Re: Does it get better ? 3 hours total is fine, especially since it's not continuous but made up of separate episodes
Re: Does it get better ? Mine don't spend much time in there at all on a daily basis, except night time and if I need to do something that can't have them jumping around. Or, if they need to calm down. I also feed Willow her lunch (raw meat) in there and keep Shadow out with his, because they're a lot more protective of that than kibble, which they can eat in bowls next to one another. But, if we have to go out for a dogless dinner or similar, they get popped in and that may be 3-4 hours at a time. It happens very infrequently, though, so I don't fret about it and they're never frantic to come out when we return. They get plenty of interaction time with us, both together and individually.
Re: Does it get better ? Inca probably gets about 4-5 hours a day in the crate - although we have now extended this to the run of the utility room. I work from home and had dreamt of having her by my feet all day but she becomes a disruptive monster the minute I pick up the phone and after a couple of embarrassing conference calls where the rest of my team could hear her howling I gave up! She normally sleeps the whole time she's alone and I wouldn't say she's overtly wired when we let her out. Main thing for me is giving her a short training session every time I let her out or have a tea break as I think tiring her out mentally helps a lot.
Re: Does it get better ? Bella spends her days with my hubby at our winery mostly...the first month or so that meant lots of supervised play time, and some quiet naps in her crate. Now that the holiday rush is on us...she is spending a lot more time in the crate simply because he is too busy to take her out for potty breaks and play time. He doesn't do training with her other than just correcting bad behavior : so when I come to pick her up she is excited to see me of course, but also a bundle of pent up energy. We tend to go for a walk and potty break, and then head home. She has play time at home with our older dog when she gets home and then throughout the evening I do short bursts of basic obedience training and play with her squeaky balls with retrieves down the hallway and such. I think as long as they get lots of interactive time outside of the crate time, they do fine with a few hours of confinement.
Re: Does it get better ? Having a really bad day today. Millie is now getting a fair bit of exercise. 2 x 30 minutes per day. We are making absolutely zero progress on her being able to be calm in the living room with us. It doesn't matter whether it's morning, afternoon or evening. She just won't settle. We've tried leaving her on the lead so she can't jump up at either my wife and I or on the sofas but this just seems to frustrate her more, It's getting to the stage where we're beginning to question whether we made the right decision getting her, which is a terrible thing to think. Not looking forward to the 8 hour drive to Scotland for Xmas on Monday
Re: Does it get better ? It is hard isn't it but she really is still a baby.....15 weeks now, is that right? Have you tried clicker training some incompatible behaviours like go to a mat? Or sit/stays? Because there's no pressure you can clicker train from a really early age and it will tire her out mentally as well as give her some social skills. This will pass.....honest!
Re: Does it get better ? I definitely second the idea of training sessions as a wonderful way to tire out a dog Would you be able to add a couple of 15 minute sessions to your daily routine (timed to happen before she usually has her most active and attention seeking period)? You can train for anything - tricks, even. It doesn't matter as long as it's fun, relaxed and gives her brain something to do
Re: Does it get better ? Thanks for the reply. I keep having to tell myself - she's still a baby. It just seems like 1 step forward, 4 steps back at the minute. We were playing in the garden earlier and she just kept completely ignoring me. Digging up the garden, chewing moss and grass etc... We've tried clicker training with the basics - sit, stand, down and those seem to work. It's just the complete lack of downtime. She's in her crate at the moment just to give us both a break for 10 mins
Re: Does it get better ? Is there a puppy daycare or playgroup in your area? Sending her along to that once or twice a week might give you a break.
Re: Does it get better ? Puppies are a bundle of energy and a lot of work. My Bella is 15 weeks too...and we do some pretty vigorous play time...either fetch with her squeaky toys or tug of war...it uses a good deal of energy and tires her out. We also clicker train her and just spend a few minutes on the floor wrestling, playing, etc. When we get back up we ask her to settle....and if she doesn't or can't...into her crate. She has learned pretty quick to just chill with us. And of course having a bone or similar to chew on keeps her busy and calm.
Re: Does it get better ? Please don't despair - it will happen! Do you have a nice cosy bed for her in the living room? My Gypsy is a very lively, active girl (6 months old) we have 2 X 30 min walks plus 3 indoor training sessions a day. At 8pm I expect both dogs to settle in the front room. Tatze (20 months) is allowed on my settee, Gypsy isn't, so she has her bed by me so I can reach her for strokes. We have no toys or play in the front room - ever. At first this had to be on her lead as, of course, she didn't see why she couldn't go on the sofa too! We started by giving them a kong when we went in and all signals were 'this is a calm room'. It took about three weeks to not need the lead - and very occasionally we still do. But she now loves her front room bed. You need to be very consistent and much more determined than they are!
Re: Does it get better ? You need to be very consistent and much more determined than they are! I think that is training in a nutshell.
