Understanding your new puppy is the foremost important thing you can do. Remember, puppies are supposed to be lively. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t be puppies. But sometimes, the liveliness is beyond the typical behaviour. The below will help you understand why.
The most important thing to do to calm a lively puppy is to let them sleep by turning down the excitement to allow them to get some rest. Just like kids, when they get overtired, everything is heightened, thus making them more lively than usual.
Puppies, in general, are lively. When puppies are awake, this is their time to learn and play. Puppies sleep between 18 to 20 hours a day. Ensuring they get enough sleep is very important. A tired puppy will be ten times livelier without enough sleep. Puppies tend to bite more and be less inclined to listen to you when tired.
Three Main Reasons Puppies Are So Lively
Remember, it’s normal for puppies to be lively. Being this energetic is how they burn their energy for the small amounts of the day they are awake. As a puppy owner, this is your time to play with your puppy, train them and feed them. It’s much like eating, playing, sleeping, repeating over and over throughout the day.
- Overtired: Just like kids, puppies also are lively when they are overtired and just not willing to listen.
- Mirroring You: If you are energetic and hyper, your puppy will also be.
- Rough Playing: Rough playing can teach them to repeat this at unwanted times.
What I do to calm my puppy
I have a new JRT puppy called Albert, he is twelve weeks old, and I have noticed he gets very lively after being awake for around an hour and a half.
During the lively stage, playing stops, and I get him settled in his bed whilst toning down my voice and the environment around him. At this point, I also avoid telling him off. Instead, I redirect him to his bed, sofa or on your lap each time. I find telling off a tired young puppy often backfires, and the liveliness increases.
Albert then has his nap!
Albert sleeps on and off during the day for about 2hrs each time, then wakes for the toilet, food, playing and training. When he wakes from his nap, he isn’t as lively and much more coherent and interested in learning and not running around with the pads in his mouth like a crazy puppy or thinking my hands are an excellent thing to bite.
Recommended Read: TRAINING – How To Get A Puppy To Stop Biting
Here are some images of him sleeping, as he loves to sleep. Remember, puppies need their sleep when they are young and can sleep between 18 to 20 hours.
Sometimes just knowing that it’s normal for a puppy to act lively if they have been awake for some time helps you stay calm and sail through. By knowing this, you will have more patience and understanding that they are not naughty or too energetic.
Your dog is just overtired.
Calm their environment, and the rest will follow!
Puppies will calm down with age, you just have to ride that train for a few months!
Recommended Read: is your puppy having trouble sleeping at night? If so here is an article I wrote that will help. This sleep toy will settle them in their cage.
Problem with your puppy chewing?
If your puppy chews anything that you don’t want them to, which I’m sure they do, just like Albert, this is a lifesaver. Just spray it on the areas that your puppy chews on, and it gives off a bitter taste that stops him from chewing on it anymore. Remember again that this is normal puppy behaviour because they are teething. I got this from Amazon, and it even works on clothing, plus slippers, doormats, carpets, and stairs.
Good Luck!
