MORE wound up after training?

[Capone22]

Ok I have a kid like this. She gets tired and goes nuts. Running around acting silly etc. I am wondering if this is rogue or if I'm not tiring her out sufficiently. She is 4.5 months old and Ive never had a puppy do this. But I've never had a german shepherd puppy either. After about 10-15 min of training she is panting heavily but when I stop she goes bonkers. Running around. Biting me more and harder than before. Wanting to play tug harder etc. I have yet to tire her out to the point of her just crashing out without me making her, by putting her in her crate after. In the morning I do about 45 minutes to an hour of fetch/tug/ mixed with training with all kinds of distractions at a local dog park. I go in the little dog area where no one is but she can still see and hear all the dogs and people in the regular area. We work on ignoring the other dogs and focus etc. she did a fantastic come today from the fence where there was a lab saying hello. Anyways. Even after that, she's panting heavily, but by the time we get home she acts like she's ready to go!! Sprinting all around jumping etc. I usually put her in her crate for about an hour to chill out. So anyways, is this normal or do I need to amp up my training/activity?


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[onyx'girl]

Over stimulation?
Have you tracked with her? That is a calming type of exercise, even searching/hunting at mealtime is wearing out some energy.

Instead of taking her to the dog park I would go someplace a bit quieter at the end of your training session. Crating afterwards is excellent....she can process what she just did/learned. GSD pups are exuberant, need to embrace it!

What do you feed? Look at the diet to make sure you aren't over carbing her.

[Capone22]

In the morning at the park she's fine while we're there. Loves the training and fetch and usually lays down like she's tired toward the end, so we go home. But when we get home she's hyper again. And a lot of my mini training sessions, like the 10-15 min ones are in my living room. That's when she gets the most crazy. Especially at night. I feed natures domain right now. Been through a couple different foods, raw, honest kitchen, pre made raw etc. She's had stomach issues. But doing well on this one right now.

Maybe in the evening she needs more physical exercise than I've been giving her. But in the mornings I'm guessing she's just being a typical shepherd. Ready to go again? We do tug a lot through out the day, also. I stop when she lays down with it instead of bringing it back to me again.


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[Capone22]

Haven't tried tracking yet. That's a good idea.


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[Kyleigh]

I remember when Kyleigh was that age - I seriously wondered if she would EVER stop!

I discovered that with just ME, I couldn't tire her out sufficiently. She would be tired, and then about 1/2 an hour later, ready to roll again ... and I'm ready for a nap LOL

I took Kyleigh to the dog park. Please note, the dog park I go to is MASSIVE, it's acres and acres of trees, sand, trails, etc. I'm not talking about small fenced in areas where there can be trouble in 5 seconds!

I would arrive with Kyleigh and scope the place out. Invariably, I would run into someone who also had a puppy, and luckily enough they got along. We would then move away from other people, so it was just the two of them playing. I timed it one day ... we were there for 4 hours before she came over to me and laid down at my feet.

4 hours - I was stunned. And later that night? She was ready to go again - full tilt!

I certainly don't do four hours every single day at a dog park, but it gave me a really good idea of just how MUCH energy she has. Two dogs playing use both types of stimulation - mental and physical, so they will tire out faster with another dog, than with you.

This is how Kyleigh and I found her best friend, and now one of my best friends! Our dogs absolutely adore each other and are only 2 weeks apart. Kyleigh is maybe 10 pounds heavier, so they are a great match and play hard together.

Maybe if you found someone else with a puppy that could help you out? I'm sure they'd be just as grateful too!!

[Walperstyle]

I'm in the same Boat Capone22. I just got back from a half hour marathon with 'cookie'. He took a 15 minute nap and is gnawing on my arm again. Just give her pigs ears or large tasty bones to chew on.

Puppies need attention and must be kept busy! Remember, its easier with Puppies as age faster than children. Children take longer and sometimes keep you up at night until past age 7. lol.

