# Attention/play seeking puppy



## dhaney81 (Nov 5, 2014)

My 7 month old can be really pushy sometimes when he wants attention or play. He's at an age where he either wants to play/train, chew, or go on walks. He wants constant entertainment when he's out of his crate. He's not very good at just laying around, understandably at his age.

Last night after I had just taken him on a long walk, played 30 mins of fetch, and gave him a marrow bone to chew on. He wanted more play and was trying to get my attention by play nipping at my hands, jump into my lap, or nip at my bed. I said no a couple times and after that didn't work I put him in his crate. I try my best to make it seem more like a time out then punishment, but I'm just looking for another way to correct this other then putting him in his crate. I honestly think I give him a good amount of exercise and play, but he's always going to want more. 

How do you handle/correct your dog when they're being pushy and want to play/attention?


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

I send him outside to play with his sister.But seriously,maybe you could do some nose work with him.Hide toys or treats and teach him to find them.You can also get three coffee mugs and put a treat under one.Hope that helps.


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

At 7mos though, he's old enough to start making him lay around. Two things I do that help, are a place command and a pretty consistent routine. I rarely do anything other then make mine settle at home. No training or anything that builds excitement in the house. They run a little with each other in the yard, but for the most part I try to make it clear that its the place to relax, period. 

Be patient though, its not always an immediate fix. It can take a while to establish the routine,but the place command can be pretty quick.


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## dhaney81 (Nov 5, 2014)

Great points Steve. He knows the place command, but I haven't extended the time for more the a couple minutes yet. I probably need to ramp that up asap. 

I do play with him inside on rainy days, and sometimes even in my bedroom. I'll have to stop, and just play with him in the living room. Thank you.


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## robrymond (Sep 7, 2014)

dhaney81 said:


> My 7 month old can be really pushy sometimes when he wants attention or play. He's at an age where he either wants to play/train, chew, or go on walks. He wants constant entertainment when he's out of his crate. He's not very good at just laying around, understandably at his age.
> 
> Last night after I had just taken him on a long walk, played 30 mins of fetch, and gave him a marrow bone to chew on. He wanted more play and was trying to get my attention by play nipping at my hands, jump into my lap, or nip at my bed. I said no a couple times and after that didn't work I put him in his crate. I try my best to make it seem more like a time out then punishment, but I'm just looking for another way to correct this other then putting him in his crate. I honestly think I give him a good amount of exercise and play, but he's always going to want more.
> 
> How do you handle/correct your dog when they're being pushy and want to play/attention?



We have the same issue with out 9 month old. He is constantly craving play/walks/attention. He'll sleep for around 13 hours a day but the rest is play time.

When we come in from work, the next several hours are spent playing with him to wear him out. You cannot sit down as he'll bark. The only time he calms down is when you go to the kitchen and cook and he'll lie down. Also if the house is hot he'll be calmer. My partner was turning the thermostat up late at night to calm him down before bed.

He does know 'lie down' and will occasionally do so when we are eating and he is getting better but by Friday we are both knackered and thus the barking/attention seeking reaches a real sore point for us. If we're up and it is morning or evening, your attention is 100% on the dog. You can watch telly whilst playing but you can't 'relax'.


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## wick (Mar 7, 2015)

This is how our four month old is, I read one time (on a thread here I think) that there are the dogs that get tuckered when you play harder and those who just continue to build energy from it.... He is definitely that. I work from home and other than his 3 one hour naps he plays,walks, and trains the entire day ... And I still have to put him to sleep at night... Luckily he merely wines and gives a sad face at this point if I don't play... Unless he hears a dog bark or I try to put him to nap not at naptime... Then he will bark for 20 min ( almost exactly... I time it) it's exhausting! But worth it because with all that time training he is pretty darn good haha.


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## lauren43 (Jun 14, 2014)

robrymond said:


> We have the same issue with out 9 month old. He is constantly craving play/walks/attention. He'll sleep for around 13 hours a day but the rest is play time.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That barking sounds like demand barking. If it were me I would not allow it. If every time he barks whines at you, you get up and play with him or really interact with him at all you are reinforcing the barking. Telling him he can demand attention.

I would get up calmly and close myself in a bedroom or bathroom, when he seems more calm go back to the couch, if he does it again calmly walk back into another room. Rinse and repeat. Otherwise I'd crate him for the demand barking. Play time should be on your terms not his. 

