New puppy is so high energy. I'm exhausted

[FiveRings]

I've got an almost 3 month old puppy.

We've had her nearly 4 months.

She's absolutely beautiful but gosh she's very boundy and bitey and scrabbly.

I spend my days deflecting from the biting and tugging and scrabbling by passing her enrichment toys and kibble on the guise of puzzles, which she'll take, solve and be back over at me scrabbling for the next one so quickly. Its absolutely exhausting.

She sleeps exceedingly well 10+ hours a night and then a few 2ish hours naps in the day. As I sense one of these naps coming, I'll leave the house and she self settles well for that couple of hours.

It's predominantly me caring for her all day though I try to escape for another couple of hours in the evening when DH is home.

Any reassurances, suggestions, or advice for more occupying enrichment puzzles please?

I was wondering about overstimulation too.

I didn't use crates for my other 2 dogs so hadn't considered.

How would you recommend starting and using.

The vaccination issue is because the breeder vet used a different variety than ours. So I went for vaccination at 12 weeks and our vet says it was in effect starting afresh. Though they thought she'd be fully cover by their first vax in most cases, but not covered for lepto till 1 week after their second vax 😢

Should I give her 3 meals but just less in each meal and use the reserved kibble as enrichment?

@FiveRings I missed that update! You know the deal! But I think it is easy to forget how hard puppies can be and you just need encouragement to push on through and keep going 💪 she is absolutely gorgeous and makes me want to add to my brood 😂😂

Yes encouragement and reassurance!

"This too shall pass"

😂

Can you take her out in a puppy carrier? A walk round the block in one of those has just exhausted my 10 week old spaniel

Get some gravy bones as training treats. Differentiate between meals and rewards.

It is perfectly fine to use her meal as treats throughout the day. So if you want her midday meal to be used for treats do so.

I would also say that you can chill out a bit. Let the puppy do nothing , you do not need to be her entertainment manager all the time.

You said she self settles when on her own. I would be encouraging this.

Of course she needs little short bursts of activity, but do not feel you have to be doing stuff with her all day long. You do not need to, chill breathe and relax you may find that she does too.

I just want to say - stop putting so much pressure on yourself.

She sleeps 10+ hours a night and happily settles alone for her naps during the day - that's amazing for three months old.

By all means use enrichment toys and do some training, but don't feel pressured to do it 24/7. Do more "normal" day to day things and get her to just accompany you round the house or in a sling while you head out instead.

Having trained working gun dogs for 40 years I beg to differ

Is she too heavy to carry? I used to take my spaniel pup out in a blanket when waiting for him to be fully vaccinated. Walked bloody miles with him in my arms, went on the bus, to the shops, to my work and DS’s school. He had a great time and was absolutely knackered afterwards.

@justasking111

you can 'differ' all you like, it doesn't make you right!

@FiveRings

i cross posted with your photo earlier. She is. ADORABLE.

you have enough things to try now. But I'd definitely teach her 'bed'.

what do you use 'touch' & 'middle' for???

THIS TOO SHALL PASS!!

The 'Crate' debate... I was advised to get a crate {Whippet}
Had never used one for previous dogs.

She did use it, {Covered with a blanket to make a den} then I got fed up of having the crate in the living room, and she got out of the habit of using one.

She is also too big now for it, so if you DO buy a crate, get one big enough.

Crates are good if one has to pop out, as you can be sure that they can't hurt themselves by chewing on a flex or similar.

If they ever have to go to the vets for spaying or whatever, they will be in a big crate or kennel, so getting them used to one early is a good idea.

Pups are a lot of work, but sounds like yours can be left for a little while, which is very good.

Too many young dogs get separation anxiety, often made worse by their humans.

I used to feel a bit '' Oh!'' if my young dog took herself off to sleep in another room, but it's a sign of a secure dog.

Ones that are your shadow and very clingy {where you can't even go to the loo in peace} are often insecure.

