We can't seem to settle our puppy...

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Pgo19 Icon representing the flag French
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Hi everyone,

We need a bit of help and some advice because we're starting to feel really overwhelmed...

A few days ago, we brought home a 9-week-old White Swiss Shepherd puppy. When he first arrived he was quite calm, but since then he's become more and more restless: he hardly sleeps or wakes up at the slightest sound, gets overexcited very quickly, nips at anything that moves, goes for our calves and feet, grabs everything he shouldn't, and in those moments, he seems completely out of control.

We've tried shorter walks, limiting stimulation, giving him toys/Kongs, trying to create calm periods... but when he has nothing to do, he seems to get even more worked up. And if we give him a time-out in a quiet spot for a few minutes, he starts barking his head off without stopping. He doesn't seem to understand the word 'no' yet either.

Last night, after what should have been a quiet walk, he had a massive case of the zoomies for about 30 minutes: charging around everywhere, breaking things, constant nipping, and even biting quite hard. And this morning, despite a good night's sleep, he's at it again.

We know he's only 9 weeks old, has just left his mum and littermates, and has everything to learn, but after only a few days we're already exhausted and starting to wonder if this level of excitement is normal.

Have any of you experienced this with a White Swiss Shepherd or a very reactive puppy? Did it settle down with time? And most importantly, what actually helped you teach him to settle and sleep more?

Thanks in advance, we really need some reassurance and to find a method that works.

Translated from French
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    • Kikaah
    Kikaah Icon representing the flag French
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    Your puppy seems in great shape to me ^^ but you’re right, it’s not always easy living with a little whirlwind. I don’t have any ready-made tricks to offer; every puppy has its own temperament. I’d say a solid routine will help you and, yes, help him find his rhythm too. Try to focus on calm activities like searching for dry food in a puzzle toy or scattering it instead of just serving it all in a bowl. For that matter, teach him to wait by his bowl (just for a few seconds at first) before letting him eat. Give him plenty of things to chew on... Let him meet some calm dogs (you could find some through Facebook walking groups, for example) that can teach him how to settle down... As for walks, I’m not sure if cutting them back is a good idea. The hardest part is giving him enough to burn off his energy, but not so much that he gets overtired and then cranky. For that, I’d suggest sticking to calm walks where you spend more time standing still than covering miles, with plenty of breaks to just watch the world go by... Otherwise, why not get in touch with a dog trainer (which area are you in?) to help you get off to a good start with your pup.
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