Teenage Sheepdogs
Our Izzy recently celebrated her 7-month birthday last week. We've noticed that lately our lovely, well-mannered muppet has two personalities - dream dog or demon dog. She has a trainer and is incredibly intelligent (as long as treats are involved.) Lately, however, when she knows it's time to settle down for the night she becomes a monster, running around and barking like a madwoman.  She's chewing on things she NEVER chewed on before and she certainly doesn't lack for chew toys. We have the antler, kong, food dispenser, plushes, nylabones, etc. Anyone else go through Sheepie teenage hell? When she's not throwing her temper tantrums she's the most loving, adorable ball of fur ever. Suggestions? Reassurance that one day my sweet girl will stop the Jeckel and Hyde act? I should also probably mention that she was spayed at 6 months, so it's not her cycle coming into playThanks!  |
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| Chauncey did this at that age. Some posted that it is called a FRAP, which is Frenetic Random Acts of Play or Frantic Running and Playing. Chauncey didn't chew things but he'd run full blast through the house, across the bed, the couch, bark, jump up on me, etc...... It was always late evening when he had his little fits. This lasted a few months for Chaunce and since he wasn't being distructive, depending on my sense of humor it could be fun to watch and sometimes join in his fun. |
| I likened it to the last energy drain of the day. Perhaps they aren't getting enough exercise; mental and physical, during the day and this is the last shot before the long night. At this age they are big balls of energy and you have to run yourself ragged trying to drain some of it. It passes, thankfully and within a few years you'll be asking, where did that energetic puppy go as your sheepie sprawls all over the furniture and barely lifts an eye lid when spoken to. |
Now maybe you can appreciate just what us men have to put up with!  What time in the evening is the last walk, can you extend it a little? |
| She's walking 2-3 times a day and gets a good run, too! Her zoomies at night don't seem to have any correlation to the last time she walked - sometime's it's even worse if she has more exercise than usual. I happen to think it's funny when she's zooming through the house, but when she gets "barky" to my husband it drives him crazy. She did actually SIT when someone new greeted her today instead of trying to climb into their arms - small steps but a proud Mama! |
| Good! Remember, a tired pup is a good pup. We had a game we'd play with Crumpet, the last of our puppies (the rest have been adult rescues)...she had rubber ball she loved, so we played keep-away with the uprights at opposite ends of the hall. We'd run her little paws off. So Zoomies might be quite normal. After the exercise we'd take a nice 20 minute walk where she'd pee and poop before bed. |
| Moe is seven and a half months and his problem is mornings..he is a ball of energy at six am.he bark s wakes us up and wont calm down til you play with him outside |
| Welcome to the teenage years...thats in dog years. It usually lasts about six months to maybe a Year. This is the time the dog looses his/her hearing..no matter how many times or what you call them they do not hear you. This is the time when everything is for chewing...beware and anything you do not want chew marks on, put out of reach. Better yet behind locked doors and in a vault. This is the time that all your training goes out the window. You tell them sit and they say "make me" This is the time that you go bald. Ripping your hair out and wondering what happened to that wonderful dog you had. Sit back, have a glass of wine(or something stronger) and remember, this too shall pass...someday. Interesting little fact-this is the time between six months to a year when most dog owners will "get rid" of their dogs. Hang in there. Anyone who has raised a puppy knows just what you are going through. |
| Mine does the frantic nighttime race from room to room, on the couch, over the ottoman, etc. It is always at night but not every night! I equate it with babies always being their fussiest around 6-7pm. |
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