People joke that the world used to revolve around its axis, but now it revolves around Monty. And that I think the sun shines out of his *ahem*. And it does. Usually. But not today. Today has been a normal Saturday, pottering around. 6am start, taking him out, letting chicks out. Then a walk up the farmer's fields for a stretch of the legs and some training. And a couple of short training sessions in the garden (field). He had a good day, and did some great training. Whilst having dinner however, he seemed to be very hyper. At one point he jumped up and snapped at my wife while she was sitting eating. He got put in his crate to calm down which seemed to work. Just now, after dinner, he was still a bit 'edgy' so I decided to take him into the garden to release some energy. He clearly had a lot, as he proceeded to tear round and round in circles like a man posessed! Absolute warp speed. Ears pinned back, wide eyed, round and round. He still stayed close and if he strayed too far would return to a call and would even sit to whistle, but then would head off at warp speed. At first it was quite amusing, but he seemed to be hyping himself up the more he did it. He was tearing past me and I'm pretty sure he was trying to actually brush past me. I wasn't moving, just standing in the middle of the field. Then, on one penultimate high speed approach, he launched himself, at speed, like a pirahna, teeth first into my thigh. He ripped my jeans. That takes some fair doing. His final approach, I was crouched down to try to get hold of him and calm him down, he did the same, but caught my mid-rift, through my tshirt and drew blood on my side. I managed to grab him and hold him and speaking softly whilst stroking his head gently, I calmed him down. I could feel his heart going ten to the dozen. He walked back to the house (50yds ish) to heel perfectly fine. He was having a lovely time, but I'm not quite sure what brought that on. Is it just one of those things that happens? He's still a baby at 17 weeks. Obviously I've seen him being silly and hyper, but he's never done the piharana launch attach before! There was no aggression and he was having a wonderful time. Only I wasn't! Should I not have taken him out to release that energy? Was there something else you'd have done differently? Other than wear one of those police training dog attack suits? I don't like him at the moment
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... I think he was just very overtired, like a fractious toddler. In his bed would have been the answer
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... Yes, I agree with Stacia. An already edgy or hyped up puppy will only get even more hyper with more exercise. I would have left him in his cage. Anyway, you have now witnessed the wall of death, something every (spaniel) puppy owner will see at some stage.
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... Yes you do like Monty, just not very happy with his last behaviour, but I agree with others that he was probably overtired so his behaviour became silly, just like an overtired toddler. Hopefully tomorrow he'll be ask to his usual self
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... Haha, wall of death! Ah, actually that makes sense as shortly before he was in a really deep sleep and dreaming - and it wasn't a normal time for him to have a sleep. Maybe I'll forgive him... Oh look, the sun is coming back out 8)
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... Yup. Tired toddler syndrome. Molly used to that in the late afternoon. I used to call it "the six o clock stupids". The best thing to do is simply stay out of the way until they run out of steam. Next comes "troublesome teenager syndrome" and you are really going to love that
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... Yup mach 10 achieved here on wall of death by spaniel not long ago. I went inside rather than become a target - he has quite a jump in him - the garden is reasonably safe and secure and I could watch him from the utility room. I waited for a panting shadow to appear at the back door. Never again!!!!! (she says hopefully!)
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... Yes, over tired + over excited = crazy pup. Both of mine had times like that up to 5 months old.
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... [quote author=JAYMZ link=topic=10533.msg155859#msg155859 date=1428780057] ... he proceeded to tear round and round in circles like a man posessed! Absolute warp speed. Ears pinned back, wide eyed, round and round. He still stayed close and if he strayed too far would return to a call and would even sit to whistle, but then would head off at warp speed ...[/quote] I think we all recognise this behaviour (we refer to it as doing the 'Wall of death' - like one of those circus acts where the motorcyclist tears around inside a giant cylinder). It's quite common in young pups and, to be honest, Harv will still do it every now and then and he is now 19 months old! Best advice is to leave them to it - trying to get in the way or slow them down only makes them more excited. Oh, and if you haven't been for a poo collection run in the garden on the day in question - look out for flying poo if they race through it! And look out for dirty paws when you let them back inside - especially in light of the previous comment!
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... It's OK. He did his wide-eye-ears-back thing coupled with a full body-wag this morning and won me over. We're friends again and it looks like it's going to be sunny! 8) He did have a proper Rip Van Winkle sleep though from about 8pm to 6am! - he must've been really tired. I didn't realise.
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... Well I'm afraid we've fallen out again. We were just in the garden and he was having a lovely time running around like an idiot. And then he decides it will be fun to piranha attack me again. I distracted him with a toy, he attempted to kill it for a few seconds and decided it was more fun to attack my. And bite hard. Multiple times. I was having to fend him off quite vigorously which I guess made it more fun for him, but I was close to hurting him (not purposely) and he was going to hurt himself with his lunges. Is this an age thing? He's 17 weeks. We've been through the baby biting stage and he is normally really good. He does mouth, but very gently. I suppose I should try and see it coming and take him inside before it happens, but it just came out of nowhere.
