# Overexcited puppy.... help!!!



## ana19 (Jun 26, 2020)

Hey guys! 

So, a little introduction first. I have a 19 week old V puppy that gets really really excited really fast. Like over the top I'm loosing my mind kind of excited. He started doing it when he was maybe 12 weeks or something and I couldn't been able to get rid of this behavior.

He growls, barks at me, jumps and bites really hard. He also started snarling a few days ago. He drew blood out of me a lot of times. He usually does this when we're playing and he gets worked up or in the evenings and the afternoons.

I've tried yelping, walking away, putting him in time-out in his crate but he doesn't really settle down in there, lightly pushing him away, putting him on his back (he gets even more bitey and starts snarling), holding his muzzle (he just continues biting like nothing happened), shouting no, putting a toy in his mouth but he just leaves the toy and starts biting my hands and legs again. When I try to walk away he starts running and biting the back of my legs or jumps and tears my clothes. Yelping doesn't really work, he gets even more excited. Also I've been trying to hold his collar until he calms down but it hasn't been working really. He sits and either looks okay and then when I let him he continues like nothing happened or wiggles and starts biting the hand thats holding him. If I go in the house and leave him in the backyard to chill that seem to make him calm down but the moment I step outside he continues with the "oh I'm so excited I'm loosing my mind" thing.

When we play he bites here and there but I redirect with a toy and everything is good untill I cross some kind of a line where he just gets crazy and starts biting, jumping and barking so badly. Again, when I try to leave he starts biting my ankles and legs.

It's especially bad in the evenings. He plays with a toy, starts growling at it and after that the zoomies usually start. He just gets so worked up and when he notices me sitting and chilling out he just starts jumping on me, growling and biting.

I don't think it's aggression or anything like that because between his two jumps he does a play bow and his tail is wagging.

He is sooo sweet and smart and funny all day but it's just gotten to the point where I'm not sure what to do anymore or if I'm the one who is causing it. Help please. 

Sorry for the long text and for bad English. Thank you.
Ana


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## PhilipL (Sep 28, 2018)

Hi Ana,

Please would you tell us a little more about his exercise routine, how far and for how long is your Vizsla walking on a lead, running off lead daily and so on. I'm trying to figure out how much of his Vizsla energy he is using or not. Is he left alone at all during the day or is he with someone all the time? As much information as you can share will help us understand his situation better to be able to figure out what is going on. Thanks


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## InTheNet (Jun 1, 2016)

What you are experiencing is pretty much "normal" They are really mouthy and when they are tired they get even worse.

It will get better.

Our fist pup changed to the good at 6 months and things got better quickly.
We then adopted a 10 month old that the owners were not prepared for the exercise needed to help her remain calm. It was their first dog and they had youger kids. We never had any shark attacks from her.

In 4 weeks we get a new pup.
I want to get Kevlar socks/pants to wear for the first few months. 

It will get better, I promise..


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## ana19 (Jun 26, 2020)

PhilipL said:


> Hi Ana,
> 
> Please would you tell us a little more about his exercise routine, how far and for how long is your Vizsla walking on a lead, running off lead daily and so on. I'm trying to figure out how much of his Vizsla energy he is using or not. Is he left alone at all during the day or is he with someone all the time? As much information as you can share will help us understand his situation better to be able to figure out what is going on. Thanks


Thank you for your response and for trying to figure out what's the problem, I really appreciate it!!! I can't belive how everyone on this forum is so supportive, understanding and willing to help. I just love it!

Where I live is summer now so during the day it's pretty hot out. Aaron is outside in the yard during the day (he loves sunbathing) and he sleeps inside at night. He has a small and safe kiddie pool so he can cool off whenever he wants to. I'm on my summer break so I'm with him outside all the time but I come inside if I need to do something or sometimes I leave him outside for two hours max so he can understand that it's okay to be alone (I supervise him through a window haha so he doesn't get into any trouble but he's usually pretty good).