[KayleeGSD]

Over stimulation is a problem we had with Kaylee from 4 months of age until 6 months. Puppies when they get tired at least with her especially she would become over tired and go nuts jumping, biting, and being relentless with wanting to play.Over stimulation was not a good thing for her it created a little monster, lol. What we did was have a strict time management and spread out play time for 20 minutes 3 times a day. We do an intense 20 minute game which I call a merry go round of fetch, retrieve, chasing, guarding, herding, find it, get it etc. All commands given during this time she has learned to obey and does very well with the game set up. We also taught her the settle command. Usually Kaylee was a pest and was very demanding to play so I made her wait for everything too. When she would go bonkers and this would be after play time, long walks, and lots of exercise she was placed either in her crate or in a quiet room where there was no stimulation so she could settle down. When she did finally settle and left for 1-2 hours she was praised for doing so. We keep a variety of toys for her in the house and we have special crate toys to keep her occupied. It took a lot of time and work to get the routine down. Now that she is 7 months she is very good and has learned to settle on her own and she is hardly in her crate. The intense play time we still do 20 minutes - 3 times a day.

[Capone22]

Originally Posted by Kyleigh

I remember when Kyleigh was that age - I seriously wondered if she would EVER stop!

I discovered that with just ME, I couldn't tire her out sufficiently. She would be tired, and then about 1/2 an hour later, ready to roll again ... and I'm ready for a nap LOL

I took Kyleigh to the dog park. Please note, the dog park I go to is MASSIVE, it's acres and acres of trees, sand, trails, etc. I'm not talking about small fenced in areas where there can be trouble in 5 seconds!

I would arrive with Kyleigh and scope the place out. Invariably, I would run into someone who also had a puppy, and luckily enough they got along. We would then move away from other people, so it was just the two of them playing. I timed it one day ... we were there for 4 hours before she came over to me and laid down at my feet.

4 hours - I was stunned. And later that night? She was ready to go again - full tilt!

I certainly don't do four hours every single day at a dog park, but it gave me a really good idea of just how MUCH energy she has. Two dogs playing use both types of stimulation - mental and physical, so they will tire out faster with another dog, than with you.

This is how Kyleigh and I found her best friend, and now one of my best friends! Our dogs absolutely adore each other and are only 2 weeks apart. Kyleigh is maybe 10 pounds heavier, so they are a great match and play hard together.

Maybe if you found someone else with a puppy that could help you out? I'm sure they'd be just as grateful too!!

4 hours?! Holy crap lol it would be nice to find another friend with a puppy. Especially a friend who actually socialized and works with their dog.


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[Capone22]

Originally Posted by KayleeGSD

Over stimulation is a problem we had with Kaylee from 4 months of age until 6 months. Puppies when they get tired at least with her especially she would become over tired and go nuts jumping, biting, and being relentless with wanting to play.Over stimulation was not a good thing for her it created a little monster, lol. What we did was have a strict time management and spread out play time for 20 minutes 3 times a day. We do an intense 20 minute game which I call a merry go round of fetch, retrieve, chasing, guarding, herding, find it, get it etc. All commands given during this time she has learned to obey and does very well with the game set up. We also taught her the settle command. Usually Kaylee was a pest and was very demanding to play so I made her wait for everything too. When she would go bonkers and this would be after play time, long walks, and lots of exercise she was placed either in her crate or in a quiet room where there was no stimulation so she could settle down. When she did finally settle and left for 1-2 hours she was praised for doing so. We keep a variety of toys for her in the house and we have special crate toys to keep her occupied. It took a lot of time and work to get the routine down. Now that she is 7 months she is very good and has learned to settle on her own and she is hardly in her crate. The intense play time we still do 20 minutes - 3 times a day.

That's what I was thinking. Over tired and over stimulated. Ill keep doing what I'm doing then. Exercise/training and then crate time after to calm down. Rinse and repeat lol


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[Kyleigh]

She certainly doesn't get 4 hours every day! I'd have no life - but I was just testing to see how long it would take!!!

She DOES get 4-6 hours either Saturday or Sunday. My friend and I pack some snacks, leave the house by 7:30 in the morning and don't get back til about 1 or 2 in the afternoon. BOTH dogs are pooped and then I have the rest of the day to do "my"' stuff with a dog that is simply sleeping the rest of the day! Mind you, by 7 or 8, she's ready to go again!