Seriously considering Puppy Xanax

[lainacohen]

I am going crazy! I take Winnie on 10 yes 10 walks a day 5 o the 10 are over 3 mile walks. It's getting to the point that she will attack my legs when I walk around the house and she wants more attention. She bullets through the house running from one room to the other for 10 minutes at a time, she chases her tail for what seems like hours, when she isn't on walks we are playing catch or tug a war. She will bark for hours at me or anything walking outside. She also refuses to just be outside in the backyard she wont play there alone she barks and barks until I take her on an actual walk. She turned 1 a few weeks ago and it's just getting worse. I seriously can not spend more than 15 minutes at a time with out her biting or yelling at me for attention. I have NEVER experienced this before and it is just getting worse. The only thing I can do is when she is getting too crazy I put her on her back and hold her there until she calms down but that only lasts a few minutes. Has anyone ever experienced this and or the thought of medication? I know that sounds crazy and I don't want to drug my dog but I dont think I am doing anything wrong as far as not giving her enough playtime or work out during the day. I know that many of your reactions may be that maybe I am not doing enough for her and she needs a different owner who can do more for her but I can't imagine any one capable of doing anything more as far as working out with her to let her energy out. Please help, and please be kind,

[Lilah Charm]

Wow that is intense! Sad you had to ask for kindness - I have seen a few vicious responses though and felt very afraid to post when I first got here! Made me a lurker, lol. What an energetic dog you have! I know often long walks are not recommended for the little guys, sounds like your lady wouldn't do without them! There are actually a lot of calming supplements for dogs on the market so you must not be alone. Calm aid by nature vet is one I am aware of. Have you got doggy day care in your area? Portland is packed with them! And play groups, maybe your lady needs another dog friend to play with? Nothing like another frisky pup to chew on each others legs! Good luck

[lainacohen]

Thank you for your understand, sometimes I worry about harsh words even though I know they are coming from a loving place. I think another puppy friend would be a good idea but at this point I dont know if it would be a good or safe risk. If I got another Winnie monster on my hands I wouldn't be able to care for them both considering Winnie already needs so much play time and workout. Looking at over the counter stuff had not popped into my mind, I will research some of those. Thanks for that tip! I am not gonna lie there have been a few occasions where I actually considered cutting up one of my own Xanax and giving her a piece, obviously I didn't and never would but it sounds so appealing at times.

[Doodlebug]

Daisy was somewhat like that when she was a puppy. She constantly wanted to be chased and she would nip at your pants leg and wouldn't let you walk away. She just didn't want to quit playing. When she was six months old we got another puppy. He kept her occupied and it worked out really well. He loved chasing her. She started calming down a little after she turned two. She was a handful though.

I would avoid giving her any drugs, especially your meds. Try dabbing some calming oil on a bandana and tie it around her neck maybe. Just hang in there and enjoy her puppy years. Time goes by too quickly and my baby is now 10 years old. She walks a bit stiffly and doesn't see quite as well anymore. She is a little unsure about jumping off of the bed in the dark. I sometimes wish I could have just one of those feisty puppy days back. I treasure each and every moment I have with my baby girl and I thank God that she has been healthy all of these years. Maybe you could teach her to fetch a ball and she could burn off some energy that way. Good luck and enjoy your little bundle of energy while you can.

[yorkiemini]

Have you talked with your vet? There are other medications that are used, also.

How about a basic obedience class?

Does the pup have a crate or xpen to go into at times?

I know lots of questions.

[yorkiemini]

Oh yes, for sure you are not doing anything wrong. In fact you are knocking yourself out being a good Yorkie mama

I am just wondering if the vet need to do a good neurological eval on you baby. How does he sleep?

[Ellie May]

This is NOT normal or okay. Puppies have energy, but they do not require ten walks a day.

Your pup needs a vet check followed by referral to a veterinary behaviorist and/or drugs.

YOU are important too. You should not have to put that energy into any one pup. I'm sure there are many other things in your life that you'd like to spend time doing instead of dog walking.