Regarding the walks: We're still practicing loose leash walking so I'm not sure if the training is going to "suffer" if we go for a walk because he pulls a lot (I don't know how to explain it better, I hope you understand). I would really appreciate it if you could tell me if I should insist on walking him even though he isn't trained yet and what were the best methods for teaching your Vizslas not to pull. I walked him 2km this evening before his "witching hours" and he was constantly pulling the whole walk but the good thing is he wasn't that bad with "I'm loosing my mind" thing today.

I would play with him after both of us had breakfast in the morning (fetch, chasing a football ball I have laying around) + we would do some training. It was pretty hot outside these few days so he really wasn't into playing anything later in the day. He would nap from noon to about 4pm but I get what you mean maybe he was especially bad these days because he was filled with energy from all of that sleeping and I wasn't walking him because I wasn't sure if that would affect the training.


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## ana19 (Jun 26, 2020)

InTheNet said:


> What you are experiencing is pretty much "normal" They are really mouthy and when they are tired they get even worse.
> 
> It will get better.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your reassuring and optimism! It means a lot!
And congratulations on soon your new puppy, definitely post some pictures!!!


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## PhilipL (Sep 28, 2018)

Hi Ana,

Thank you for your reply and the extra detail.

They do say that 'a tired Vizsla is a happy Vizsla', but I understand the difficulty exercising him in hot weather where it is far too warm. Looks like first thing in the morning and later at evening when coolest are your two options for the longer walks, as you have been doing.

Puppies need plenty of sleep to grow, I think I read on here 14 hours per day, but if too much in daytime he will not be tired in the evening before bed.

I don't know your surroundings, but is there anywhere safe like a park with a physical boundary where you could let him off the lead and be reassured he would come back to you and not run off out of view? If there is, any time spent 'off lead' will get rid of far more energy from him than a long walk on lead. Games such as running after and retreiving tennis balls from a thrower will keep his interest going. 

I remember the first times letting our boy Rafa off lead, it was a concern just in case he ran off, but we worked on his recall a lot by voice and whistle and we have been lucky as now if he sees a bird or a rabbit and goes into super fast running 'hunting mode'; he immediately stops chasing and comes back when we call him. Rewards were used a lot.

We had the pulling, Rafa got so strong he pulled my wife and daughter over. We tried the front 'none pull' D ring harnesses and he still thought he was a sled dog! Our solution was a 'gun dog' style simple 'halter' rope lead, the loop put over his head then twisted into a figure 8 and looped over his muzzle, this cured the pulling instantly. He can still pant, drink etc as it doesn't stop his mouth opening, but if he pulls it tightens on his muzzle and he doesn't like that, so he doesn't pull. 

Anyway to reassure you, he sounds like a typical Vizsla puppy testing boundaries and still learning. Have fun


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## ana19 (Jun 26, 2020)

PhilipL said:


> I don't know your surroundings, but is there anywhere safe like a park with a physical boundary where you could let him off the lead and be reassured he would come back to you and not run off out of view? If there is, any time spent 'off lead' will get rid of far more energy from him than a long walk on lead. Games such as running after and retreiving tennis balls from a thrower will keep his interest going.


I'm looking for a place where I can run him off leash or at least on a long line until I get his recall perfected.



PhilipL said:


> Anyway to reassure you, he sounds like a typical Vizsla puppy testing boundaries and still learning. Have fun


Thank you so much for your help!


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

There are a few things that you can try, but in the end I think the behavior will begin to diminish in the coming weeks.
He's coming up on 5 months old right now, and the difference in maturity between 5 months, and 7 months is quite a bit. He's going to change a lot over the next 5 months. 
I kept a 1m leash on Finn during this period. It was a robust nylon leash, so he couldn't destroy it. He'd get wound up, I'd grab the leash and we'd go for a walk about the house, or yard. It got turned into a training session.
At 5 months old he should be trained to the leash. He won't be 100%, but he should know the basic commands, Walk, Heel, Sit, Stay, Here. If you get 50% out of him, you're doing great, but as of right now, he should be well into his leash training and basic ground manners.

