He's so hyper...will it never end?

[juliefurry]

Someone has hit the energy switch on Elwood the past month! We just can not get him to calm down! He's 6 months old and he doesn't walk, or run anywhere, he literally FLIES! Training is a no go anymore because he just won't sit still long enough. I do sessions during his walks and it's really hard. How in the heck can I get him to settle down? I am pulling my hair out he is driving me nuts! We can't even pet him because you touch him and he starts running in circles and being a goof!

 

[malmo]

Awww... in hindsight, those days are really funny. I remember, though, at the time they were really aggrivating. My Milo is a little tiny dog, and I remember wailing to my friends that I had just wanted a fluffy puppy to curl up and read with! Well, I didn't think I'd ever have it. Just when I had accepted that Milo was going to be the world's craziest dog ever, he suddenly settled down!

It was really close to his 2nd birthday, and all of a sudden it was like someone just twisted the dimmer switch down. He could sit for a while with me and relax. He was really pleasant to be around. Now he is 5 years old, and very mellow. It takes a lot of work to get him riled up!

Here are some things that helped me during Milo's puppyhood:

Don't give up on training all together. I would try to train Milo only after a long walk when he was a little more wiped out and could settle a bit. I also focused mostly on the big stuff -- manners, etc. -- because his attention span was too short for little stuff like tricks and such.

I had to keep reminding myself of how exciting it must be to have 4 legs and finally enough coordination to use them all!

At this time, I did a "picture a day" project with Milo. He was changing so fast and I needed a way to put a positive spin on his energy. Friends and family enjoyed as I blogged from "psycho dog."

I'd say your dog just has puppy zoomies -- and they DO end, with time. I've heard that they end much faster for larger breeds for smaller, so I doubt you're in for 2 years of it as I was. For now, though, hang in there! Take comfort in the idea that the more he runs crazy, the more tired he'll get and you'll have little stretches of peace. Try to find games that you can both enjoy so that you'll enjoy this time and have something to look back and laugh at.

 

[Zoom]

YOu can channel that crazy energy into training games. Make this a good opportunity to learn fetch...run like mad after a toy, run like mad to bring it back , that sort of thing.

It's a really bad, bad idea to give up on training altogether, because what habits he learns now are the habits he's going to probably end up keeping.

 

[juliefurry]

YOu can channel that crazy energy into training games. Make this a good opportunity to learn fetch...run like mad after a toy, run like mad to bring it back , that sort of thing.

It's a really bad, bad idea to give up on training altogether, because what habits he learns now are the habits he's going to probably end up keeping.

I haven't stopped completely with the training but I do it while on his walks we'll walk I have him do a sit and then we'll continue then later we'll do a down and continue. Just when he's in the house he's flying every where. He does fetch, just doesn't bring the toy back. He run and chase it but then will run right at you like he's bringing it back and then will just fly right by. I want to enjoy him at some point . Ele was the same way with the energy and attention span but we knew being a collie she probably would be. I figured with the same amount of exercise as the other dogs he would be fine but it seems like he has an iv of energy drinks stuck in him somewhere.

 

[bubbatd]

Hate to say it Julie , but it has a lot to do with breeding . Grand -Golden Seger was a gentleman at that age ..... usually they do a 360 at a year .... have you looked into obedience ??

 

[juliefurry]

Hate to say it Julie , but it has a lot to do with breeding . Grand -Golden Seger was a gentleman at that age ..... usually they do a 360 at a year .... have you looked into obedience ??

I have but don't have a babysitter. I am talking to a trainer who will come to the house once a week for $40 an hour and we may do that or we will look back into the person that we had help us with Hannah. The woman that charges a little more I think is a little better. It's really frustrating because I know he can sit, lay down, stay and wait but he just can't concentrate right now. He was just recently neutered too so I don't know if maybe that would have something to do with it. Hormones or something still leaving his system?

 

[malmo]

YOu can channel that crazy energy into training games. Make this a good opportunity to learn fetch...run like mad after a toy, run like mad to bring it back , that sort of thing.

It's a really bad, bad idea to give up on training altogether, because what habits he learns now are the habits he's going to probably end up keeping.

