# 11 week old pup going crazy for hours



## jammin

We got our Vizsla pup a week and a half ago. Not from a proper breeder but from a family that owned a farm so maybe she has not been trained well before we got her. She has just had her second vaccination so has not been for walks yet, just a bit of backyard exploring. This is our first dog so want to ask for advice from some experienced Vizsla owners.

We have had guidance from books about crate training, teaching her etc. Everything was going okay, she poops outside most of the time but only does a wee indoors mostly and only hits the puppy pads 30% of the time. We always put her on a pad if she misses straight after. Is this normal for her age?


The main problem seems to be when only one of us is looking after her in the evening and she goes crazy. It seems to have got worse over the last few days. Tonight she went crazy for the most part of 4 hours, Running around, barking most of the time, jumping on the sofa and digging at it, when we say no and try to contain her she goes out of control, struggles and bites. She tries biting everything, especially in these tantrums. We try to get her attention but to no avail.

Because we are new to this some help would be very much appreciated.


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## Baxieboy

Hi Jammin

I suspect the night-time behaviour is over-tiredness. Try putting her to bed a little earlier, ours did the same and we eventually worked out he just wanted his crate and some peace and quiet. They're like kids that get over-tired and can't calm down. 

On the peeing front, she's still very young and it's a case of perseverance. I've no doubt you know the routine but you've just got to be really vigilant when she indoors, looking for the "circling and sniffing". Just make sure she gets a chance to go after a sleep, after a feed and after a play. 

If we couldn't supervise him as a pup he was crated and that way he would always let us know he needed out, to avoid going in his space. For the first few weeks I just got up throughout the night to let him go outside every 2-3 hours, and he picked up really quick. 

Good luck and don't expect too much, too soon.


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## Mischa

jammin said:


> We got our Vizsla pup a week and a half ago. Not from a proper breeder but from a family that owned a farm so maybe she has not been trained well before we got her. She has just had her second vaccination so has not been for walks yet, just a bit of backyard exploring. This is our first dog so want to ask for advice from some experienced Vizsla owners.
> 
> We have had guidance from books about crate training, teaching her etc. Everything was going okay, she poops outside most of the time but only does a wee indoors mostly and only hits the puppy pads 30% of the time. We always put her on a pad if she misses straight after. Is this normal for her age?
> 
> 
> The main problem seems to be when only one of us is looking after her in the evening and she goes crazy. It seems to have got worse over the last few days. Tonight she went crazy for the most part of 4 hours, Running around, barking most of the time, jumping on the sofa and digging at it, when we say no and try to contain her she goes out of control, struggles and bites. She tries biting everything, especially in these tantrums. We try to get her attention but to no avail.
> 
> Because we are new to this some help would be very much appreciated.



I was amazed at the tenacity of a little pup after the first few weeks. It was unreal to me just how busy she was. If she wasn't running and jumping, she was at least shifting her body around like a squirrel. I though her heart would beat out of her chest before she hit 3 months old...

Long story short, you need to learn how to tell your dog that no means no. We were at our wits end after just a few weeks because nothing would work to calm her down. We hired a trainer to come into our home and teach us how to discipline her. It worked wonders. We still have our work cut out for us, as she is still quite a pain at other people houses, but it is nice to have a dog that knows it's not allowed to be psycho at home. 

Are you in an apartment/condo? Is that why you're using pee pads? I'm not a fan, but I know of a few people that had success with them. Once you see just how much a dog this size will pee, you'll want her off the pads very soon. 
I'd get her trained to go outside only starting now. You have to take her out after eating, playing, napping, etc.. basically, if she stops doing something, she is now on the verge of peeing....lol Take her to the same spot every time, and no walk until after she pees. If she doesn't pee, back inside and try again right away. Every time she goes where you want, huge praises!


I don't think were she came from matters at all. She is not a rescue, she is a puppy. They don't come trained, they come blank. Everything you want her to do is up to you to teach.
We got our girl from a breeder and she was absolutely nuts. It's just how these dogs are. It seems to be a right of passage for a great companion after they puppy stage. 

Believe me when I say it gets easier and better, but it is not a fast process. The nice thing is that every little thing she learns feels like a huge win, and that will get you through it. 

I hope this helps, at least a little.
-Dennis


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## KashagLake

Hi jammin,

We are in the exact same boat as you with the puppy going crazy!!  lol! We have a 12 wk old! (Holly) Everyday she seems to gain more and more energy, and is becoming more and more vocal! She does the exact same thing as your pup with the running on sofas, digging at them, jumping and barking. But from what I've read on here that is normal vizsla puppy behavior. When she starts to get crazy we usually play fetch with her in the hallway of our house, she loves it and it burns off some of that energy!