Pulling is a natural behavior, that unfortunately we, humans, sometimes unknowingly encourage. 
If you tie a dog to a post, or a tree, I guarantee they will stop pulling at that leash. They'll find the point at the end of the lead, and back down just enough to release the pressure. I promise they will do it. Tie him to a post and watch.
When he pulls, you stop, and you become the post. Don't pull back, don't correct, just stop dead in your tracks, and with zero emotion stand there like a pillar. Do not yield one iota. Once he stop pulling, and creates a little slack, you move. He has to be the one to decrease the pressure, not you. I'm not going to lie to you, it might take twenty minutes to move 100meters, and you will do this alot. It's very tedious.From this you will transition to the "heel". 

You can do the figure 8 over the nose. BUT!!!!! while that loop is over the nose, it is the dog that releases the contact 100% of the time. Never, ever, does the handler apply the pressure! The figure 8 puts a lot of pressure on the nose with just the slightest touch. It is very, very, easy to hurt a dog permanently. I can flip a 1200lb. horse over onto it's back with a figure 8, and the same thing can happen with a dog. The same pressure, and the same principals apply. When Finn is being particurally fresh, I will use a figure 8. He knows exactly what it is also, and will fight me to not have that loop dropped over his nose. He settles down instantly! and it's usually only on him for a few minutes. 
Realize also that pressure is applied opposite of the slip loop. If you want the dog to heel to the left, the slip loop has to be on the right hand side of the dog, because as it is applying pressure, it will be applying pressure first to the left side of his muzzle. To avoid the pressure, he has to move his head to the right, and into you the handler.
These "halti" halters, and "gentle leader" style leads, are an adaption of early centuries "War Bridles" for horses. They can be anything but gentle if used incorrectly.

I think you would be very well served to find a big open space to let him blow off energy. He's big enough now to let him go, but do keep him on a long check cord. 
It's been pretty hot here lately, Connecticut, so we've been doing a lot of water work. He stays cool, but he's working.


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## ana19 (Jun 26, 2020)

gunnr said:


> Pulling is a natural behavior, that unfortunately we, humans, sometimes unknowingly encourage.
> If you tie a dog to a post, or a tree, I guarantee they will stop pulling at that leash. They'll find the point at the end of the lead, and back down just enough to release the pressure. I promise they will do it. Tie him to a post and watch.
> When he pulls, you stop, and you become the post. Don't pull back, don't correct, just stop dead in your tracks, and with zero emotion stand there like a pillar. Do not yield one iota. Once he stop pulling, and creates a little slack, you move. He has to be the one to decrease the pressure, not you. I'm not going to lie to you, it might take twenty minutes to move 100meters, and you will do this alot. It's very tedious.From this you will transition to the "heel".


Thank you for your advice! I'll try it out!



gunnr said:


> It's been pretty hot here lately, Connecticut, so we've been doing a lot of water work. He stays cool, but he's working.


That's such a great idea! I haven't thought of it. Thank you!


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## Kiko2020 (Sep 7, 2020)

I am new to this group and my first V (13 weeks old). Reading this thread really put a lot into perspective with great advice. I am glad I am not the only one with this puppy issue. So glad I found_ this group. _


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## ana19 (Jun 26, 2020)

Hey guys! So, a little update first. Aaron stopped with this crazy behavior maybe a month ago and last week he started being crazy all over again. He does the same thing but now it's on our off leash walks. He goes in front of me and starts having zoomies, than he runs towards me, smashes into me, starts biting pretty hard, gets all crazy and starts snarling and growling. At home I would leave, close the door and come in after a minute or so when he and me would calm down but I'm not sure what to do on our loose leash walks. When he starts acting like this I put a leash on him and he drags it so I can pick it up and do a leash pop to get him out of the crazy mindset. Than I tell him to sit and when he does I throw the treats so he would snif the ground to find them (I've read it has a relaxing effect). But then after five minutes he would get all worked up again and do it all over again. I'm not sure what to do. He gets around 4km walk in the morning and than an hour of off leash in the late afternoon/evening (+ a short 1.5-2 km walk sometimes). Any tips, advices, words of comfort will help. I'm kinda desperate at the moment haha. Thank you!


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## Frida010 (Apr 24, 2020)

Hoe much sleep does he get during the day? Like deep sleep, in the crate, without any disturbance?

At around 6 months old they still need a lot of sleep (18h minimum).

