wild and crazy puppy

[TBeau262]

Hi everyone, Thanks for all of your advice on how to redirect. I now have another situation, Matilda "Tillie" is 13 weeks old. When she plays she gets sooo wound up and can't seem to settle down. I started saying "time out" and putting her in her crate. She looks at me and lays down and takes a nap. I need to know how to prevent the overstimulation. It can just happen, one minute chewing a toy and next minute jumping on the couch(which is not allowed) I am wondering if she should be crated on a regular schedule. I do not work so I am really home all day. She gets plenty of exercise and many walks. She starts school tomorrow. Thanks in advance for your input.

[hokisteph5]

I think when puppies are young they're still learning their boundaries and house rules. One thing you may want to do is keep her on a leash indoors. That way, you can correct any behavior you don't like (e.g. trying to jump on the couch).

Sometimes Gretchen (who's 2) still gets the zoomies. She'll be playing with Samson and then take off running through the house.

If you do a search of the forums for "zoomies" you'll get more descriptions. Maybe that's what you're seeing from Tillie? Not necessarily overstimulation, just a love of life.

[dmoniz]

I find that when puppies are ready to take a nap they get really "naughty". You don't want to make the crate a bad place. What I do is get a couple treats lure her to the crate, tell her to kennel up and give her the treats. Like you said they are asleep within minutes.

[crazyonehuh]

I don't think that using the crate is a good idea for punishment.In fact, I think its downright wrong. It will send conficting messages to your dog when it gets put in for bad behavior vs. normal kennal time ie...bed or you need to leave for twenty minutes. If your dog is misbehaving, don't justtell it "No" and that be that. Redirect its attention from what it is doing wrong to do something it can do. If its chewing on something its not to be chewing on quickly give it something it can. I think if it is jumping on the couch maybe its want a little tlc so a quick game of fetch, maybe. Try to offer something good to replace the bad.

[lengel]

This is what one trainer told us about crate timeouts (more or less):

*Always* make the crate a happy place for your dog. Provide toys and treats and be positive and enthusiastic whenever you crate him/her. Crating your dog is a timeout for you. When your dog is safe and happy, you can recenter and think about alternative ways to address any given situation.

That said, I've been guilty of hustling my dogs into their crates with toys and treats and then walking away really quickly - a much less controlled response than I could have hoped for.

[rencook]

I see nothing wrong with putting the puppy in its crate for a "timeout"-as long as you are making it positive-saying "kennel" in a happy voice-giving a couple treats-and letting the pup take a nap. Just like kids-young pups sometime gets overstimulated and need a break. I think all puppies have a witching hour-usually at night.

[TBeau262]

Based on the responses, I was afraid I stated my problem incorrectly. rencook, you evidently understood what I was trying to say and ask. I do not get angry or anything when I put her in the crate, I say time out just like a mom may say naptime, I know she gets over stimulated and needs a nap and can't settle on her own. I wondered if I should have a scheduled time for the nap/naps to avoid the overstimulation.

[moondog]

Originally Posted by TBeau262

I wondered if I should have a scheduled time for the nap/naps to avoid the overstimulation.

I think so. My dog had at least two naptimes in her crate each day when she was little....and she was down for the count! She slept for 2, and sometimes, 3 hours each nap, out like a light. They do get overstimulated and overtired and just need a little help from their friends to get the rest they need.