Hello everybody! I would like some opinions/advice please. Almost two weeks ago we adopted a little pup retriever and chocolate lab cross from the shelter. She is almost 14 weeks now. Every night since she got here she doesn't fail to have a "going crazy" hour. She runs around the house bumping into everything, jumping on everything accompanied with growling, barking and snapping at us. It is quite scary I read the article here explaining that running around and bumping is normal. Is barking and snapping normal too? What is the most probable reason for that? Is she overexcited and needs more rest; or is she not getting enough exercise? I try to keep her out of the crate as much as I can after her supper (5 pm), playing with her, going for a walk, etc. - I am wondering if I should squeeze in a nap before she is down for the night (9 pm). Please, help!
Re: Running like crazy and biting It's normal behaviour and don't worry she will grow out of it. I had two. They are now three and still have moments of madness but when they were your pups age they would race about like nutters. If you go on the main web site www.labradorsite.com and put puppy in the search box you will find lots of articles addressing your problem especially the biting bit. : Good luck and have fun with your pup. ;D
Re: Running like crazy and biting Hi Elena,lovely to see you here on the Forum.youve come to a great place for advice .Its a fantastic thing you've done taking on a young dog from a shelter but it won't come without some challenges as you can't be sure or know what's happened before. I live in Dubai and we imported our boy at 20 weeks .....we had what we called ' the prowl' early evening and other forum members have experienced this too.we didn't have a lot of the behaviours you are describing as he was a little,older but we definitely had a massive surge of energy,which resulted in activity that he would never have done through the day ....so bearing in mind your pup is younger,acclimitasing to a new home and exhibiting normal excitable puppy behaviour relevant to her age....my opinion is that you shouldn't be too worried,you just have to find ways to ride the storm Tell us a little bit more about what her day is like before 5 pm,what's her schedule ?whats her name ;D It can feel a bit chaotic and overwhelming at first even when you have planned and planned ( like we did ;D) so don't despair ,advice will come Best wishes Angela and Dexter 23 months old
Re: Running like crazy and biting Hello, a warm welcome to the forum from me. Yup, as Jen and Angela say, it's normal. It's just a fun thing for a puppy to do - what's not fun about running around like a crazy thing, and (in her eyes) pulling at you, and shouting at you, to get you to play too (you boring thing, just stood there instead of joining the party)? ;D ;D ;D Catching the puppy (if you can) and gently putting her somewhere quiet and dark for a few minutes (not long, a minute or so) to calm down is a good idea. They do grow out of it. Not entirely completely but the barking and snapping stops. I call them "bum runs" in our house. Some call them "butt tucks". It's like they do a gallop with their bums tucked in. My boy does them from time to time still. Thankfully, these days mainly in the garden.
Re: Running like crazy and biting Thank you very much! Her name is Charlie. She is very comfortable with the crate - that where she sleeps at night and naps during the day. 5:30 am - I get her up to go potty outside, back in the crate so I can do my morning routine. 6 am - out of the crate, breakfast, go potty if she didn't poop earlier, hang out with me in the house. I used to take her for a walk, but after reading that at her age 15 minutes of exercise is enough - I hesitate. 7 am - nap in the crate 8:30/8:45 - go potty outside, play in the yard or in the house 10 am - nap in the crate 12 pm - lunch, go potty, play in the yard or inside 1:30 pm - nap in the crate 3/3:30 pm - go potty, play outside or inside 4:30 pm - nap in the crate 5/5:15 pm - supper, go potty, play outside/inside 7 pm - running around like crazy 7:30/8 pm - go potty, walk, play inside 8:30 pm - she usually is very tired and is trying to go to bed while I am trying to make her pee the last time before she is down for the night. 11:45 pm - my husband gets home but she doesn't pay much attention to him, just continues sleeping. As I am writing this it seems to me that logically there supposed to be a nap at around 7 pm, don't you think? Maybe that's why she is going crazy :/ Most of the time she is very mellow and content, bites and grabs on clothes all the time, learnt very quickly where to go potty and would come to the back door is she needs to go (most of the time), will respond to "sit", walks pretty good on the leash, ate my flip-flops I run a day home (child care in my home) and kids don't seem to bother her too much - she doesn't react to noise, running and all the activity that comes with six kids in the house I don't let her loose around the kids - but she walks up to them, licks, gets in the pool with them while on the leash and I am pretty sure she is going to be amazing while we are on the other side of biting stage She also is very easily excited and pees big puddles when she meets people - our vet checked her and said that she is in good health though - I am not worried about peeing too much. The first few mornings she would pee while I was getting her out of the crate in the morning - but that passed now. I would be perfectly fine with "bum runs" - I find it hilarious actually - if it wasn't combined with biting
Re: Running like crazy and biting Hi Elena! Just wanted to say Hi and welcome to the forum. Sounds like pretty normal behaviour to me too! Jac and Lilly (4 year old black girl)
Re: Running like crazy and biting Welcome Elena, from me and Pongo the puppy (nearly eight months old now). Nothing to add except to say that yes, we had the same thing.... hang in there, it really does pass, and although you'll feel it is lasting for EVER it's sorted in a few weeks. Honest. Rosie
Re: Running like crazy and biting She sounds like a really lovely pup And totally normal. The 'crazy hour' is just what they do I think.... My dog is 2 and a half and he still gets a bit 'prowly' round 7pm - but a short, 10 minute period of training beforehand always works wonders and after that he settles down to sleep on the sofa instead of prowling. When she meets people do you think the peeing is just excitement or does she seem a bit nervous? If it's just excitement it's probably because bladder control isn't that fantastic at a young age.
