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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

What more should I be doing to entertain and tire out my puppy?!

57 replies

3AndADog · 16/11/2021 17:59

She’s a lovely natured 5 month cockerpoo, seems quite easy to train and has some really lovely days, but other days (like today) she just can’t calm down and I am doubting whether she’s getting enough stimulation/sleep/training.

Today we went for a 30 min off lead cliff walk after school run. Then she slept 1.5 hours in her crate while I did supermarket. Then we played for half hour in garden practised some tricks and recall, and I filled a cardboard box with loads of paper and treats and she demolished that. Then I scatter fed her her lunch in the garden. Curled up for an hours nap on the sofa. Played with my mum in the garden while I picked up the kids. Came in the car with me to kids activities and we had a slow amble on a training lead through a field for 30 mins while the DC were dancing. Came home and she’s just not stopped tearing around the kitchen and lounge for last hour and half. Jumping up at counters, jumped up when my MILcame in, zoomies round the kitchen table, stealing cutlery from the kitchen table, scavenging the builders rubbish in the garden and scaring the life out of me with what she finds and tries to eat - it’s just insane. Some days she’ll just settle and sleep off a walk. Days like today I wonder what we’re doing wrong. I know she probably needed more sleep but unless I sit and hold a chew in her mouth and stroke her for half an hour she hasn’t been able to settle.

Is this an ok sort of day, activity wise?

OP posts:

bargelights · 16/11/2021 23:34

I agree with PPs that your pup may be overtired so ensuring she naps during the day can be very helpful.

My current puppy is also 5 months old. I generally ignore the 5 minutes per month of age advice since I haven't seen any evidence that it is based in reliable research. Of course, I do limit his exercise to a certain extent. No long hikes yet, etc. But he romps in a field and plays with his doggy pals most days, in addition to some loose lead walking practice.

WeeM · 16/11/2021 23:42

I agree with PP, our trainer was very firm about them needing 18 hours of sleep a day until they are 1. It does sound like overstimulation. Ours was like this until we realised it was sleep she needed, some of the zoomies were epic lol! We had to enforce naps in the crate or she’d just keep going!

Sleepyhungryfattyanddoc · 16/11/2021 23:47

Doesn’t sound like you’re teaching her to settle and be calm. I don’t think she needs more activities I think she needs more sleep

thebestnamesweregone · 17/11/2021 00:07

That's loads, unfortunately puppies like kids recharge after their naps! It can be exhausting in the early days!

icedcoffees · 17/11/2021 07:19

[quote duvetdrama]@icedcoffees 18-20 hours of sleep a day for a 5 month old pup, really? I know that's how much they probably sleep as a tiny puppy but by 5 months if they sleep say 10pm-7am then another 11 hours during the day?!

It does sound like your pup needs a bit more rest...does she chew on anything as that often chills them and calms them down so a nap may follow?[/quote]
Yes - they need far more sleep than you imagine!

If they're in the zooming and biting stage it's because they're already over-tired. You need to catch it before it happens and get them to settle down before they get themselves worked up to a point where they can't switch off.

11 hours of sleep through the day isn't too abnormal for a puppy - a good couple of 3-4 hour sleeps plus dozing on the sofa or on your lap - it soon adds up.

Original poster

3AndADog · 17/11/2021 10:11

Wow so many replies. I think I knew the answer was over tired, and our trainer also says 18 hours sleep, so I am not surprised by the resounding replies. Seems so hard to achieve though.

Tbh she does get a fair bit - she collapses at 6.30pm on the sofa until we put her in her crate for bed, so effectively she has 12 hours at night. And then maybe 3 in the day. So not quite 18.

Our enforced nap is in the crate with a cover but we only really do 1.5 hours at a time as she starts barking around that point (goes in fine and settles initially). Also she struggles with separation so sleep out of the crate is hard as she gets up as soon as I do. So I’d have to sleep on the sofa with her half the day! And it feels wrong to put her in a crate for too much of the day when she’s in there all night. Puppy pen didn’t work for us as she just wailed at the bars and I couldn’t tough it out. As for chewing, she loves a yak chew but will only really give it any time if I actually hold it in her mouth for her 🤣 lazy girl. A Kong keeps her happy for a long time but doesn’t seem to relax her.

The reason I thought maybe I was not doing enough is I keep reading on here about new owners being naive about how much exercise and brain work a dog like mine needs. And I’m happy to do all of that otherwise we wouldn’t have got her. I guess that’s more relevant for an older dog?

I also get that puppies have zoomies and a witching hour, but yesterday I just felt like it was ALL DAY.

OP posts:

Original poster

3AndADog · 17/11/2021 10:12

Also someone mentioned cliff safety - I do keep her on a 10 metre lead while on the cliffs, (and all the other dog owners with off lead dogs look at me like I’m a nutter! I have had so much negativity about my long training lead from other owners!)

OP posts:

YanTanTetheraPetheraPimp · 17/11/2021 10:19

@icedcoffees

She sounds hugely overstimulated.

Puppies need around 18-20 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period, and it doesn't sound like she's getting anywhere near that much.

Definitely this ^^ Just like overexcited toddlers puppies don’t know how to switch off and you’re effectively winding her up more and more until she get completely bonkers. You need to enforce downtime or things will continue to escalate. I ignored our puppy when she was overtired, put on some soothing music, give her a chew or a Kong and just sit down with a book and coffee. It took a few days but now she settles herself after her morning walk for at least 2 hours (she’s 10 months old) and is generally far more chilled.

