So Myles gets the zoomies/hoolies/maddog about once a day, but he always comes right for me during them and I don't like it. He jumps, growls and bites at me (8 months and 60 lbs). He has pulled my shorts down once! I have not been successful at redirecting him (he will not listen to anything during this). I just try to get out of the way but I can't always get to another room. Any ideas on how to get him to stop trying to bring me into it?
This time last year, when Molly was around the same age as Myles I was experiencing the same thing. I found it worst when Molly was on the lead, there was nowhere for either of us to go. Being summer and me wearing shorts my legs were covered with scratches. I would try to walk her in different directions and at different times because I felt such a fool with this out of control animal attacking me. I longed for the winter so I could protect myself with jeans and walk at night so nobody saw us. I began to seriously doubt that I would be able to keep her. When she had these episodes I just couldn't reach her. She was beyond it. At times I literally clung to lampposts and fences so she didn't pull me over. On one disastrous occasion it happened five times in about a couple of hundred yards. I would liken it to an explosion of energy with nowhere to go. And one day, when she was about 10 months old it didn't happen and that was it. There was nothing I did to change matters, she just simply grew out of it. I am afraid I cannot give you any pearls of wisdom, but I hope I have shown you that you are not alone. I do remember how alone, embarrassed and frightened I was this time last year when Molly, like Myles is now, was an adolescent dog.
Certainly glad I'm not alone! And hope he does grow out of it. He does it occasionally on lead with my pet sitter, but its worse off lead for him. And he seems to do it just after he's been exercised or walked. It's like a switch flips and he just takes off running around at first, growling and having a grand ole time, but then will come right for me and jump up and try to grab clothes and will not stop. I just hate the feeling of it being out of control until he decides to stop.
I found Molly was worst when she was tired. Just like a tired toddler. I absolutely LOATHED that "out of control" feeling
It isn't true that you didn't do anything. You clung on to lampposts, you stood still however difficult it became, and you didn't reward her. You were fair, and consistent, and she eventually understood your expectations of acceptable behaviour. You rewarded her when she did the "right" thing. And she grew up a bit. With all of these things, they grow out of it...without all of these things, they don't "grow out of it". Best of luck.
