Evening Craziness

[Sandy]

Toby was one in August. He is now over 65 pounds. We do our best to keep him active and exercised, and yesterday he was out and about with us, had two 1/2 walks, and basically had a pretty good day, as dog's days go. But last night, as seems to be the norm lately, he got all crazy, overactive, would not settle down, etc. It's almost like an overtired toddler - the longer it goes on the worse he gets, and even though he's just playing, it gets a little rough - not biting, of course, but knocking my feet around with his head (which is very hard, as you well know), racing around the house, etc. So what I've taken to doing when this starts up is clipping on his indoor lead from his puppy days. Can't race around if he's on a lead!

Is anyone else in this boat? I feel like Toby needs to be trained to settle down in the evenings. Not something I thought I'd have to do in training a dog, but apparently I was wrong. :)

[Sandy]

So Guinness does the whole ankle bruising/feet knocking thing too? I'm trying to get Toby to stop - it's getting painful as he get bigger and older. It is in no way an aggressive thing, just a play thing, but still..... :)

[The Berry Oaks Doodle Ranch]

I'm convinced it's a doodle thing....I've had few other breeds of dogs in the past, and never even heard of the term 'zoomies' before. I also believe it's like and over tired toddler, and keep hoping he well grow out of it.Our Guinness also gets alot of exercise and still goes crazy after dinner and is bounceing off the wall before bed-time until he drops and what is UP with (knocking our feet around with his head), I've never seen this before either.

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

I like the term 'zoomies' it is very discriptive and accurate. My 3 get wound up chasing each other through the house, bouncing off furniture and people. If the dog gates are open they do the family room, foyer, dining room, kitchen, family room,... circuit until I banish them to the backyard to continue the zoomies outside. Since Harlow is the only doodle in the pack, I don't think it is just a doodle thing. But Harlow is definitely the instigator of the group zoomies.

[Kendra K. Rhoton]

Remington is usually asleep under our feet after his dinner... he gets a full belly and it content :)

[Debbie and Thomas]

Same thing here Sandy-if there is not enuf excercise at the stroke of 6 pm-he gets a little nuts to say the least. Doesn't happen as often as it used to though as the weather is nice now so we can be out in the yard with him barbequing etc, but last winter was a killer. Hopefully they grow out of this "witching hour" soon.

[Sandy]

This evening Toby is quite happy with a new bone. If only I could afford a new bone every night of the week..... Otherwise he just seems to go and go until he's too tired and drops. If it is a doodle thing, I hope it's a doodle thing that passes with age.

[Veronica Lackey]

Brody gets over excited in the evenings, too. As a matter of fact, I just came in from seeing a movie at 9:30pm. My three children were either asleep on the couch, or going up to bed at that moment. Brody, on the other hand, was like a crazed lunatic! Jumping all over my furniture, mouthing, and being like a toddler himself. I'm chalking it up to be a 'doodle thing' for now, unless someone else out there can correct me.

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

My two start wrestling every evening around this time. Even if one was going to nap, the other coaxes until it's on. Finn was tired from swimming and puppy class. Yankee got a squeaky ball and kept making noise until Finn got up to wrestle.

[Sandra]

I read in an Ebook that is called the "zoomies". Ozzie does the same thing if he does not have enough exercise within a few days or during the day. He usually runs around like a nut, gets mouthy and then settles down on his pillows with his pooh bear.

[F, Calla & Luca]

This reminds me of tired toddlers too.When Luca was younger he would start nipping in the evening. I put a chain leash, since he would chew the others, over a door knob and clip him there until he settled down. It worked and sometimes I could just ell him he'd "Go on the door" if he didn[t stop and he'd calm down.