Rollaroundtheclock · 17/11/2021 10:26

We are having this with our 5 month old collie cross. The naps need to be enforced otherwise he would go and go and he’s not too keen on settling on his own yet but like you we can’t sleep on the couch all day with him. This week he was quiet and slept until lunch and then was a proper gremlin all afternoon. Yesterday was a win and how I wish every day could be and this morning it was a real battle for a nap until about 9.30am. The only thing that seems to make a difference is a small snuffle mat before going into his crate and he seems to go quickly once in. I’m hoping that the good days soon outweigh the bad but it’s bloody tough!

KurtWilde · 17/11/2021 10:31

My youngest dog is 18 months old now and going through the teenage years. He's better at settling for naps but if he gets too much exercise he won't wind down at all. I've had to resort to a pen in the kitchen and I basically just don't interact with him until he starts to calm down, and then he gets a pigs ear. He's slowly realising that he can't leap on counters and steal cutlery, and that chilling out gets him a reward. Too much excitement and he's an absolute pain.

Goawayangryman · 17/11/2021 10:39

Do puppies of 5 months really still need to sleep for 18-20 hours per 24? Mine doesn't get anywhere near that - maybe around 15 I'd guess. If she slept for 8 hours in the day she'd be marauding at night!

icedcoffees · 17/11/2021 11:13

@Goawayangryman

Yes, as a general rule you should aim for 18 hours. 20 is probably too much as a goal but 18 is easily achievable and shouldn't disrupt their night-time sleep habits either.

Luckymummytoone · 17/11/2021 11:31

My almost 5 month puppy needs loads of sleep in the day as well otherwise she’s very hyper and a total nightmare like you say.
They still need about 18 hours at this age but know it’s not always easy to do it in practice 🙈 xx

Luckymummytoone · 17/11/2021 11:34

Sorry have just seen your update 🙈

Goawayangryman · 17/11/2021 11:47

I genuinely don't think my dog needs that much sleep - 16 hours maybe, but not 18. She just... falls asleep now, when she's tired. The only time she has really slept for 18 hours is when she has been over-exercised (which is bad for her joints) or in the first 4-5 weeks of having her home with us. I guess it probably depends a bit on the individual dog.

LitCrit · 17/11/2021 12:09

This is really interesting. We have a 17 month old goldendoodle who seems to sleep voluntarily during the day for much longer now - we used to have to enforce at least one long nap a day.

Can I tack on a related question about stimulation which seems like the flipside of your question OP? I was wondering how much play/training/stimulation people give their under-2 dogs. Not cuddling or grooming - tug of war, treat hunts, find the toy etc plus shop-bought puzzles etc.
In terms of outside stimulation/exercise, mine has one walk of one and a half hours a day, much of which is chasing two balls but some of which is sniffing. I'd say we only do 2 x 10 minutes reliably per day at home and I'm worried that this isn't enough.

Roselilly36 · 17/11/2021 12:39

Off lead cliff walk? I wouldn’t do that with any dog and definitely not a puppy, I used to live very close to cliffs, the amount of dogs that went over chasing rabbits and seagulls was frightening.

bargelights · 17/11/2021 13:14

I agree @Goawayangryman. My pup usually sleeps about 16 hours a day and that seems fine for him.

icedcoffees · 17/11/2021 13:20

@Goawayangryman

I mean, it absolutely depends on the dog but as a dog walker the first thing I advise clients to look at when they say their puppy needs long walks is their sleep habits.

All really long walks will do is create a super fit dog who needs more walks to tire them out. Mine is almost four now and still only gets 60-90 minutes of exercise a day.

Could he do more? Absolutely, but long term, it doesn't actually tire him out anymore than a shorter walk does.

Coronawireless · 17/11/2021 13:25

@Goawayangryman

No of course they don’t! Lazy owners. A pp has a 2 year old Lab who, if it’s raining, gets just a few minutes in the garden for his exercise? If you are a very sedentary person who dislikes bad weather, please don’t get a large or working dog.

LitCrit · 17/11/2021 13:27

Actually sorry, wll start another thread.

icedcoffees · 17/11/2021 13:48

My working breed gets a maximum of 90 minutes per day because anything more than that hypes him up and he doesn't settle.

He even, shock, misses walks when the weather is horrendous. He hasn't exploded yet

KurtWilde · 17/11/2021 13:57

He even, shock, misses walks when the weather is horrendous. He hasn't exploded yet

Haha this made me chuckle. Mine hate the rain (large working breed) and only set foot outside for a pee on those days. Shockingly all fit and healthy despite the lack of exercise on those days

icedcoffees · 17/11/2021 14:05

@KurtWilde

He even, shock, misses walks when the weather is horrendous. He hasn't exploded yet

Haha this made me chuckle. Mine hate the rain (large working breed) and only set foot outside for a pee on those days. Shockingly all fit and healthy despite the lack of exercise on those days

Same here!

He also shows impressive bladder-holding skills when he realises the alternative is going out in the rain

KurtWilde · 17/11/2021 14:40

He also shows impressive bladder-holding skills when he realises the alternative is going out in the rain

Yep that too, which is particularly clever as other more inopportune times displays the bladder of a 6 week old pup 😂

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