16 weeks old... ugh!

[Sarah Bennett]

So... question... is 16 weeks old like the terrible two for puppies?  I feel like over the past week my pup has become a monster!  Don't get me wrong, I still love Salvador, but I would be lying if I didn't admit to thinking that the puppy business may have been a bad choice for me... 

I'm admittedly gone a lot with work and "life".  I do come home from work for lunch.  Usually half the day I let him stay outside to play and explore (about 3 hours), and the other half of the day he's in his crate.  My lunch is an hour and I try to feed him, play with him and gulp down my own lunch.  When I get home, we play outside for a bit, but he doesn't like to always play outside.  When we are outside he gets bored with fetch (though inside it seems he could play all the day long).  I plan on getting him a little pool, but it hasn't been consistently warm outside enough for this.  I try to take him for rides, take him to the park to walk, to walk trails (these activities are probably 3-4 times a week for about 30-60 minutes), take him visiting to friends, and I'm trying to find dog friends but have not been successful with this.  In the evening we also try to play a little/a lot...but he's still a bundle of energy.  I can't seem to sit on the couch any more without him thinking that it's attack/play time...  he can't just lay next to me, but has to be on and over me.  I can put him on the floor a "kazillion" times and he just doesn't seem to get the message.  Then he does this crazy energy run around the house.  I admittedly need to work on obedience issues with him more, but can never get his energy level to a point where he will pay attention.  Money is an issue with obedience classes, but I do plan on doing it, just have to save the money for this (I just graduated with my masters and trying to find a job). 

So, I guess, HELP!  Tell me this is only temporary!

[Spuds Family]

Spuds is 16 weeks also. We just had a small gathering of friends over for the first time this season and Spuds debut. Amazing how much needed socialization with other people helped his behavior growth, and the 9 year old boy who played with him most of the night tired Spuds out. Spuds seems like he has matured over night.

[Sharae & Winston]

Sounds like a normal 4 month old to me, at least a high energy one. Winston was the exact same way. Hang in there and try to get him lots of exercise and mental stimulation. if hes had all his shots you should try a good doggy daycare. a few hours there tires Winston out for almost 2 days lol. He'll tone down a little, then you get to deal with the "adolescent" stage around 8 months....:-/

[Sarah Bennett]

I have been looking into doggy daycare for him.  I just completed his shots last week, so really, any time it can start.  I'm actually taking him into a place to have him see if he'll "fit in" this next Saturday.

[Marcia & MoneyPenny]

We are currently dealing with the "terrible two's" stage. Penny can be totally crazy & off the walls. We wear out before she does. Lots of good suggestions in the replies, love the bubbles. I do believe this stage will pass. Hang in there!

[Stephanie Neufeld]

Our puppy is 18 weeks right now and she seems to have days where she is mellow and other days where she is a complete psycho.  She can go from just walking around the house to full out sprint doing laps around the house then racing outside in the backyard and in again.... running so fast that she slides on our floors and bangs into walls.. we call it her "psycho mode", lol.  There's no stopping her when she's in the mind frame!  Even if we take her for walks and tire her out, there's no telling when this "psycho mode" will come out.  We think she must just have a random spurt of energy.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Cheap, easy toys (supervised play only!) we used when Luna was a baby:

- Puppy friends (best for wearing out a puppy!)

- Empty large plastic bottle (only for supervised play - remove the cap and the little ring under the cap) - If the pup is really small you can leave the cap on and put some water in it.

- Ice cubes

- Frozen wash cloths (wet a wash cloth, twist into a tight cylinder, then leave it in the freezer in a horseshoe shape)

[Sarah Bennett]

Love it!  I've given Salvador ice cubes before, but he picks them up and brings them into the carpeted living room...  not nearly as much fun.  I guess I could gate him into the kitchen.  That may help the fun, but he will soon out grow my small kitchen!  eeks!

[Sarah Bennett]

Salvador's good for playing fetch inside... not so much outside-he gets too distracted.  I'm hopeful because my nieces/neighbors came home today and they were about as excited to see him as he was them!  Another new game today: fetch up and down the stairs.  Not quite the distance that I like, but the running up and down the stairs did wear him out and a lot faster than "regular" fetch.  My only stairs are up to my room and before today, my room was not "puppy proof", but I decided to make the time investment today to get it there.  Also later today we're meeting up with a friend who has a dog.  I've tried to get him together with other dogs before now, but most of my friends have small dogs who seem to be intimidated by my 30+ lbs moose...

[Sarah Bennett]

Just an update:  The past 3/4 days have been good!  I took the bubble idea and Salvador LOVES it!  I've also puppy proofed my 2nd floor, so now we play fetch a little bit up and down the stairs, he was introduced to a new doggy friend, my neighbor's children are back and stop by during the day to play with him, and I've been walking with my neighbor's daughter (she's almost 9 and she is like a niece to me) with her dog.  And while her dog doesn't like Salvador (or any other dog), it's a lot of stimulation for Salvador!  When walking, half the time I've been making him "heal" or "stay close" and the second half, I let him loose leash walk to explore the area.  I've also done the plastic bottle idea, which he loves, and the ice cubes, which are too small for him...  he just puts them in his mouth :( 

But regardless, no puppy freak outs since everyone's helpful advice!  Thank you!

[Linda And Loo]

So happy things are getting better for you and Salvador!

[Jen W]

It is only temporary. It will pass.

I was just remembering how my puppy would get the crazies and go zooming around the house like a whirling dervish. Oddly, she'd do it as soon as we came in from a walk. She is only 7 1/2 months old now, but I haven't seen that in ages.

So many things I thought would do me in (the housebreaking, the chewing on the rugs, the crazies, the barking at bicycles) have all passed. Some with time, some with consistent training. But have faith. It gets better.