Holly is crate trained, so she stays in her crate all day except when I come home from lunch to let her out for a pee & a little play. So nights is where she has to let all that built up energy out. Sometimes though she does get a little bit over the top, (biting!!!) when that happens we grab her around the mouth and pin her down, and stare at her in the eyes and say "no biting", I always have to deepen my voice for her to take me seriously. But if you do that she usually will just get up after that and play with something else. If she bites me again after that, I'll just repeat it again and again. They are very smart dogs so they catch on pretty quick. 

As far as the peeing in the house goes, Holly is completely house trained now, even goes to the door when she has to go. But we've had her since 8wks and enforced it from the start, it was a lot of going in and out all the time (literally every 1/2hr sometimes less then that! As soon as you see her sniffing around-take her out!) but again she caught on very quickly. Haven't had an accident in weeks. But when she did pee inside we wouldn't put her on her puppy pads, we took her straight outside!! 

Hope this helps! And don't worry...you're not alone!!!


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## kellygh

Congrats on your pup! As you know from reading & previous posts, Vs are active dogs/pups! IMO, setting limits, establishing routines, very regular potty breaks, and appropriate exercise is the best way to control all the antics. V pups are going to be pups, but you can minimize some of the damage, no pun, with the aforementioned. I too am not a fan of puppy pads unless absolutely necessary. I think it is crucial to let your pup know from the beginning that going outside is where we pee & poop. I think of puppies like newborns...a lot of work; therefore, I took Pumpkin out every 15m until I got used to reading her body language etc. I think prevention is best, and that means trying not to give the pup a chance to make a mistake. There will be some, but frequent potty breaks eliminates confusion w/ outside & pad, as well as, chance for an accident. Socialization & lots of exercise outside is important! I realize you may work or already be doing this, but changing scenes, interaction, and wide open running is a must, IMO. I knew when we got Pumpkin that she was a committment to activity, but reality really sets in when it's 10pm, raining or snowing, and I know P is about to snap in half. Here I am, with 3 lil kiddos also keeping me tired, putting on gloves, hat, & coat to go walking/running @ 11pm....rain, snow, sleet, or shine!! A variety of toys (if you don't already) are good. A few toys like the kong tend to keep them busy & stimulated. Fetch is good, and it's also a good opportunity to work on setting limits. If she is having a bout of craziness, I recommend games or exercise. Pent-up energy can be due to lack of exercise or being crated for long periods of time. Sometimes this can't be helped, but IMO, it is only fair to the pup/dog to then provide the opportunity to get the energy out. Excess energy can translate into other unwanted behaviors as they grow. Do you have any dog parks near you or neighborhood dogs/kids she can play with? Puppy classes are very good too for socialization & basic obedience training. Like others have said, Vs come with all kinds of silliness no matter what you do, but if you set limits, exercise, & stimulate, your new pup will eventually grow into a more mature/settled companion. Best of luck to you


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## jld640

You may also be experiencing what we have been calling 'puppy energy burn'. Every once in a while (usually once a day when she was about 10-12 weeks old, down to about twice a week and holding when she reached about 16 weeks), Savannah gets so spun-up/excited/frustrated/bored, that she just needs to run for a few minutes. My yard isn't fenced, so she runs about 30 laps around my deck, then calms down and settles down for a nap almost immediately. A friend of mine with a standard poodle puppy on a farm says that her poodle puppy did the same thing on about the same schedule. She would look out the window and see him tearing around the field for a few minutes, then nap.

My only problem came before I recognized the behavior pattern. When I didn't let her run for the 2-4 minutes, she just spun further and further up.


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## JillandDan

We went through this alot when we first brought Holley home. But as kellygh stated, the best thing you can do is establish routines. Now she has her bursts usually when she comes in from the cold and then maybe one other. We have started obedience training so that provides her mental stimulation which is one of the best ways to wear Vs out. We do this at leasr twice a day and then she goes to class as well. We have noticed a big difference in the amount of naps she takes now.


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## Lukesmama

Ah yes, we call that "the puppy crazies" Luke went through that for a few months, he hasn't gotten like that in the past 1 1/2 to 2 months at least. He is presently 7 and a half months. We tried to spend some energy around that time with games that included running/chasing int he back yard. It can be maddening, they don't seem to listen when they are all wound up. It should pass, but it will try your patience :-\
You can help avoiding the escalation, by correcting the puppy, stern and serious. Maybe she wont get to a level 10


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## sarahaf

We used to call this "turning into a werewolf" (for us, it always involved nipping us hard, she didn't "bite everything" as best I can recollect, she just bit us) because it always happened at night before bedtime. She does a modified version of it now when she needs to warm up after going outside in the cold, but there's no nipping involved.


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## Fox_Trot

After reading what you wrote i dont think i could phrase my situation any different. I forgot what it was like to have a puppy V. Its drive you up the wall. We laugh sometimes and want to cry others but in time, patience, and repetition on everything, it all works out and with all that effort the best dog/friend is there before you know it. We like to sing the song "he's a maniac.... on the floor" by Michael Sembello. If you never heard it, check it out. The main verse goes through your head when the dog(s) are out of control. Good luck with that little guy pushing your buttons!!!


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