Separation anxiety is no joke for dog or owner.

Edit...How to use a crate {seen at Dog event!...Child put themselves in the Pup's crate!

A good alternative to this is to drive them around, and go and sit with the car boot open somewhere like a car park or a nature reserve and just let them observe the world around them - our beagle was too heavy to carry but he loved a car ride and he always came home exhausted.

Then surely you should know that gravy bones are far too big to be used as a treat when training (even if broken in half).
You need something absolutely tiny, so kibble is fine if taking off her daily food allowance.

Gravy bones aren't recommended for puppies. As a "gundog trainer of 40 years" I would have thought you'd know that.

You put them in a bag, bash with a rolling pin voila tiny reward treats. To differentiate between food and reward for cleverness.

She’ll be better once she can go out.

Sounds a bit overstimulated, all those puzzles and treats. You both need some chill time in the day. Get a crate, they find their own safe space reassuring.

She’s gorgeous and puppies are hard work, relentless, enjoyable, crazy, lovely, tiring etc etc

Come and join up in the Puppy Survival thread for more tips and advice, empathy etc.

Red wine helps.

Agreed...Especially as ZERO advice given as to how to help manage a Retriever Puppy.
I've not had a retriever type, {only Sighthounds} but puppies need a lot of calm - and sleep -They like short bursts of brain activity

''Go Seekit!'' where little treats are hidden around the room - getting progressively harder to find- Lots of praise when they find it.

Getting her to retrieve her toys and bring them to you..

@FiveRings Our first ever dog many years ago was a young Lurcher...aged about 12? weeks {Still had puppy teeth}
I carried her home from the dog's home, and put her in the living room - she did a massive wee, {Missing the only bit not covered by newspapers} leapt the coffee table in one bound, then ''Wall of Death'ed'' it around the room like a maniac.

I did think ''What the hell have I done'' and went to make a coffee. { Also January so dark and cold outside}

Came back in and said to son 'Where's the puppy?' as it was all quiet.

Pup was curled up asleep beside him.

She would do crazy 'zoomies' in the garden but was a delight to train. Her brain was like a sponge..soaking up new info.

I did carry her around in my arms 'til vaccinations were effective.

Pic of later demented puppy playing with her sister at a meet up in garden.

Absolutely gorgeous. Not a fan of treats or crates myself but I'm border collies so very different breed. Pup does sound a bit over stimulated though.

Our first Lurcher was very likely a small percentage of Collie {she was a dream to train- the brainiest dog I've ever had- You could twitch a little finger and she'd act upon it.
However.. she was relentless.. needed loads of work to keep happy.
She was known at the local RSPCA shop ''As our best customer for balls''
That was just a small percentage of Collie.
A full blood Border needs either a working home on a Farm or someone dedicated to doing very active things with them.

Border Collies in lazy 'Pet' homes are a complete no no. So unfair on the poor dog.

Hi there,

Absolutely no advice, but owner of three Labrador Retrievers here. Bugger me what a trio of dickheads they were when they were puppies. The teeth, the eating stuff, the flying around without any paw touching the floor, the chewing, the teeth, the zoomies inside the house, oh, did I mention the teeth?

You were me almost 12 months ago to the day- one day I just sat there in tears whilst the puppy/maybe crocodile charged around manically with my 44kg 8yo following suit 🙃

But honestly, just take a deep breath. As long as they aren’t actually harming themselves then have a minute and a cup of tea. I promise you in 6 months time you will look at them and be like, oh my god, where’s my little puppy gone 😫 and you will have a lovely golden floof to cuddle whilst reminiscing “fondly” about all the twatty things they did when they were young. ❤️❤️

And yes, the latest one’s vaccines were delayed for same reason. So I just carried her about for little trips out to see traffic/ kids playing etc etc. Mine are bloody big labs though, so even at that age they had to be brief 🤣🤣🤣 I’m not Ironman fgs