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Does strong nerves equate to high energy?

2K views 17 replies 8 participants last post by  zetti 
#1 ·
My puppy is 3mo and he has really strong nerves and is really confident, curious. But he also is very hyper, gets into everything, it's a lot different than my first girl. She was skittish but she also was super mellow and even now, she just sits and plays for few mins but otherwise could just relax all day.
Is this just a puppy thing or does it sound like he's working line?

He's new to the home and he does sleep and get calm like in the car or in the crate. He's not very vocal. But being so confident and getting into everything I'm wondering if this equates to a harder time training or I need to prepare for a higher energy, higher training requirement dog?

I may have made the mistake of introducing the pup to my mellow older dog because the house turned into chaos!
 
#2 ·
Hi energy does not equal strong nerves. Nerve strength is a very complex issue. You won't get a clear picture of a pup's nerve strength on his home turf. Weak nerves show up in unfamiliar locations, odd surfaces, loud noises, strange humans and animals, and other stressful situations. There's an old saying that every dog is a tiger at home.

Nor does hi energy mean you have a WL pup. It's a myth that all WL dogs are maniacs. My most mellow house dog ever was an imported WGWL. She loved being a house dog, hanging around the humans. But she was a bullet on the field.
 
#4 ·
I think it can seem that way, simply on a basis of observation, depending on the individual dogs. As in, a dog may APPEAR to be more high/low energy when compared to the other. Your girl may have been "mellow" simply on the basis that she was more comfortable relaxing in close proximity to her family vs going out and exploring/playing on her own. Now that you have a "normal" puppy with good nerves he is exploring his new house, getting into mischief already with his curiosity and being a pain in the way that only cute adorable puppies get away with.
So, with your first dog, the skittish tendencies likely dampened her puppy energy and drive to explore since her eyes opened. And, the less you do, the less energy you have after a while. While the more you do (active pup exploring the world), the more energy and stamina you will build up.

And, some dogs are just more naturally mellow while others are just more active. Same as with people. In the end, though, one person's high energy dog isn't enough for another. While another's low energy dog is way too "hyper" for someone else
 
#5 · (Edited)
Getting into everything is curiosity. I would take his enthusiasm as an opportunity to train. Track him, work his mind. You can do things in the house that don't take space, short sessions(rear end awareness/perchwork) The more his brain is exercised the happier you'll be! Teach him engagement now so training will be easier as he becomes more independent.
Many pups are full of energy, they had littermates to wear each other out. Now it is up to you.
 
#6 ·
This sounds just like my situation. Lol my little one is very active and curious but very fun to train catches on so fast and will stay engaged. My older one was a skittish pup so not nearly as adventurous. My only problem is if I'm not training or engaging with him all the time he'll just hover around the older one and pester her a bit. We're working through our kinks as well lol
 
#7 ·
Got a question. If I leave the two dogs separated they go crazy trying to get to each other in our small house, barking etc. I've been told to separate them so they bond with you.
But it feels unnatural. Shouldn't I just let them together if they get along so they can play and take some of my work off of me? I feel like my separating them I'm creating double the work
 
#10 ·
You might want to start your own thread. Yes, in the beginning 2 puppies is MORE than twice the work. That is why most breeders won't sell 2 pups to any but the most experienced homes.

The problem is that letting them "take some of the work off you" now is likely to leave you with more work and behavior problems in the future. That drive to be together can often leave you with adult dogs that can't function without the other beside them.

https://blog.betternaturedogtraining.com/2013/07/18/littermate-syndrome/
 
#11 ·
How old is your older girl? Mine are 3 years apart, we would separate them different times of the day when we brought the puppy home. This allowed the pup time to learn to relax in her crate, and the older one didn't have to worry about the pup. 2 years later we still limit their play to a point. We don't separate them any more, they've developed their own routines, and preferences around the house.
 
#14 · (Edited)
She's 4 now. So theyve been doing ok together and playing but the puppy is dominant, persistent. I'm a little concerned as this is the first time raising 2 dogs together, 1 being a puppy. They started to "fight" over toys. My older loves playing keep away and i guess the puppy got fed up and he snapped at her. And my older one is very submissive and bigger but she got scared and cowered away. I yelled no and put the puppy away in his crate so they can both get some rest.

How do I stop this from escalating? Or making sure they get along? Esp if I'm not around. I wanted 2 dogs that get along and bond well with similar energy. The older one being naturally submissive and the puppy being dominant (and will probably be bigger than her by the 6 mo mark), do I naturally let them set their order? I love the older one and I don't like how he snapped at her. The puppy basically walks all over her, drinking and eating her stuff & first. My older one is so timid she wont eat her food sometimes unless I encourage her too.

Someone chime in btw, if at any point you feel this may be a compatibility issue as I do not want to nurture it.
 
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