Re: Running like crazy and biting Thank you everybody for reassurance I really appreciate your sharing. This forum is a wonderful place indeed! I don't think she gets nervous when she meets new people - just pure excitement through peeing I think her bladder is very weak, because for the first few days she joined us she would pee herself in her sleep. Now she doesn't do it anymore. When we took her to the vet for a check up, he looked for infection, but that wasn't it. She is just a baby
Re: Running like crazy and biting Hi Elena, I have the same mad half hour with Chepi, she is like a whirlwind racing with bum tucked under her and has nipped at clothes as part of it. Since she started day care for 3 days a week she has been all played out and doesn't do it so much. I also (on a no day care day) will take her to a field, off lead, so she can run around me. I have to watch the 15 min walk rule but I figure that driving to the field and letting her go for it for 15 mins is a good thing, and it's a trip out for both of us. Outside in the garden I have found water play helps too, filling up her makeshift paddling pool she will play with the water coming out of the hose. I am not good with crating her in the day for naps; she just sleeps when she wants to and bed time is 11 pm to 6 am (she is just coming up to 14 weeks). I think we are just doing what works for us and I am sure it will be different for everybody. Good luck!
Re: Running like crazy and biting Hi. As others have said it is very normal! My spaniel is 3 and still sometimes has these 'mad moments' !! If you are worried that what she is doing and where she is doing it could cause her to injure herself then I would teach her "ENOUGH" or "STOP" . It is good for puppies and adult dogs to learn a command for stopping a behaviour. Hope this helps. Chloe
Re: Running like crazy and biting Charlie used to do "excitement pees". Ahhh....(although I'm not sure I thought it sweet at the time : ). He peed on my neighbour's shoes once, he was that pleased to meet her. I don't think she is so keen on him.
Re: Running like crazy and biting Hi Elena - yes we went through 'happy hour' too when Molly was younger, but it will pass. It sounds as if your puppy is coming along really well and it's great she's getting used to children.
Re: Running like crazy and biting By the way, Elena, don't be too constrained by the 15 minute rule. I think most on this forum would agree it applies when you are taking the puppy for a walk where you set the pace (for example, on a lead) and especially on hard surfaces. When she's playing off-lead she'll naturally stop and rest all the time when she needs it - so if you can take her for a walk where she can go off-lead and set her own pace, you can let her run around for more than 15 mins.
Re: Running like crazy and biting Hi and welcome to the forum! Would love to see a photo of Charlie… she sounds gorgeous. Retriever and chocolate cross, yummy!!!
Re: Running like crazy and biting Cooper (5 months) still has his "witching hour(s)" because there are two for him....one in the morning after he has gone out to do his business and after he has breakfast and the other around 6:30 again after his dinner meal. He likes to bite .... so I crate him for a few minutes and he does calm down. He has done this since I brought him home at 8 weeks old. It is more subdued now but I can almost set my watch from his behavior! Crating them is a wonderful way to get them out of danger!! Dont need to leave them in long....unless they fall asleep...but it does the trick. Good luck!! And welcome to this wonderful Forum.
