# frustrated!



## josephluplow (Nov 24, 2009)

I've been at my limit the last few days, any tips?

Emerson is 4 months old, and VERY high energy. I crate train while I'm at work (8-6), and he goes out two times during the day, usually 12 and 3. I usually stay up till 12 with him, which gives him a good 6 hours of running around.

I've been told it's not a good idea to go on really long walks, but I have no idea how to mellow him out. He usually goes for 15-20 minutes in the morning, and 30-40 at night, and he is just wild every night. He's pretty good about not biting, but he'll bark and run under the bed, he'll grab stuff and take off with it, etc...I don't remember the last time he sat still or laid down.

he's super bright and very easy to train, and overall he's a great puppy, but the last couple days have been extremely taxing on me. my job is so high stress i need some time to just sit, but i can't, it's like every second he's getting into something! he gets very bored with toys very quickly, i've tried kongs, balls, every good toy you can think of (avoiding ropes/rawhide, etc.). his attention span is about 5 seconds, unless I've got treats and am training him.

any help here? sorry if this is so long, it's been a tough few days. is the answer longer walks? oh and i also play fetch at the house too, i've got a long hallway and he loves running up and down it.

okay i'm done..help!


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Really long walks are fine for a puppy. Chama was doing 5 mile walks by the time she was 10 weeks old (I adopted her at 5 weeks) and she lived to be 14 years old.







What you want to avoid is running or jumping with a young pup. 

I would combine long walks with activities that make him use his brain. Hide his toys and get him to find them, do short training sessions several times a day, teach him games, etc.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I found that playing a game of tug will help wear out the pup, but when they are teething that is put on hold. A good raw fresh knuckle bone will give you some downtime, and will work his teeth/jaws. Kongs don't hold my pups attention, either.
Do you play two ball fetch? 
Puppy Obedience classes are a great energy release, too. 
Just doing a few minutes of ob will tire them out mentally, so they then take a break physically. Several short sessions a day.
Walks around the block are boring when it comes down to getting out needed energy. 
Get a livestock feeder(turn upside down) and do some perch training, he'll enjoy that, too!
Maybe a doggie daycare is an option?


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## pinkanml (Sep 3, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: onyx'girlI found that playing a game of tug will help wear out the pup, but when they are teething that is put on hold. A good raw fresh knuckle bone will give you some downtime, and will work his teeth/jaws. Kongs don't hold my pups attention, either.


Took the words right out of my head









My 2 also have no interest in kongs, and every since they had raw bones, won't even glance at a rawhide bone anymore! Best thing ever when I need them out of my hair a couple hours!


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## KittyKat (Nov 19, 2009)

Sorry you are being so stressed out lately, My pup is almost 7 months old and is now starting to mellow out. He wasn't one of those puppies that was 100% into everything all day every day. But he sure did have his days and it was really trying on the patience list.

Do you have a fenced in yard or anything? Playing ball is also another idea, filling a kong full of kong stuffies or peanut butter and giving it to him might let you have a 10 minute break. When Yrie used to be a pita, I would play "the kibble game" I'd sit on the kitchen floor and hold his bowl of food and throw kibbles, he would run all over the kitchen getting the kibbles I tossed and it was a great way to work on his eye mouth co-ordination. AND learn where sounds were coming from. Was an easy way to burn 10 minutes. 

Just some suggestions hope you find some relax time with your little guy.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I have a weird question. 

What are you feeding your puppy? 

If you are feeding something like Beneful, it is the equivalent of feeding a two year old a bag of m&ms for breakfast. Things to avoid in ingredients are molasssis, as it give them pretty much a sugar rush. 

Do you have your puppy in puppy classes. It can help. You can work on the exercises on nights you are not going to class. Lots of games, have him work for healthy treats like chicken, carrots, apple, and use his brain. He is spending a lot of time in a crate for a puppy, but that cannot be avoided, and he should be just fine if you can find an outlet for the energy reserves. 

Good luck with the puppy.


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## kelso (Jan 22, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: BowWowMeow
> 
> I would combine long walks with activities that make him use his brain. Hide his toys and get him to find them, do short training sessions several times a day, teach him games, etc.


