Having a bad day and need advice!

[Holly Doodle]

Hi everyone! I posted this on one of my old discussions too but wasn't sure if it would get read. It's been a bad day and I am needing more support to deal with Holly's crazy behavior!! She's now almost 5 1/2 months old. Consistently, every time we let her out of her crate to play, after 5 or 10 minutes she gets very frantic for one reason or another and starts trying to bite us while growling, barking, and charging us. We have a large open kitchen/dining room that she loves to play fetch or tug in. Sometimes I'll be doing dishes or cleaning up and she'll play on her own. Either way, she somehow becomes crazy and I have to put her in her crate after only a few minutes of being out. It can be triggered by me telling her no if she's attempting to bite the table legs or jump on the counter, or while we're playing fetch or tug, but most of the time it's for no apparent reason.

She has graduated from beginner obedience with flying colors, but once she's to this point it doesn't work to tell her to sit or lie down. I work from 9 to 2 each day, and my husband comes home every day around 11 or 12 and lets her out to go potty and play. We take her for a 45 min walk each afternoon or evening. I would love to have her out of her crate from 2 until bedtime but it's impossible with her freakouts. I feel like she's in her crate way more than out because of this, and that's not fair to us or her. Everyday I take her out to play and put her back in over and over. I've tried to deal with her behavior in other ways besides putting her in her crate but she gets really aggressive and bites, and once she's doing this she will not settle down until I put her in her crate.

Any suggestions would be great. I keep hoping this will pass like most of her other little behavior issues did, but it's been going on for so long now and it only seems to be getting worse. If not suggestions, I just need to hear that it will get better!

[Sue & Willy Babe]

I agree with all the suggestions that dogs need some play time with other dogs. Wilson Loves playing with his friends we get together almost every night at 6:30 in my backyard for "puppy playtime" and they run and run in my back yard which is pretty big. They are so exhausted and even the next day wilson is somewhat tired But he loves it and when I call for playtime he "Knows" his friends are coming and Looks for them. In fact all the puppies seem to know that at6:30 is when we go over to Wilson's LOL LOL

[Sue & Willy Babe]

I agree with all the suggestions that dogs need some play time with other dogs. Wilson Loves playing with his friends we get together almost every night at 6:30 in my backyard for "puppy playtime" and they run and run in my back yard which is pretty big. They are so exhausted and even the next day wilson is somewhat tired But he loves it and when I call for playtime he "Knows" his friends are coming and Looks for them. In fact all the puppies seem to know that at6:30 is when we go over to Wilson's LOL LOL

[Sue & Willy Babe]

not sure why my comment was twice computer acting up

[Holly Doodle]

Thanks to everyone for the great advice!! I don't know what I would do without this website and all of your support and advice
! It really is good to know that I always have people who care and want to help when we are having stressful days. We are interviewing for doggy daycare on Monday so hopefully she will get in and Holly will get to be more of a dog :). Thanks again and I'll let everyone know how things go!
Laci and Holly

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Zoomies Love them cause they are so cute and hate them because they get so out of control. A leash on puppies until at least a year is a great way to control them. If you don't like the idea of a chain leash zooming through your house - go to the hardware store and buy some very lightweight roping and a few inexpensive snaps. You can usually make 3 15 foot leashes for about $5. They are cheap, washable in the washer, don't hurt your house or you and if your puppy at first chews up the first one or two it will soon stop as it will be an "old " toy and unnoticed and you said nothing when he chewed on it.

In the meantime think about how you are responding to her behavior. Could you accidentally be reenforcing it without meaning to do so. Does she get attention or some response from you that could be contrued by her as play?

Since she has been to puppy obedience when she has the leash on it will be easy to enforce " enough" by popping leash and then a down stay for a very short time (2-3) minutes with you standing on leash. this will only take 3- 5 times and she will know what "enough " means

[Noble Vestal Labradoodles]

I think many people play too hard with their dogs when they are puppies! The first 6 months set the tone for your dog. If you rough it up and play hard with him, using your hands or other body parts and teach him that it is ok to bite and waller on you, jump on you and play bark this is what they will do when they get older but because they are now 2 to 4 times larger it is no longer fun for the humans.

