Hi everyone, I adopted a young puppy a few days ago. Everything is going fine, but in the evening around 8pm, he has a bit of a 'mad hour' that lasts for at least an hour where he goes totally out of control!
He lunges at everything, bites whatever he can find (clothes, the sofa, etc.), lets out little barks which he never normally does, jumps up at us, runs in circles and tears around so fast he ends up bumping into things, etc. (he honestly looks like he’s lost his mind!).
I have no idea how to handle it all – how can I calm him down?
Why is he doing this?
Are these 'episodes' just a phase?
I’d also like some advice on how to discipline him when he's misbehaving (biting clothes, barking, etc.), because no matter how many times I give him a firm 'No!', he just ignores me... and when I put him in time-out, he starts barking and throwing himself at the door.
He's not even 3 months old yet, so now is the time for him to learn. I really need your help.
Thanks
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I’ve got a 10-week-old puppy, same behaviour here. On the lead, she used to scream her head off as if I was taking her to the slaughterhouse. The puppy class instructor just worked with her patiently and, believe it or not, it’s already working quite well. The barking fits, running in circles, nipping at your hands – it’s all a normal part of the training journey. I’d definitely recommend a training class with your four-legged friend...
It’s really down to you to understand him...! He’s a puppy, full of life and needing plenty of stimulation, play, and physical exercise.
These "mad moments", much like with babies, often happen in the evening to let off steam after a day full of stress and restrictions.
When he starts having one, grab the lead and get outside, let him run it off, play fetch, have a bit of a "rough and tumble", and wear him out. He’s telling you that this is a time when he needs attention, when he needs you. Give him what he needs; it’s the perfect time to build a great bond with your dog.
These little "mad moments" are completely normal :)! Mind you, some dogs do find it hard to switch off. As someone mentioned before, he’s just a baby. He needs to burn off some energy, play, and... he’s teething... yep! So, while it’s a bit of a pain right now, you only really need to worry if these crazy spells continue over the next few months, once he's not really a puppy anymore...
As for "punishments", it’s all about the training, which definitely needs to happen at this stage. It sounds like you’re doing the right things, but it doesn't seem to be working... Instead of just saying "no", "stop", and so on, maybe try telling him "on your bed" or "in your basket" (if he has one) so he can at least calm down. But if he’s not even understanding "no", it’s going to be a bit tough... Maybe ask your vet for some advice? But his training definitely needs to be sorted out soon!
Patience and perseverance, it’ll come. Start by letting him wear his lead and collar around the house. Your puppy will soon realise that the lead is just an extension of himself and that there’s nothing to be afraid of. He’ll potter about, letting it trail along behind him. If it bothers him at first, use games to distract him.
Once he’s comfortable with the lead trailing, start picking it up and encouraging him to come to you with games and treats... Never tug or force your puppy, otherwise, he'll associate the lead with being restricted, which isn't the goal. Likewise, once you’ve mastered this, head out into the garden, using the same approach of coaxing your puppy to follow you without any forcing.
No, the dog isn't on his own during the day. Since it's the holidays I’m home all day and I take him out really often, but sometimes he just doesn’t want to play; he picks and chooses his moments! ^^ And yes, he’s got plenty of things to chew on, but that doesn’t stop him from nipping at my trouser legs and so on...
Also, does anyone have any tips for lead training? He just sits there and won't stop chewing his lead... it’s impossible to get him to move :/ (I’ve been trying it out at home).
Thanks for your replies. As for lead walks, he only goes out in my garden because he's not used to the collar or the lead yet. I've heard that playing rough could make him aggressive later on—is that true?
And he's a Papillon ;)
Your puppy is 3 months old, so he's still a baby! A baby needs to play, burn off energy, run around, and go for walks! You need to start lead and collar training right now. Go to clean areas, without dog poo or rubbish lying around. Do some of it on the lead and some off-lead, provided the area is secure. A puppy needs to get out and discover all sorts of things from 8 weeks old up until they're about 6 to 8 months.
Socialisation is important, whether it’s with people, other dogs, or different environments—the animal shouldn't be stressed and needs to stay calm. That's what socialisation is all about.
Also, that 'crazy hour' is totally normal; my 8-and-a-half-month-old puppy gets it too. Less so now, but he used to, and sometimes it was exhausting with all the squeaky toys lol. So we’d swap toys. And in the evening when we're watching TV, he sometimes comes up to us with a ball or a football so we'll play with him. Which we do. And that's what you need to do. Look after him, play with him, let him blow off some steam. You could even try to get ahead of that 'mad moment' and engage him earlier, playing with him so that when the zoomies hit, he isn't pestering you.
Playing rough is far from making a dog aggressive, as long as it's managed properly with sensible boundaries. No biting, no aggressive growling. I do it with my 66lb (over 4 and a half stone) Malinois and he’s far from aggressive lol. Thank goodness! Otherwise, imagine the injuries with those teeth...
It's up to you to set the rules for that game and any others.
Hi there,
I’m also the proud owner of a Papillon. Looking at your photo, I’d say yours is definitely a Papillon rather than a Phalène as well. Apparently, Papillons tend to be a bit more hyper than Phalènes.
Mine used to get really worked up too; it’s perfectly normal as he hasn’t seen you all day, so he just wants your attention and a play. Why not make the most of your garden and play hide and seek or throw a ball for him?
I live in a flat, so I take her out quite often, but in the evening when I get home from work, we go for a longer walk on a long lead. I always take a ball with me to play and tire her out, and just to spend some quality time together too ^^ She’s a year old now and she isn’t quite as crazy anymore; she’s much more settled but she still goes from zero to a hundred the moment I start a game with her. Or sometimes she’s the one who brings me a toy, it just depends :) You should think about starting to teach him some little tricks like sit, lie down... they’re very quick learners! :)
As for the barking, from what I’ve read they are a bit of a watchdog breed, and it’s true that at the slightest noise, they start yapping! At my place, it was whenever someone was in the hallway! And at my parents’ house, they live in a house and she’d bark at the neighbours... not ideal when the weather’s nice and everyone’s out enjoying their garden lol.
Because of that, I used a simple method: an empty water bottle with some pebbles inside. Every time she yaps, you shake the bottle; it makes her stop, and if she starts again straight away or doesn't stop, you throw the bottle near her feet (not at her). With this method, she quickly stopped yapping and I don’t even need the bottle anymore.
Regarding the biting, he might be teething... Does he have enough things to chew on? A toy, for example?