My 6m/o only zooms if she is really tired due to lack of sleep (not from exercising). She sleeps in her crate from 10.00pm - 8.00am; 09.00am-12.00am and from 1.30pm to 4.30pm and in the evening on the couch from 08.00pm to 9.00pm, and then some small naps in between. Which just makes about 17-18h a day. If we let her just run loose through the house all day, she doesn’t get enough sleep and that is causing her to go nuts. If she gets enough sleep, she is really a calm dog at home.


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## piajames85 (Jul 11, 2021)

Frida010 said:


> Hoe much sleep does he get during the day? Like deep sleep, in the crate, without any disturbance?
> 
> At around 6 months old they still need a lot of sleep (18h minimum).
> 
> My 6m/o only zooms if she is really tired due to lack of sleep (not from exercising). She sleeps in her crate from 10.00pm - 8.00am; 09.00am-12.00am and from 1.30pm to 4.30pm and in the evening on the couch from 08.00pm to 9.00pm, and then some small naps in between. Which just makes about 17-18h a day. If we let her just run loose through the house all day, she doesn’t get enough sleep and that is causing her to go nuts. If she gets enough sleep, she is really a calm dog at home.


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## piajames85 (Jul 11, 2021)

How did you manage to get that routine for your V? Mine isn’t sleeping enough 😢


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## Frida010 (Apr 24, 2020)

piajames85 said:


> How did you manage to get that routine for your V? Mine isn’t sleeping enough 😢


I am not sure if I understand your question fully. If your pup is crate trained all you need to do is put them in the crate (that is in a quiet place) on set times each day. Make sure there areno kids around.

Out pup was fully crate trained to we just put her in the crate for sleeping and she went asleep. If she woke up after an hour or less we did not open the crate and she went back to sleep. After a solid 2H of sleep / crate time we opened the crate and gave her play time.

Your dog should not manage your scedule, you should. However, you need to be flexible and adjust to scedule if needed. But make sure you’ll put crate time at the top of your list.


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## piajames85 (Jul 11, 2021)

T


Frida010 said:


> I am not sure if I understand your question fully. If your pup is crate trained all you need to do is put them in the crate (that is in a quiet place) on set times each day. Make sure there areno kids around.
> 
> Out pup was fully crate trained to we just put her in the crate for sleeping and she went asleep. If she woke up after an hour or less we did not open the crate and she went back to sleep. After a solid 2H of sleep / crate time we opened the crate and gave her play time.
> 
> Your dog should not manage your scedule, you should. However, you need to be flexible and adjust to scedule if needed. But make sure you’ll put crate time at the top of your list.


Thanks for your reply! 
We are slowly slowly crate training him. We got him at 12 weeks and there was no crate training prior to that so it’s slowly happening. 
he knows what it is, is fed in it, sleeps in it during the night and will go in it on his own for a sleep during the day but we haven’t established a schedule where we can just put him in there and leave him for 2 hours without me settling him. 
my partner works from home hence my eagerness to set up a schedule for morning and afternoon crate training. 
mew have started the will fenrir crate training programe And he’s on 7 mins of crate time with a kong with no crying. We do this 2/3 times a day.


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## Frida010 (Apr 24, 2020)

piajames85 said:


> T
> 
> Thanks for your reply!
> We are slowly slowly crate training him. We got him at 12 weeks and there was no crate training prior to that so it’s slowly happening.
> ...


What happens if you let him crying out for 45 mins or so? Falls asleep or continues crying? There’s a lot of topics on crate training here but what I have found very helpful is letting him cry it out - while being in the same room at first (during day). During nights we were lucky to experience only 30 mins of crying in the first week and within 4 weeks only 5-10 mins before she fell asleep.
Anyway, I couldn’t have done the scedule without a crate.

JMaybe a puppy pen would work? You really need a closed area for the pup to stay while you guys work (from home). And all puppies need to learn to be alone.


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## ana19 (Jun 26, 2020)

piajames85 said:


> T
> 
> Thanks for your reply!
> We are slowly slowly crate training him. We got him at 12 weeks and there was no crate training prior to that so it’s slowly happening.
> ...


Make sure his needs are met and he is biologically fullfiled. Try out some crate games from Simpawtico youtube channel.


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