But that's just how I'd handle it. We have a no barking policy in the house, the only allowable bark is when someone is at the door and that should stop the moment someone walks through the door.

My dog however is not particularly active at nearly 9 months old. He goes when I go and relaxes when I relax.


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## Wolfenstein (Feb 26, 2009)

wick said:


> This is how our four month old is, I read one time (on a thread here I think) that there are the dogs that get tuckered when you play harder and those who just continue to build energy from it....


This is totally how our 4 month old is, too! She gets so excited she works herself into a frenzy if you let her. Once she starts getting a little nippy, she goes in her crate, that's usually the first sign that she's worn out. I think maybe it's time to start working on a place command and having her settle while outside of the crate, though, huh? I think maybe I can get her to calm down if I have a bed RIGHT by where I'm sitting on the couch, and have her on a really short leash. I can't imagine her deciding to chill out on her own without being physically stuck somewhere! Haha!


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## Jake and Elwood (Feb 1, 2014)

I had the same issue with my 9-month old boys and I was honestly feeling exhausted and a little defeated. However, two days ago, when I picked my boys up from my pet sitter after work they were both laying down and quiet when I arrived. They got up, greeted me (too excited of course) and briefly acted like goofballs but she simply told them to "go to bed" and she walked into their space and backed them up to their beds. They DID IT and it looked so simple. I spent the next hour watching her technique and realized it's all about staying calm (no raising voices, no getting exasperated). Just be persistent. She told me it takes about a day to get them to really understand. Each time they get up, just get up and tell them to go to bed….body block them by walking into their space. They will retreat back to their space and if you just stand there and wait them out, they will usually give up and sit or lay down. 
I did this at home yesterday and it works!!! This morning, as I wanted to drink my cup of coffee, my boys were playing in the house. I gave them each a little treat (on their mats) and told them to lay down. They did…no complaining…no challenging me…nothing! I sat and drank an entire cup of coffee with no interruptions and I'm having time to write this note to you while they are sound asleep on their mats. I think it's ok to have some designated "play time" in the house if you choose but when you want them to settle, remove all the toys and just take command of the environment. Quiet, commanding, matter-of-fact and persistent. Good luck! I feel your pain.:hammer:


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## John C. (Mar 6, 2013)

My 1 yr old is still a lot like your puppy. I think you need to be careful about rewarding nipping/pushy behavior by giving into him and playing. At 9 months old every time you interact with the dog there's training going on - and if you're not training him, he's training you. If he starts pestering you, I would at least make him do a couple of sits and downs before you start playing with him. 

In fact, after a few days I would try to convert these into long downs. He stays down for a minute, and then you toss his ball or play with him. After a couple of days stretch it out to three minutes, then five, then ten. This will teach him how to moderate and control his desire to play. And he will learn that the best way to make you play with him is to sit or down in front of you, not to nip and pester you. 

Also, long downs are mental work for the dog, particularly if he's spending his time focusing on you. (You can do this by mixing up duration of the down, so he never knows when the play session is coming.) Believe it or not, just lying there focusing on you will tire him out.


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## robrymond (Sep 7, 2014)

Jake and Elwood said:


> remove all the toys and just take command of the environment. Quiet, commanding, matter-of-fact and persistent. Good luck! I feel your pain.:hammer:


I've not even realised that by leaving his toys and ball over the floor, that this will actually have an adverse effect on the situation.

The reason we give into the barking is that he is disturbing the neighbours and as much as it pains us, we end up giving in.

He has grasped the concept of lie down, but to be honest with our patterns (I work nights, my partner days) I feel that a 2 hour playtime every morning is what is needed as he'll then be asleep again. He has slept at night from say 10.30pm-6am and then will be sleeping from 10am-6pm, so I feel the playtime is needed to get rid of pent up energy.

I'm not sure wether I'm getting the wrong end of the stick though. As a general rule now he is older he has his mad hours between 7am-9am and 7pm-10pm. Thanks for the advice though, will put some of this into practice.


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## Huffsti (Jan 7, 2021)

Hi, I have a 1.3 y.o. german shepherd. I walk him in the mornings 30 min. stays alone 8 hours, and walking again when I comeback from work 30 minutes. I play with him in the patio and inside the house. He does not want to stop and becomes pushy with his nose and teeth. How do I teach him to lay down without put him in his crate?


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