12/2020 09:23

Thanks - she does sleep in her crate but usually starts off on the floor. We haven’t been putting her in the crate and haven’t closed the door on it. Should we?

OP posts:
Anna713 · 01/12/2020 09:32

If it's any consolation my 10 week old puppy is exactly the same. He's just fallen asleep thank goodness and I've come back to bed to read mumsnet in peace. I'm just praying he will be better when he has his 2nd vaccinations later this week and I can take him out. I'm exhausted and I dont have children to look after.

SpreadHummusNotHate · 01/12/2020 09:44

We have a 9 week old puppy and I feel exactly the same - totally overwhelmed. Counting down till second jabs and hoping that helps a bit when we can take her out! Now it’s her second week with us I am trying to be stricter about enforcing some naps in the crate, she never seems to know when she’s tired just gets more and more manic!

GiraffeNecked · 01/12/2020 09:57

@user1457017412

Thanks - she does sleep in her crate but usually starts off on the floor. We haven’t been putting her in the crate and haven’t closed the door on it. Should we?
Depends if you want her fully crate trained or not I think. We weren't fussed about leaving her in the crate when we were out.

We did shut the door at night - as that helped with toilet training and she didn't mind. But she rarely went in the crate in the day.

We just made sure she had 'her space' to go to sleep in the day - where she wouldn't be disturbed - and we'd quite often sit with her on our lap till she went to sleep if she was being particularly resistant.

At a year old now she's calm, takes herself off to her bed for a nap in the day and takes herself off to bed at about 8pm most nights. And grumpily gets up for a final pee before we go to bed.

GiraffeNecked · 01/12/2020 09:57

the facebook group dog training advice and support is really good on stuff like this in the puppy modules.

GiraffeNecked · 01/12/2020 09:58

Oh, and I was utterly exhuasted at the stage you are at now and really questioning the decision to get a puppy. Honestly it rapidly gets much easier!

Original poster
user1457017412 · 01/12/2020 09:59

Thanks for the reassuring posts. It is a relief to know that it’s not just me that feels overwhelmed! Will definitely try and enforce the naps. It does feel like having a baby but without the mat leave.

@SpreadHummusNotHate how are you finding putting the pup in the crate?

OP posts:
SpreadHummusNotHate · 01/12/2020 10:09

She wasn’t too bad at night from the start - although obviously we still have to take her out a couple of times because she can’t hold it yet. My husband slept downstairs near the crate for the first few nights as we decided we didn’t want the dog in the bedroom.

Just trying to get her used to it in the day now (so I can get some work done!) and she is getting better. We are feeding her meals in there and playing in there so she seems to like it more now. When she’s sleepy I am putting a blanket over the top so she can’t see and going to the next room as she gets too distracted otherwise.

Had to do a bit of tough love and let her cry for a few minutes a few times but it is improving Smile. Was easier to do this with my husband here at first as I’m too soft and end up crying too Blush

It gets a bit better every day. Puppy training class starts first week of January too Smile

I had done so much research and we’d thought about it for ages but turns out I still wasn’t prepared for the upheaval but sure we’ll get there!

vanillandhoney · 01/12/2020 11:19

@user1457017412

Thanks - she does sleep in her crate but usually starts off on the floor. We haven’t been putting her in the crate and haven’t closed the door on it. Should we?
If you're home with her, I'd say now is the ideal time to get her crate trained if that's what you want long term.

There's loads of guides to it online, but the general idea is that you have to take it at a pace the puppy is happy with 😊

Original poster
user1457017412 · 01/12/2020 18:36

Thanks everyone - lots of food for thought and reassurance!

OP posts:
Planty13 · 01/12/2020 19:21

Going through the same here OP! My pup is only napping about 1/2 hrs a day and can keeping for 5/6 hours with lots of nipping and OTT play. The sleep thing makes sense now! She sleeps off/on an evening from 8pm ish with us leaving her down stairs in her crate from 11pm-6am.

Original poster
user1457017412 · 01/12/2020 19:49

We got a new chew and used that tonight when kids were eating which seemed to be a good distraction. Also left her alone for a couple of longer naps during the day - which I think helped us all! She’s sparked out now in the kitchen so I’m leaving her there. Feels amazing to have a bit of calm and peace this evening.

OP posts:
Jayne35 · 03/12/2020 14:14

We have a 17 week old cocker and she still does this as exactly those times. We started putting her in bed in another room early evening as the scratching and biting got too much. It is a little better now as she takes herself off to the other room when she is tired.

Our trainer recommended a Kong with peanut butter, primula cheese or baby food in as licking is relaxing for them (as they lie down to do it).

mklanch · 03/12/2020 14:17

what breed if dog do you have? some have alot more energy than others. have a big play with her twice daily until your able to take her on walks. that should calm her down some

WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 03/12/2020 14:23

I'm very disappointed at the lack of puppy photos on this thread.

Honestly, you'd think posters would know better by now,,..

🙄😳🤣

Jayne35 · 03/12/2020 14:28

Here is our pup, this photo was taken at 9 weeks though so she is a bit bigger now.

Puppy
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