I was alarmed at how much of Milo's training really was getting through when I thought it wasn't. When he was finally able to calm down, he remembered everything he'd learned and, surprisingly, even more.

Good luck!

 

[smkie]

Victor was insane with energy at that age. We used bubbles to help bring him down, lots of walks and places to run at least twice a day. Now he is a lazy ol man at 3 and i wonder where all that went! Training is critical at this stage keep up don't let up.

 

[Fran27]

Boris was crazy until 1 1/2, but he's still crazy depending on the circumstances.

We had no problem starting training him at 10 weeks when we got him though.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

Sounds like he needs to be stimulated. 5 months and full of so much energy- he needs walks, mind activities, challenges, etc.. Obedience is a great way to counter that energy as it requires that he focus.

 

[Charliesmommy]

When I got Charlie neutered the vet told me it takes about 60 days for it to really have an effect hormone-wise. And seriously, after 2 months, it was like somebody magically turned off his high speed button. He calmed down immensely. He was about 10 months old at the time though so that may have had something to do with it as well.

Pups go through stages and there isn't much you can do about it - just exercise, exercise, exercise and try to wear them out. It WILL get better.

 

[juliefurry]

Well hopefully I have figured something out. I have figured out how to get him in and extra walk during the day and we're going to try and find him mentally stimulating toys (which isn't bad I love going to the food store ). I also set up a time during the week and I'm going to call the trainer that charges a little more and set up an appointment for that day.

 

[malmo]

Good luck! I'd love to hear how it goes...

 

[dojo]

The dog I rescued 5 months ago was really too hyper .. but still funny. My dog is old (8 years old) and too calm.. the puppy was a bit harder to work with in the first days, but I enjoyed it. It reminded me of Juni when he was a puppy

 

[kidsanddogs]

I agree that training is still good. What I like to do is fill his agile mind with everything he can handles. Teach him tricks - lots of them. They're fun and you can do them in short periods of time for short attention spans. The interactive toys are energy lifesavers. Get several and trade them out to keep him interested.

If your dog won't bring back a tennis ball, cut a slit in it and put treats in there. Show him what's inside and he'll be bringing it back to you before you know it because that's the way he'll get the treats. It works like a gem, unless he just runs away with it. If he does that, put him on a 30 ft leash and draw him back to you and reward him with a treat from the ball. Make sure he sees what you're doing.

Another thing you can do it turn on the music and just dance around with him. Fast movements. Teach him that if he follows along with you there are little treats in your pocket. My dog loves dancing and will do anything to get me to turn on the music. Good luck!

 

[squirtsmom]

Baby iwll have a period every day, where she has the zoomies. We either take her outside with Erika to play ball, or if it is too hot, I throw her toys and we play f etch. It really wears her out.

 

[bubbatd]

Julie ... Chip was re homed to me for the same reason . They tried to wear him out with play and he was pleasing them . Goldens ( at least the ones I've had ) really take on the family attitude ..... they are basically couch potatoes ! Rile them up and they don't know when to stop . At least the pups don't . Please don't do stimulating play !!!

 

[MafiaPrincess]

Hate to say it Julie , but it has a lot to do with breeding . Grand -Golden Seger was a gentleman at that age ..... usually they do a 360 at a year .... have you looked into obedience ??

Being on dog two, I really think there is something to do with breeding and behaviour.. Cider is crappily bred (not that I love her any less) and was an absolute terror. You could walk her, train her, fetch hour after hour and she never settled down at all, climbed the walls, ate the bed in her crate. Acted like we hadn't done anything in a day when I'd spent half the day trying to tire her.

For a first dog.. I got something so difficult there were a few times I nearly crashed and burned and wanted to give up.. Part of my terror in the weeks pre Smudge coming home was the years of terror..

Cider just after turning 2 became a dog that was handleable.. Didn't get into everything if you turned your back, could lay down in a room if you weren't watching her and settle.. But took 2 really hard years to get there, and at almost 3.. Things are good good..

I've had Smudge 2 weeks. He is nothing like Cider was. At all. He actually naps. He tires after doing stuff and isn't climbing my walls.. He may be young, but he's not constantly getting into endless trouble. He may become more of a challenge as he grows.. but it's really made me think a dog's breeding accounts for some of it. And helps me to avoid bybs like the plague in future.