You really cant go back in time but you can get tougher in your response to your dog.

I would put his leash on him while in the house and put him in a Down Stay when you are not in play mode, step on the leash while doing dishes so that he can not go anywhere and can not jump on you. Provide him with a bone while you are busy as a treat for being a good boy and staying in his Down Stay. BUT be consistent. If he gets up, tell him to Stay and put him back down.

While away at work, feed him using a Buster Cube. Google it you will find a retailer in your area, PetsMart carries them. Don't go for the imitation food dispenser toys. Many will tell you they use the treat ball or other treat dispenser but none of them equal to the Buster Cube! This will exercise his mind and core so that when you get home he isnt pint up. Then walk him every day.... I know this one is hard.. it is for me too but it should be done for the health of your dog.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

I think one of the best things you can do for Holly is to socialize her with other puppies and dogs. As far as the ear pulling, that is totally a right of passage in a puppy's life. All puppies pull on the older dog's ears. My Gracie Doodle from 6 weeks on had two neighborhood playmates who were "safe" as far as shots and not being in public places where they could bring a disease into my yard. One was 9 months and the other was 3 months older than Gracie. The owners laughed because the younger one had been hanging on the older one's ears since they brought her home. Now Gracie was hanging on the younger one's ears...payback time. It is just what they do. When my daughter brought down her Rhodesian Ridgeback at 4 months to meet Gracie, she too grabbed on to the ears and took a free ride everywhere they went. They all seem to know how hard to pull and if they bite or pull a little hard they will give a little squeal or yelp and the puppy will back off. Gracie just went to my neighbors the other day to help socialize her new 11 week old Goldendoodle. It was hysterical because the puppy was too short to grab Gracie's ears since she is so tall. Every now and then with a big leap, she would get one!!! While you are on a waitlist for the Doggie Day Care, you should try to put play dates together in your yard or someone elses. Rather than the dog park where it can be overwhelming with all the dogs rushing at the same time. One on one would be very nice. Don't back off because Holly likes "ears". All puppies pull on ears!!! The best thing you can do for your puppy is to socialize her!!! I can't emphasize that enough!! With dogs as well as humans!

[Holly Doodle]

Hi Jane! The daycare is using us as a fill in for now when other dogs are sick or can't make it, so we just dropped her off there this morning. She did very well and when she started to get to crazy the other dogs would put her in her place. We're picking her up this afternoon, I'm excited to see how it goes! I think we are going to try the dog park maybe early in the morning or afternoon so it's not so busy. Thanks again for the tips, they're always appreciated!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

She is going to be exhausted tonight - just warning you! You are going to wonder what happened to your puppy!!!!

[Holly Doodle]

You're right! We just got her and she slept in my lap the whole way home. Then when we got home she actually went to her crate by herself and sat there. She is exhausted! They said she did very well and all of the dogs loved her, whew!

[shelly]

HI! You are NOT alone. These doodles are posted as being great family dogs... which they BECOME!!! However, having had dogs in the past, and this is my first time with a "doodle", I've come to realize from my own experience and from reading and talking to others that doodles are very high energy. We have an aussiedoodle who LOVES to run. We too don't have a fence as we live on an acre, but I got an extra long leash and allow her to run around, and around, and around the backyard. She literally runs in circles. This way I could let her run and not fear that she will run away before I can grab the leash. I don't think she would, but I still don't trust her. Believe me there were days when she would snip, snap, jump at us. I don't know how I didn't just didn't give up. But stick with the training, doggie daycare. It TRULY gets better! (Tori just recently calmed down about 3 months ago. She's 19 months now). It's like childbirth... you forget all of the pain once it's over and even think about "doing it again" Good LUCK!

[Holly Doodle]

Thanks for the encouragement! The long leash is a good idea too, thank you!