Advice needed: Australian Shepherd puppy 'zoomies'

I should probably clarify actually, as I don't always remember to mention it. Ignoring the behaviour can be really useful—even more so than guiding them through it—in certain contexts. For instance, when they’re taking the initiative, i.e. before any real contact is made between owner and dog, ignoring them can work well depending on the issues. It’s often more effective than stepping in. However, since we’re talking about these bursts of pure excitement here, I personally think it's better to teach them how to settle in a positive way, rather than leaving them to deal with it alone or just ignoring them...

Hi there, I’m with Emla on this—at that age, you get these bursts of joy. They get so worked up and excited about their walkies that once they're back, they just lose it! Before you head out, you could try putting away the more exciting indoor toys and only leave out 'calmer' ones for chewing... that should help lower the excitement levels when you get home. Now, I’m going to slightly go against the advice of ignoring your puppy in those moments. I’m not saying it’s bad advice at all; everyone has their own way of seeing and doing things. With my little one, I preferred to step in and help guide her towards a calm state. If she started doing a few mad laps when we got back, I’d clap my hands twice and say "settle", while staying stood up in the same room—I wouldn't chase her or try to catch her. Once she slowed down or tried to figure out what I was doing (you have to stay calm yourself and not keep repeating "settle" or whatever else over and over), I’d sit on the floor and offer some quiet cuddles. Using an antler chew really helped to get her to focus and settle down next to me, then she'd lie on her side—sometimes I'd even pop her on my lap on her back—and within 2 minutes, she’d be fast asleep or chewing her toy quietly. After a few evenings like that following our walks, I think she’d realised by about 3 and a half months that indoors in the evening is for being calm. Over time, that started to apply to the rest of the day too, along with plenty of play sessions on her own or with us. But if she was overdoing it, I’d just say "settle", with a clap if needed, and she’d remember the rules... I’ll say it again: it depends on the person and the dog, but I think it’s worth remembering that you can calm a puppy down without necessarily ignoring them. There’s no single right way. Good luck and enjoy it—the puppy stage is brilliant in my opinion; it’s the teenage phase that comes next! 😂

Hi everyone, I’ve just got an Australian Shepherd puppy and she has these mad moments too. I’m at home with her, I take her out regularly, go for walks, do enrichment games... basically, I don’t think I could do any more for her. Yet, she gets all wound up on her own sometimes, especially when we get back from a walk or exercise, when you’d think she’d be tired and calm?? She sometimes lunges at her water bowl and tips it everywhere—I just can't get her to stop! She also scratches quite a bit even though everything seems fine (she’s seen the vet, she's been wormed, had her flea and tick treatment, etc.). I have to admit I’m getting a bit stressed about it... I’m not really sure what to do? She’s three months old.

This is completely normal behaviour for a puppy of that age; it’s just their way of showing how happy and content they are. It should settle down as they get older, but some dogs carry on doing it even in their senior years, as it’s still a way for them to express themselves. For example, my old Fox Terrier, who’s nearly 13, still has his "mad five minutes" every evening, loving every second of playing with me after his dinner. I dread the day when he’ll no longer be able to run and jump around like that.

Hi Franck, My Aussie used to have quite a few mad moments, usually triggered by something he really liked. He’d jump all over the place, become totally uncontrollable and nip at me—he even put holes in my clothes! He’s nearly 11 months old now, and while he still goes a bit wild from time to time, it’s much less intense than it used to be. By watching him closely, I’ve learnt to spot that build-up of excitement and redirect him towards something else if possible (I found a plastic bottle to be a very effective redirection tool). Sometimes he’d put himself in danger, so I’d gradually shorten the long line to keep him safe, holding him by the collar if necessary. I also did some basic obedience training with him: heelwork, sit, down... it’s just another form of redirection and it really helped me get him to settle down. I was given some pretty poor advice at first, like the whole "dominance" thing: pinning him on his back by his collar, using leash pops, or even the knee-to-the-chest trick. They were absolutely useless; I’d even say they just wound him up even more (and me too, for that matter). Australian Shepherds are sensitive dogs; you can’t be too heavy-handed with them. Basically, in my humble opinion, there’s nothing to worry about. Your dog is just happy—you just need to find a way to channel that energy, and he’ll learn to manage his emotions better with time. Best of luck!

Of course she’s normal! I’d even say she’s one happy puppy! Don’t change a thing; it sounds like you’re doing everything right! She’ll find her own rhythm. It’s rare to have nothing more to add – well done! When she’s on her own, remember to give her a stag antler to chew on and a Kong toy stuffed with a few treats. That’ll keep her busy for a good while! All the best.