Acts like a velociraptor same time every night

[russelae01]

So I’ve had dogs before, but this is my first heeler. She’s just over three months, have had her just under three weeks and she has done absolutely amazing with her training. But, it seems like every night from around 7:30 to 8:30 she turns into a little velociraptor. Here’s a condensed bullet point of a normal day, hoping maybe someone out there can point out something I’m doing that leads to this each night.

6:00 up, taken out to potty
6:45 15 minute walk before driving to work with me
8:30 20 minute walk, 20 minutes run, fetch etc
Then usually lays around, interacts with lots of people, takes a nap.
11:00 20 minute walk, 20 minutes run, fetch etc
Then usually lays around, interacts with lots of people, takes a nap.
2:00 20 minute walk, 20 minutes run, fetch etc
Then usually lays around, interacts with lots of people.
(A few other quick walks, potty breaks mixed into the above)
4:00 head home (30 minute drive)
4:30 quick 15 minute walk
5:30 30 minutes playing fetch/chase in backyard
6:00 dinner
7:00 45 minute walk
THEN
7:45-8:30 the fun begins.
I’m starting to wind down, maybe lay on the bed and poke around on my phone or put a show on. She gets SUPER NIPPY (nips more in this window of time than the entire day combined) also more bite strength than a little nippy play here and there during the day. Then she barks at me more than she does the entire day combined.

My response:
“OUCH, no bite”
Step away for 30 seconds, repeat.
About 4-6 times doing this, then she lays on the bed beside me, never nips again and is completely relaxed or sleeping until 6:00 the next morning.

What is going on from 7:45-8:30???

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@russelae01 I really think it's a lot like the toddler who is very tired but doesn't want to go to bed and miss all the fun so they act out and go crazy.

Our ACD will be five soon. He's never nipped but he does get rambunctious before bed, even when he's tired.

We've taken to reading stories to him at bedtime. It obviously doesn't matter what the content is. But he seems to like the sound of our voice and what appears to be us reading to him/giving him attention. We call it "bedtime stories for dogs," and it just consists of one of us reading aloud to him whatever we happen to be reading at the time. Occasionally he will get the zoomies and run around when we start the stories, but we ignore it and continue to read out loud. He will stop and lie down, and then let out a couple big sighs and then he will relax and you can see all the energy just melt away and then he falls sound asleep.

These are strange little dogs. But so awesome and so lovable.

 

[everpraying3168]

@imagebeastmarkbeast What do you mean, “It obviously doesn’t matter what the content is”? Your dingo 100% understands the story.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@everpraying3168 Yea true. I suppose what I meant is whatever the content is, he's happy to listen to whatever we're reading at the time. Novels from my wife, non fiction, biographies, mountaineering books from me. We and the dog have similar interests.

 

[wheel31]

@everpraying3168 I read a book about reactivity to my dog, out loud, and she didn’t seem to take any tidbits away from it

 

[jtcarrieres]

@wheel31 She just doesn’t agree with the book. Maybe the book is wrong?

 

[shane321]

@everpraying3168 This.

 

[russelae01]

@imagebeastmarkbeast I love the bedtime stories idea! I can start to wind down and relax by doing a little reading and continue to interact with her. She definitely doesn’t like it when I’m on my phone.

 

[xxxhelazz]

@imagebeastmarkbeast Claire gets the 830 zoomies like clockwork. Races around the apt in figure eights to get energy out then settles down to sit with me and go to bed.

 

[tui123]

@imagebeastmarkbeast This is so adorable!

 

[thanksbetogod]

@imagebeastmarkbeast Oh my god that's adorable. My first girl loved it when I sang to her; sadly my new guy hates my singing.

They really are toddlers, aren't they?

 

[bibleloverbill]

@imagebeastmarkbeast 100%. Our girl gets over-tired at 9PM and goes insane. We have to "put her to bed" at the same time every day, lol.

 

[smitty7000]

@imagebeastmarkbeast My year and a half ACD does this as well but at 9-10pm I fed him earlier in the day and crated him promptly at 10pm every night and take him out at 7am every morning for a week or so and now he is pretty used to our routine. Every once in a while he gets ramped up at night but we just go to the crate for a bit then I let him out and he calms down. I think it’s just in their dna to find interesting ways to drive us crazy good luck with your pup! Sounds like she’s got a great life with you

 

[everpraying3168]

@russelae01 In my house it’s called the babydog witching hour. They both get supper nippy and zoomies before bed. Both heelers. Both boys. One blue the other red (full set).

 

[rolandh]

@russelae01 Maybe she’s super tired. That’s sounds like quite a day for just over three months. Just my initial thought.

 

[russelae01]

@rolandh This could be, I’m trying to keep her active and mentally stimulated. Maybe that last long walk in particular is over doing it.

 

[adams17]

@russelae01 You are exercising your 3 month old puppy way too much! The common measure vets use is 5 minutes of exercise (including walking) per month in age. That means your puppy should only be walking, running or otherwise playing hard in the backyard for 15 minutes a day. She may seem to tolerate it now but overexercise this early in life can cause major joint issues later on in her life.

You’re also not letting her nap enough so she is going into a hyperactive state. Your puppy should be getting 18 to 20 hours of sleep a day and if she’s like a typical ACD, she won’t put herself down for a nap for long, she needs you to enforce nap time so she can grow.

 

[tracyqueen]

@russelae01 Didn't see a lot of mental stimulation there outside of ppl, when do you work on training?

 

[russelae01]

@tracyqueen I work on leash training on walks, recall in our play, always reinforcing training on sit, stay, lay down, leave it, no bite. Have some treat puzzles and hide treats around the house for hide and seek. All that said, I will definitely keep mental stimulation in mind.

 

[tracyqueen]

@russelae01 From what you are saying you stopped. She doesn't know how to rest. You haven't had her long so she could still be getting used to the routine. Maybe try a command after dinner to say the day is over, something like "couch time" or " days over" my girl goes 100% all day but when I say "bed time" she stops whatever she is doing and runs to the bed and waits for me, and goes to bed