Pets and Their People Blog

Imagine this: You just finished cleaning up from dinner and are about to sit down and relax when it happens…….CRAZY PUPPY BEHAVIOR!

Almost daily puppy parents ask me how to change crazy puppy behavior.  After discussing this with the puppy parents, I find most of this behavior happens in the evening.  Puppies are like little children; they get overtired after a long day.

Puppies need a lot of sleep. Most people don’t realize how much sleep a puppy needs.  Depending on the age, they need as much as 20 hours of sleep a day. That is A LOT of sleep. It is surprising how quickly behavior will turn around once the puppy gets more sleep and is fully rested.

If your puppy has a hard time settling, you can reinforce calm behavior by quietly praising him when he is calm or resting. I will often give my dogs a treat or quietly say, “good girl” when they are calmly laying on the couch or on their bed.  When you reward them for behavior you like, that behavior will be repeated.

If you need help with your puppy or dog, Judy Luther is available for virtual consultations.  She can be reached through her website www.TrustCenteredTraining.com.