10 week old Wheaten "puppy Crazies" or dominance isue?
I have a 10 week old Wheaten puppy that we just got. I am about 99% happy with the amount he is learning and his progress, however I have two questions.
I have noticed when he is outside playing and having fun he gets to a point that he is just 100% wide open 100 mph. I guess this is the “puppy Crazies” that they all get, but he does two things I’m not sure of.
1. I have a small tree planted in the side of my yard. I keep telling him not to mess with it and for the most part he doesn’t however when he gets in this “crazy” mood swing he looks right at me and takes off for the tree. I tell him NO and I pick him up and take him to a different spot. He then looks right at me again and goes for the tree again. This happens over and over while he is in this “crazy” mood. So my question is “is this a dominance issue or just a puppy playing?” Can I correct this or should I just put a small fence around the tree?
2. Also, when he is in his “crazy” mood he plays very hard maybe even a little aggressive with my 100 LBS Labrador retriever. This causes my Lab to put him down to the ground harder than normal. I don’t think the Lab would bite the puppy but the puppy doesn’t seem to care that the Lab is getting aggravated. When the puppy is in this mood he just keeps on going for the Lab and even us sometimes. Biting our pants legs and tugging and I guess even growling. I do feel like he knows I’m the leader of the pack along with the lab (not sure about my wife yet).
Once again he only does this once he reaches that point of no return and running around like crazy wild man. For the most part he never acts this way. What should be done about this or will he just grow out of this?
Hi
You've painted a very accurate picture of the 'Puppy Crazies'! I really don't think there's more to it than that as what you describe is a classic scenario. Quite often these episodes occur in the late afternoon/early evening and really are just a way of letting the puppy burn off excess physical and emotional energy.
Of course, that doesn't mean that it's okay for him to attack your tree, or your other dog, or you! But, given a puppys' state of mind during these little bursts it's difficult to stop him.
As far as possible I would try to eliminate the potential for damage. So go ahead and put a little fence around the tree, and if your Lab isn't able to deter your pup from aggravating the heck out of him, then put him inside or out of the way when this behavior starts.
If your little guy snaps or growls at you or your wife, then you need to get hold of him and tell him "NO" very firmly. But be calm, and keep your voice low, if you raise your voice or your emotional level, it will only 'wind him up' more. At these times it would be good to keep a favorite chew toy in your pocket and offer him that as he runs past you to distract him from your pant legs.
Sometimes these moments of puppy craziness are worse in pups who are not able to be active during the day, and their energy just builds up. If your pup is at home all day because you're at work, getting someone to take him out for a walk, or some playtime in the backyard at lunchtime may help. Even if you're at home, perhaps he's not getting enough exercise during the day. Terriers are little 'action men' and need lots of stimulation and exercise.
Also, if he's being crate trained, make sure he has sturdy chew toys in his crate. Chewing is one of the ways that dogs release stress and it can actually help calm them down!
Once your pup is fully vaccinated I'd also recommend enrolling him at a local Dog Obedience School. It helps to build and strengthen the relationship between dog and owner, the socialization experience is excellent for the puppy, and the energy expended by him will help to moderate his behavior. It's an all-around win.
I think in everything else you seem to be on the right track and are aware of what you need to be doing and how your pup is progressing. I wouldn't worry too much about these 'puppy crazies' and don't think you need to be concerned about dominance either at this point.
I wish you the best of luck with this little guy.
