I'm still struggling a little with having Loki but it's getting better for the most part. All seems cool when everyone is at home or even when I'm home alone with the kids. However, when my husband is out and kids in bed roughly between 8pm and 10:30pm, he's a different dog. We don't allow him to jump up on the sofa so during the day, at times, we sit on the floor with him for interaction, cuddles etc. Sometimes he likes to chill on his thermal mat or play on his other mat or in his crate. But come this time of day when we're alone, he constantly jumps up like a kangaroo and cries or barks. Then tries to jump up to the sofa. If he distract him to get down or ignore him, he bites/nips my feet. If I get down on the floor with him, he's nipping at me again. I can't relax. I've asked my hubby what he's like when I'm not there and he said he's calm. Nods off under his legs or next to his feet. Last night, his nipping actually drew blood for the first time. I try not to put him in his crate in these instances as I don't want it seen as punishment. It's an open plan living room so can't Corden off a section. I feel so sad again that this horrible trapped feeling is still lingering. Everyday I feel regret as much as I'm trying so hard
My practical experience doesn't start for another 8 days (AND COUNTING!!) so I'm sure more seasoned veterans should be listened to first but! Working on default calmness/higher value distractions might be a good approach. I've watched pretty much every video on this channel twice in prep: It may also be an idea to setup a pen for him (e.g. https://www.petplanet.co.uk/product_group.asp?dept_id=774&pg_id=4145). Again, not to be used for punishment but somewhere to work on calm behaviours and you can withdraw attention if he starts acting up.
Yep it the labrador puppy witching hour. Lots of us have experienced this before bed restless silly over excited behaviour. It's as iF they are over tired but have this energy that they need to get rid of. Moo was so bad at this age we had to put my oldest dog on the sofa and protect him cushion's. You are his main carer so l his focus of attention. you are his everything so he tries out stuff on you he wouldn't with others. I tried various ways to distract I scattered food so they could were themselves out hunting it and gave the pup a khong. With Rory to get him to settle and relax I would just massage him and calm him that way. I put animal programmes on the TV he loves them. It's hard but normal and most of us have experienced it. He will grow out of it honestly. It's just a phase they embrace life at this age but usually ends up in their mouths. They are just silly overtired pups.
This will change but is totally normal at this age - evening craziness! I just play with my pups at this time when they are little. Then, at five months old, I expect them to settle from 9pm ‘till bed time. The way I do this is to put them on lead, on a bed next to my sofa with a frozen Kong. When the Kong is finished most will settle and then don’t need the lead after a few days (Mollie didn’t so I just put my foot on the lead until she gave in, in a few days she was settling fine)
It's another case of weathering the storm - it will pass, but meanwhile try teaching him to settle once he's had a play, maybe with a frozen Kong to chew instead of your feet! He's still very young, but puppyhood can seem to last a lifetime! You really are adjusting. Look forward to those lovely family walks!
To be honest, if you want a chill I wouldn’t feel too guilty about putting him in his crate. It doesn’t have to be a punishment - as long as he’s had lots of interaction throughout the day, popping him in his crate near you for an hour with a Kong will do no harm at all. Nice chirpy voice and he won’t associate it with negatives. You’re entitled to a bit of time out
Willow's witching hour was around 6pm every evening, if I recall correctly - or maybe it was 5? In any event, I could set my watch by it. She was a monster at that time but I worked out that the best thing to do was take her for a carry around the village. She would meet a few people, see the sights and sounds and that would tire her out. When we got back, a nice tasty kong would settle her down and peace would reign again. Or, as Mags says, start playing little games or doing a bit of training with him at that time. If you can, pre-empting it is better than letting him get wound up before you address it. I know it's hard work, but trying to work out his "schedule" so you can minimise the rehearsal of these behaviours will pay dividends later. I also like to reward for calm as much as you can throughout the day, just dropping a couple of pieces of kibble by his nose as he's relaxing and quiet.
You are not alone Lex..... Bella is 12 weeks old and making us absolutely crazy. We have to keep her separate from our older lab still. They can be together a lot of the times but just have to supervise. Bella likes to lunge at our faces as well as tear up all my socks. I look like I have been beat up by a lion.
I definitely do need some down time sometimes. Once the kids are in bed and hubby is out, I just would like to not have to 'wrestle' an alligator. When we go to bed is already dictated by Loki as he doesn't go to sleep for the night until 10:30 At the earliest, to sleep through to 6:45/7am. So an early night isn't happening for a while. At least I'm guessing that's how it works? I'm just feeling like a hormonal, miserable, negative mess. Need to snap out of it. Will probably make a difference once I can take him for walks next week and start puppy classes x
The witching hour is so very common in puppies - the only difference between individual pups is the time it starts . You can initiate some appropriate play with him, use the time for some short training sessions, why not hide some treats in one of the excellent interactive toys that are available for him to find. Hide some treats in a scrunched up toilet roll tube or similar fir him to find. Play find it games. Teach a hand touch. Then train a settle (one of the most useful behaviours you can train) so he relaxes and snoozes beside you after his brain has been tired out.
Yeah, he seems to be less active once we've done a few training sessions. He knows 'paw' and rolling onto his back which he got very quickly. We've been treating for calm behaviour too which I'm hoping he'll 'get'. Will try giving the hiding treats around too. My house is quite a simple layout to will need to be inventive lol
Yes it will make a difference. I still got horribly tired and at times despondent but the walks and training gave us more focus and bit by bit it all started to improve. I found the evening really hard as I felt I was on the go the whole time. I played ‘find it’ with both my dogs, also a ruffle snuffle mat, a kong whilst on her mat and then finally rewarding her for going in and lying on her bed. She then started to settle and sleep that last hour before I fell into bed. Now a year on almost, she has a short walk early evening with me and then goes in her bed and sleeps - such a massive difference. This will happen for you too.
Thank you. I really hope so. I'm just so up and down with how I feel, so some things seem like a huge deal, when on other days, it wouldn't be that bad. I just tried him with a frozen kong of soaked kibble and he's loving it! I also did away with his food bowl and have scatter fed on various mats and even the grass with the weather being better. Just can't wait to get to a point where I can't do without him, instead of wasting the puppy months with feeling wretched. I know I'll get there x
The early puppy weeks are definitely very hard. I can well understand you needing some time to unwind in the evenings, after caring for your family. Cassie was dreadful in the evenings, and I thought it would never end but it did. I agree that you shouldn't feel guilty if you use the crate for time out, it doesn't have to be seen as punishment, it depends how you go about it, I think if you follow advice above you will get it sorted. He's still really, really tiny -- but he will grow up and be a wonderful addition to your family.
You will get there @Lex but it can be effing miserable making the journey. All advice given is good, the witching hour stinks just when you want to relax and unwind. I used to get a pit in my stomach just before Plum's witching hour as I knew what to expect and I dreaded it. Now I look back and am amused by her antics but it was as far away from funny as you can get at the time. Use the crate to save your sanity. Embrace the days when it doesn't feel like a huge deal and just accept the days when it does. It really really won't last forever.
Hi there, of course you need to rest I remember feeling very similar to you. The sleep time will hopefully change for you. It will work itself out I’m sure, you mentioned dog training and not walking out yet, they will make a difference as there is so much going on outside of the house/garden. You could start doing simple training inside or outside like sit, down, stand, paw and a little game like find it my 8month still lives the game and treats help alot