Brain games!! They do not take to much time but do wear them out! Brain games are really nothing specific at that age, just any activity that is teaching them, pushing them to learn. Also getting them out and about for just a small amount of time will help as well, meeting new people and things ect. 

You will get through this







I was in medical school when we got Kelso, so even though I was home alot I needed to be studying. We did lots of walking, then various brain games, and then if I needed to I would put him in his kennel to get stuff done. AS funny as it would have been, I really did not want to try to tell my professors that my dog really DID eat my homework









It is frustrating, but I promise you will miss it...really







And it will get better. I do not think there really is a great answer, they are just fun (pain in the you know what) lil nutballs at this age. Happy you are home and wanting to get your attention in anyway!


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Ya know, it is OK to crate the kid when you are home. Really it is. It would be wonderful if our tolerance matched their enthusiasm for testing it. It doesn't. I could not be futzing around here if my not quite 5 mo old was not in her crate.

She went on her third trail ride this weekend. It was a short trail ride but guess what? It tired puppy out long enough for me to drive home!!!! Attack the leaf rake doesn't even work any more!

To quote a certain politician "I feel your pain!"


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

Guess where mine is right now


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## Bcannie (Jul 8, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Jason LinGuess where mine is right now


Probably the same place as mine!! I have to have time to energize for the next round!


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

I have to have time for the liquid bandage spray thing to work ...


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

when he goes out at those times during the day, 12 & 3,,is he just out and back in?? If you are using a doggie sitter/walker I'd have them taking him for a nice long walk/run at those times..

Also, have you considered doggie daycare a couple times a week?
I guarantee a day there, will have him sleeping by the time he gets home))

He's a normal puppy with alot of energy to burn. I feel for you, I know if Masi , when she was a puppy was getting what your puppy is getting, it would not have been enough for her)) 

Can ya say "energizer bunny"? LOL


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## aubie (Dec 22, 2008)

Tug is a great way to wear them out, as is starting obedience work at home. I always did basic OB with Anna right before bed. Some sits, lays, etc and then she would pass out!


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## Playedspades (Jan 29, 2010)

OP, you have the key to your question in your post. You mentioned that your GSD's attention is longer when you have a treat in your hand, and that you want him to sit and be a TV dog with you.

so here's what you do. Hold a treat in your hand, and make sure he knows it. As soon as his attention starts to wander, give it to him, and associate it with a command. (that is, say his name with a particular inflection, or give a specific word, like "Hey!" or whatever you want. but make sure the command makes sense to you. this will be your command whenever you want him to pay undivided attention to you.) Then show him another treat, and repeat. Pretty quickly, he'll begin paying attention longer. Continue doing this until your dog can wait patiently for about a minute or so. 

Then move the training to the couch (or where ever you watch TV.) Have him in the area where you want him to be when you're watching tv together. As i doubt he can sit or lay down on command for any considerable time, let the dog do whatever he wants. just make sure he's where you want him to be. Then show him the treat to get his attention, and act like your watching the tv. As soon as his attention wavers, give the command and show him the treat. Do this until the dog can pay attention for a minute, then give him the treat. Then repeat, giving the dog a treat each time he can extend his attention by 15 seconds or so. Once your dog is up to 3 minutes, continue the same pattern, but only give the treat for each additional minute.

the longer the dog goes between getting treats, the less he'll associate the action with the treat, so don't worry that this will only work if you have a treat. And if you make sure to give the command every time his attention wanders, it will reinforce the meaning of the command, which is what you want.

next, how to wear your dog out. i got this done with Sadie by teaching her to play fetch. we started by rolling a ball, and she picked up on her own to go after it. i had to teach her to bring it back, and to relinquish the ball. (just respond if you need instructions on those commands) but now that we've got the rules of fetch down, i can play a brisk game with her, with very little energy on my part. i just throw the ball and she sprints all the way to it and all the way back. 15 minutes of that and she's totally spent.

an addition to fetch that i have is to hold a stick up at shoulder level after i throw the ball. when she runs back, she sees it and she'll actually jump up and grab the stick out of my hand. believe me, she's exhausted after a good game. she'll generally take a nap afterwords, which gives me time to myself.


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## doggal (Jan 29, 2010)

Someone once said the best thing about a puppy is they become a dog!


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