Re: Does it get better ? Happy New Year all We've made progress with Millie over the Xmas holidays. Biting seems to be less frequent and we had 40 odd mins of relaxed evening time the other night. Quick Q - what are the sickness rules for Labs ? Millie has just been sick in her crate. Should we miss a meal tonight or give her chicken & rice or scrambled egg ?
Re: Does it get better ? Happy new year great to hear you've had some down time I usually give it a few hours and if she hasn't been sick again I give her her normal food. If she's sick again I would try a small amount of chicken and rice or starve overnight.
Re: Does it get better ? We're having a really bad time of it this last week. Millie just won't relax in the evening. Despite having 3 good walks a day, giving her plenty of downtime in the crate and doing training and playing with her in the evening she just won't settle. She has a comfy bed in the living room where we're consistently asking her to lie down and relax to no avail Both my wife and I can't relax and we're tired and irritable with each other because it's absolutely impossible to get any downtime. We're getting to the stage over the past couple of days where we've both had enough. weve tried Kongs etc to mentally tire her out a bit but we're getting jumped on, scratched and bitten to bits Any tips before we a)get divorced or b) Millie has to go
Re: Does it get better ? Hi, sorry to hear you are not having a fun time. I haven't read all of the posts, just the last few. I get very tired and sometimes rather grr when Chepi won't settle (still happens at 8.5 months sometimes) and I look forward to her time at day care. I don't have a partner and have been very worn out at times during her puppyhood. I see someone else suggested day care for a break, a good idea. On days we don't have day care we walk twice a day. If Chepi is driving me mad, like wanting to go out and then - over and over again - I will just ignore her for a bit and she settles down quickly then. Also, I agree that getting a clicker trainer in for an hour might be helpful. I accept that that's what puppies are like and try to give a reasonable balance of focussing on her and not focussing on her. I can't say more than that. Best of luck to you all
Re: Does it get better ? If it were me in this situation, I'd enforce some crate time or some time on her own in a cordoned off area away from you so you can have a break. It might sound harsh but it's good for them to get used to being on their own anyway, as there will be times when you go out and leave her and she will have to cope. I'd take her out to toilet so you know she has an empty bladder etc etc.. and then pop her in for a bit. Gradually increase the time you leave her there. She may whine or bark a bit, but ignore the noise and pop down to see her when she is quiet to reassure her. Don't react to any noise as she will learn that is what gets a response and it will only get worse (we made that mistake to start with!). It's tough when they are so little, I remember those days with Bob (he's 5 months now) but we did enforce a reasonable amount of time on his own.. and I think he's better for it now. This is just me though, others may have different suggestions, but it's what I'd do Hope this helps. Lou x
Re: Does it get better ? [quote author=badgerstuta link=topic=8854.msg136842#msg136842 date=1421185167] We're having a really bad time of it this last week. Millie just won't relax in the evening. Despite having 3 good walks a day, giving her plenty of downtime in the crate and doing training and playing with her in the evening she just won't settle. She has a comfy bed in the living room where we're consistently asking her to lie down and relax to no avail Both my wife and I can't relax and we're tired and irritable with each other because it's absolutely impossible to get any downtime. We're getting to the stage over the past couple of days where we've both had enough. weve tried Kongs etc to mentally tire her out a bit but we're getting jumped on, scratched and bitten to bits Any tips before we a)get divorced or b) Millie has to go [/quote] This is all perfectly normal but stressful puppy behaviour and it is really stressful but it does get better.... Bella is 12 weeks now and biting is improving, but still happening, I give her ice cubes and that occupies her and gives her something to chew on. Rice bones are great too for chewing on? Re Kongs have u tried different fillings? Bella loves tuna and cheese and sardines she wasn't bothered with banana and peanut butter Kongs and left them. Also ..giving her a top of yours in her crate might help settle her?, I have to do that every day or I know about it !!!!! Do u think 3 walks maybe a bit much and making her more hyperactive?
Re: Does it get better ? Hey, sorry you're not having a great time, can I ask what food she is on? Some ingredients can make them hyperactive? ??? They only time hollie is 'naughty' and won't settle is when she needs a bit more food.......I know they are 'always' hungry but hollie isn't greedy and sometimes leaves a meal or part of and other times eats it all and searches for more. Hang in there it will get better
Re: Does it get better ? Like a toddler they can be very restless when tired. It is almost as if their body clock differs from ours. They not actually being naughty, but is what it feels like to those who just want to settle down for the evening. When Molly 'played up' like that I simply used to put her to bed (I have always referred to her crate as bed). I saw no point in us getting angrier and angrier with her. Gradually, as she has matured she has been allowed to stay up later. Now, at 15 months, she flakes out in the evening with us. When she was a small puppy I spent a lot of time with her during the day, training her and playing with her, so felt that I was entitled to 'my time' in the evening. I am a veteran of 3 kids who never slept, so I was quite determined not to be messed about