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... Oh dear! Sorry to hear that yesterday's behaviour was exhibited again. I wish could offer some brilliant advice but it's not a problem I've had to deal with. When Juno goes loony in the garden (although it's ages since she was allowed to do that because of her op) I allow her a couple of whizzes around and then stop her - usually with the command "Enough" and then continue as normal. She has crashed into my leg once, when she was around 5 months, while going loopy. Unfortunately it was my dodgy knee she hit and it obviously hurt her as she limped for a while afterwards - just after we'd started exercising again after her first enforced rest. Are you going to any training classes with Monty? If so, it might be worth having a chat with the trainer and see what they think buy I would try and stop him getting quite so excited or tired for a few days and see if it helps. Don't you just love having a puppy?
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... It's strange that it was at around the same sort of time as yesterday. Another thing he did after we were inside, and after he'd had time out and calmed down (only to get hyped up again shortly after) was while I was getting his dinner out the freezer for tomorrow (frozen raw) he started to try and hump my leg! and then proceeded to try and attack me again! I wonder if I haven't done enough with him the past couple of days and he has excess energy as opposed to tiredness? We're not going to the puppy classes any more as I wasn't convinced with their methods (a lot of bribery and leading with food) and the other dogs were all a lot older and out-of-control hooligans!
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... He may be having a hormone surge. My spaniel was a shocker for humping at that age, I thought he'd stopped then in the last few days he's been really bad again - it's either spring, hormones or both! If it's the same time you may want to have him inside with a kong or chew to help him through the manicness......just a thought
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... I did bring him in and he had time out. Then he came out nice and calm and I gave him two Kongs. He was fine for a bit, and then the jumping started which turned into the Montadile biting my trousers/leg and trying to do death rolls. I had to remove pretty much everything at his level - vet bed from crate, his bed etc as it was all being destroyed! My wife wondered if it was the wind - it's really windy outside today which also means low pressure.
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... I was just about to suggest perhaps its hormone related. Time of year and as he moves from puppyhood into a teenager - worth considering as it's such a sudden change. perhaps try and change the routine a bit tomorrow and plan a quieter time for when he's been going manic. I know the Spinone I had was brilliant until adolescence hit at which point he went totally deaf with no recall....... I've just seen your post, and yes it could be related to the wind. Some dogs are more sensitive than others. Or a combination of weather and hormones....
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... [quote author=JAYMZ link=topic=10533.msg156134#msg156134 date=1428862875] I wonder if I haven't done enough with him the past couple of days and he has excess energy as opposed to tiredness? [/quote] I don't have a spaniel. I do though, have a very, very nutty dog. ;D ;D ;D Enough exercise (or training) is critical and too much exercise (or training) may tire them out and give you a bit of peace - but you can't rely on too much to keep a lid on nuttiness. 1) They just get fitter and so have more energy for more nuttiness. 2) They don't learn self control and being calm. 3) It doesn't always tire them out, sometimes it just makes things a whole lot worse. You just have to train your way through it...then it goes away. A bit, anyway. ;D ;D ;D Best of luck.
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... I wonder if you're just too much fun! I only suggest this because my OH definitely is too exciting for my dog ;D ;D. He (my OH) has it in his head at the moment that he wants to take some pics of her doing a hurdle jump in the garden. So he's trying to get her to stay, and then jump on command over this jump. Well......I heard a lot of noise this evening and found Merla running round the garden with the bar in her mouth, and occasionally stopping to bark at OH ;D ;D ;D. Some time later, ten minutes of calm clicker work achieved exactly what he wanted. So, top tips would be: [li]if Monty starts the madness, walk away if possible, or if not, stand still and silent with arms folded and no eye contact (he might continue and you might take a few nips, but no interaction from you will prevent accidental reinforcement the behaviour. My dog, for example, finds anguished shouts of 'no' highly reinforcing if this afternoon is anything to go by!) [/li] [li]if you haven't tried some clicker games yet, it's worth having a go at. Something like sending to a mat is quick and easy to train, and might give him a chance to run round a bit but keep his brain switched on at the same time[/li] Good luck
Re: Today, I'm afraid the sun doesn't shine out of... Well contrary to what everyone said (in true stubborn man style!) I just took him out into the field. I didn't do any training per se, but I did keep him close and did recall when he was straying a little too far (normally a rough 10m radius). We went into part of the field where the grass has really grown in the past couple of days. He LOVED it and was bounding through it and racing round. He still responded to the recall and my continual changing of direction. I think he just needed to let off some steam. And I think the problem yesterday was he needed to let off steam, and I was trying to do training. I should've noticed it and just let him have a bit of a run. I just think that now he's 4 months, I probably have to step it up a little. Besides the short training sessions in the field, he hasn't done a huge amount the past couple of days. He hasn't done much running around. He's sat nice and relaxed now next to my wife all calm as if nothing happened. I totally understand the exercise/balance thing - my folks had Border Collies and made a rod for their backs by walking them hours and hours each day. They all (dogs and parents) loved it, but the dogs just got fitter and fitter and wanted more! On the plus side, one is now 15 and still does three very long walks a day! Does that make sense and sound sensible, or am I heading off in the wrong tracks and setting myself up for failure? Thanks
