Hi Our pup is now just over 12 weeks. I received some brilliant advice a couple of weeks ago on sleeping, our pup is now pretty much sleeping until 5.30 and then until 7ish. We may have to start an alarm again as the last couple of nights she has been up at 3am. My next query is the ‘puppy crazies’ between 7.30-9 at night. She seems to be a handful and we are struggling! We have tried clicker training (she gets a bit annoyed and bitey this time of night with it) Playing with toys (amuses her for 2 seconds) We have been walking her 9pmish (we tried earlier but didn’t have the tired out effect that the morning walk does.) She just constantly tries to get on the sofas (even though we are on the floor with her) and bites us, quite badly too. We have just about avoided nose attacks out of nowhere! If we try a time out she seems to come out more determined. Maybe it’s not a long enough time out? Any ideas? We seem to have a good day with her (minus the biting but we know that will go hopefully!) and then we dread the evenings as we know it will be the same battle Many thanks !
We put our puppy in his crate at around 8pm. He gets let out for a wee again around 9pm and then we go to bed around 10ish. I would recommend having a crate in your living room and doing that in the evening. Sounds like the puppy is overtired. And the late walk may be too much at that time of night to calm them if they are already very tired but too wound up to sleep. Although we have had a lot of shrieking in the crate at different times. But when it goes well he sleeps in there like a sleepy puppy should! Not a wailing banshee!
Hi Thanks for your reply. We played in the garden from 6.30 tonight and then took her out 7.30ish for a walk. The only reason we have done 9pm walks is because we have had warmer weather. Do you think 7-7.30 is better?
I’ve read in various places to limit fun stuff after 8pm as it takes them so long to calm down before bed. It is tricky when it is warmer though. We skipped the evening walk and did some extra training in the shade in the garden on those days. Hope you have a quieter night!
Hi, So we are still struggling this time of night with our 13 week old pup. The last 2 nights (incl tonight) we put her in the utility (around 8pm)where her crate is with a kong and she settled but tonight she woke and we let her out about 9pm. She was then going crackers. Toys weren’t enough to chew and we were the only thing she wanted. It’s not gentle it’s crazed biting and hyperness, at 9pm, this is getting a bit much! We can’t even play tug or retrieve as she just jumps at your hands or arms and really bites hard. She didn’t have a walk this evening as we thought it was still too warm for her. When we first had her we would Have to wake her at 9 and play or train so that she was tired enough to sleep overnight but now its a different story. Any help greatly appreciated!
Hi @Julesuk I’m no expert but here’s some advice/my experience as an absolute novice plus some tidbits from what our trainer has taught us... Wilson slept from 9pm until around 6am at that age, we were really strict and didn’t allow any naps between 6pm (when we got home from work... those were the days, eh?!) and bedtime. He would sleep around 17 1/2 hours a day which is the lower end for a puppy I believe but still OK. From our experience I’d suggest what you’re describing is an overtired puppy who doesn’t yet know how to settle themselves and has their disco pants on, instead of their pyjama pants (really normal). When we’d get to what many call ‘the witching hour’ we’d use a frozen Kong to keep him calm in the run up to bedtime or do some calm boundary training. We were always fortunate that Wilson’s house training went well enough that he could eat this late without needing to wake us up to go to the toilet in the middle of the night. This might not be the case for you. However, the point I’m making here is attempt some calming enrichment BEFORE you get to the witching hour to avoid your pup getting so overtired they can’t stop and end up being a hell hound instead. Maybe some scatter feeding, some sniffing for a few single stinky treats around the house, treats or kibble rolled up in a towel, a snuffle mat, or a toy they can remove the middle from safely (we remove the stuffing from toys and re-stuff with strips of old tshirt so he can take the middle out without swallowing loads of stuffing). Aim for an activity that makes their brain think, which should give you a bit of focus rather than sheer hyperactivity, as well as a slowly calming puppy. I’m sure you’ll get lots of advice from those more experienced than myself but this worked for us
Hi Thanks for your reply I’m going to try with more training when she is settled in her bed. We have done a bit of training tonight, she does everything then but she doesn’t sit still enough to get her to realise her bed is where we want her to be. As soon as she realised the treats had run out and clicker training was done she is back on the sofa!
Hi there, I'd lo e to know what your great advise about sleeping through the night is... I have a 9 week old pup and I'm trying to learn this magic!
Hi Emma, my post is on the second page which is titled advice with 11 week old pup and there is also a post on page 1 about early waking that has 2 pages they should give you plenty of tips! My pup has now been giving us much more sleep now!
Oh wow! My 10 week old has the mega zoomies after dinner and before bed. Last night after being provided with a kong - limited interest - he started zooming laps around the catch. Biting, nipping, and wanting to jump on the couch. Definitely over tired. I have tried crating after dinner and this sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. Nice to know there are others in the same boat! His attention doesn't last long on anything so it's hard to keep him occupied. Once he finally goes down, he's out for the count.
Thankful we aren’t the only ones despising this! Our 14 week old gets nuts between like 7-9 or do with all the same type behavior.
We keep being told she is over tired over over stimulated. So trying to do things to calm her easier like kongs or a little bit of training. She does settle a little easier now but we probably still have a good hour where she is a handful and not just a 5-10 minute zoomie session.
I am so thankful I read this today. I am at my wits end. It took 2 years after my beloved chocolate died for me to get a lab pup and I end up in tears it seems, every night. He will just all of a sudden bark at me and when I try and correct him he growls, jumps and bites at me. I stand up to make my self bigger and he just zooms out!!! It only lasts for 5/10 min but it’s awful! He is amazing and smart the rest of the day...just in the evening he does this. He’s now 4 months old. I was crying today thinking I made a mistake getting him, like he was defective or aggressive. I haven’t tried the crate thing with the zoomies...I was always told not to make his crate a punishment?? would anyone recommend that I put him in there right when he starts up?? I will buy a snuggle pad today and try that as well. Any advice is greatly appreciated!!
Puppies are so hard aren’t they? Ours is 4 months now and we are really struggling with attention seeking barking when he is in his crate. It sounds like your puppy is doing attention seeking barking. This is our first puppy so I’m no expert but from what we have been trying I would say try this. Do a little training session before this point in the evening in the garden with him, then he also has chance to go for wee and he gets some structured attention. Then put him in his crate for bedtime and ignore him. Hopefully he will go fast asleep. This is what we have found works with ours at that point in the evening. I’d also recommend reading the puppy blues thread. You can see how many people go through all the same thoughts you are, and come out the other side feeling better and the dog being manageable and happy. We have also gone through that stage of ‘what have I done?’ With lots of crying and frustration! Someone else might also have some other suggestions.
