8:30pm CRAZY Puppy!

[Kacie Hollander]

The past 3 nights in a row, right around 8:30pm, our sweet Macy goes nuts!  It's like she's a different dog.  Jumping, biting really hard, trying to get on the couches, clawing at the outlets.  The first night we thought it was pent up energy, so the next day we ran and ran and ran with her outside all day (with a naps in between).  But it happened again!  So I read some other discussions on DK and it seemed like maybe over-stimulation?  My in-laws said to put her to bed when she gets like that - that it means she's tired, but I've been told not to put her in her crate while she's hyper so I'm not sure what to do when she gets in this state.  Advice??

[Bonnie and Kona]

When Owen was a puppy, he would get overtired and act like a maniac. We had to put him in his kennel covered with a blanket. He would soon fall asleep. He was like one of my children who got more wound up the more he needed rest. Our other child would happily take a nap.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Sounds like the 'puppy zoomies' to me. Puppies naturally have a burst of energy in the evening and they're most likely to run around the house at full speed and knock into things (creating quite a havoc). Both my doodles went through that stage and Oscar (9 mos.) still has his moments in the evening at times. You may want to try structured play, throwing a ball or other toy to retrieve to show him acceptable ways of expending excess energy. The stage passes eventually, and I don't know that there's any way of avoiding it. Redirecting is my best advice. Good luck!

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Sorry, I meant "...to show her acceptable ways of expending excess energy."

[Cathy, Fozzie & Shaggy]

If you know when this energy burst is about to happen, then be proactive and slip her in the crate before she goes nuts. This does not make the crate a punishment after the fact.

[Gabby]

Puppy zoomies for sure.. Our Duke has the same thing, right after the sun goes down. At first he started barking and chasing the kids, nipping, biting on things he is not supposed to..so I started taking more control I am training him to retrieve and he spends at least 45 minutes running for the ball and bringing it right back. We also have a soccer ball that he loves to tackle and play with. These games have helped tremendously. If you help her direct her crazy energy to something fun and positive, I think it will be less stressful for you..

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

We had such fun when Riley had the zoomies we used to play catch with a ball around the house and hide it, he would run and jump like a maniac for about twenty minutes and then collapse in a heap, every night. This went on until Boris came and now all that energy goes on him. I must say I do miss our Zoomie time but only a little :)

[Marcia & MoneyPenny]

Penny went through this & still occasionally has zoomies. It has gotten much better & I do agree with the comments that it has to do with being overtired. On days where nap schedule was off it did seem that her energy burst was crazier. It is exactly like when my 17 month old granddaughter has missed her nap & has trouble getting to sleep because she is wound, overtired & overstimulated. Penny is 5 months & has settled into a daily routine that provides her with her nap times & the zoomies have drastically reduced in frequency & craziness.
Love the term "puppy zoomies"

[Darcy & Millie]

Great time for you to ask about these because Millie has this sometimes, but last night was horrible.  She wouldn't calm down for anything!  I'm glad you got some answers - Crazy puppies!

[Dynamite & Doodle]

Darwin is almost 13 weeks and he gets this way too. I do put him in the crate but it's not as a punishment. I pick him up and hold him carefully so he can't bite (this is getting much harder, but when he sees the crate he stops resisting so I think we can just walk him there soon) and i talk sweetly to him, telling him he must be so tired, let's have a rest. He lays down in his crate right away, happy as a clam. This works well for us, he likes his crate and I'm sure that he will eventually take himself to the crate for a rest when he needs it.

[BRADY GOOSE MOORE (Mini Doodle]

The 'Zoomies' are pretty chaotic and hypher scarey when they're puppies. Brady (mini) did this usually early evening when he was outside in our back garden. He'd race around low to the ground like a maniac, nipping, jumping at the back of our legs .... sometimes he'd do it in the house running room to room (but was never destructive or clumsy). He is now 2 yrs., and from time-to-time he will 'zoom' about (no nipping :) - that ended at about 6 - 7 months). We actually find ourselves killing ourselves laughing and clapping to encourage it now cuz it's so darn cute. This little guy has turned out to be such a pleaser - an absolute delight .... all the 'bad' puppy behaviour - nipping, accidents in house, biting, eating little rocks in garden, digging have disappeared. It seems that it'll never end but BE PATIENT, pour all your love into your little sweetie and soon you'll barely remember the 'hard times'.

[Kacie Hollander]

Thank you everyone for the advice and kind words. It's so comforting to know my pup isn't the only one with the zoomies! Although, she's had them twice this morning, which is weird because it usually only happens in the evening. Did your pups ever growl at you during their zoomies?  This morning we were outside and it was time to come inside.  She obviously didn't want to, she started barking and growling and biting the leash.  She had already peed, pooped and sniffed around for a while.  Just wondering if this is a bad sign of aggression that we should worry about, or just another symptom of the zoomies.  Thanks!

[Marcia & MoneyPenny]

Penny has growled during some of her zoomies. During one I purposely put my hand near her mouth & she did nothing. There was no biting, soft or hard. I think the growl is just immature enthusiasm. She will also growl at her tennis ball when I bounce it.