One of our dogs takes Prozac. No shame in admitting it. We are all happier (including him) when he takes it. he was a rescue and came with some anxiety and overzealousness. We waited awhile, but there came a point when medicating was best. His biggest problem when not on it is chewing/eating everything (nit a puppy anymore) to the point of nearly obstructing himself and carpet eating.

Drugs don't have to be for life. It is easier to train/get control when they are taking them.

[Lovetodream88]

Sounds like a puppy who needs a little training not to be medicated. She does not have anxiety so treating her for that would be wrong. When she bites she needs to be told no. What worked for us when Callie was a puppy was when she started nipping to say no and squirt her with the water bottle.

[Britster]

Jackson went through a phase like this around 1 year old. Never did any biting or anything like that, but god he drove me NUTS. He suddenly wouldn't sleep, and he had always been such a good sleeper. He was constantly into something, out of boredom, even though I was giving him plenty of exercise. Anyone who knows of Jackson and I knows that he is a very active boy. But yeah even though he can still drive me up the wall on occasion, he developed a very nice off switch.

I also find that sometimes the more you give them, the more they expect. There have been days where we spent 7 miles hiking, walked through the pet store, went to a dog park, and he still comes home and whines at his toy box. That's the point when I just say 'GO LAY DOWN!' lol... but then there are times when it's been raining for 5 days straight and he's pretty content to just go lay down.

Check out Click to Calm. Click to Calm | Karen Pryor Clicker Training

Also, always reward for her being calm. Once she's laying down nicely, pet her, tell her she's being good. Sometimes a dog must be taught an off switch.

I'm not against medicating at all, but I think in your case, you just have a teenage terrier on your hands. It's just going to take a little time and patience and training.

It doesn't sound like it's anxiety, or that there's anything 'wrong' with your dog. She just needs to mature and be taught to be calm. Otherwise, have you tried interactive toys? Trick training? Make her brain work, she sounds like she would be fantastic in agility, she's got the energy. Honestly, mental workouts tire Jackson out more than any walk (walks don't do anything for him, except make him 'content'), a good RUN or swim is the only thing I've found that truly tires him out.

Check out Kyjen toys. Whenever he is annoying me, I either give him his Kong Wobbler or an interactive toy so he can play and try to work things out on his own.

[Britster]

Check out Youtube channels kikopup as well as Zak George.

Here are some of his videos-

How to Train a Puppy to Stop Biting - YouTube

Working with High Energy Dogs (combining Stay and...

[Britster]

Also, do NOT roll her on her back as a form of punishment. Dominance training/theory has been debunked by the very people who created it. No need to stress a dog out. It will not help anything.

It also seems to me that she has learned that what she does gets her attention. When you say I seriously can not spend more than 15 minutes at a time with out her biting or yelling at me for attention. What do you do when she is doing this to you? Talk to her, give her attention, or just ignore her?

[Ellie May]

ETA:

I assume you have consistently just let pup whine it out in a kennel or xpen, right? Is it that you are just giving in too easily or has this been a long term thing?

Wanting to be outside is not anxiety. Always needing to be doing something can be (including chasing a tail for hours).

[Maximo]

It's difficult for anyone who is not there to observe your dog to know what the right answer would be. My neighbor's little girl bounces off the walls all day long. To me, that is not typical energetic puppy behavior. I believe she is hyperactive.

I agree with Ellie May's advice to talk to your vet and a veterinary behaviorist.

I work mostly from home and Max constantly has a toy in his mouth asking me to play. Teddy constantly wants attention too, but they don't harass me.

Originally Posted by Lilah Charm

I know often long walks are not recommended for the little guys, sounds like your lady wouldn't do without them! There are actually a lot of calming supplements for dogs on the market so you must not be alone. Calm aid by nature vet is one I am aware of. Have you got doggy day care in your area? Portland is packed with them! And play groups, maybe your lady needs another dog friend to play with? Nothing like another frisky pup to chew on each others legs! Good luck

Long walks are fine for small dogs. There are many here who go 5 - 6 miles on a single walk.

I like your idea of trying natural calming aids. Can't hurt, as long as there is no interaction with prescription drugs that may be used. Calming scents may be another idea.

A second dog doesn't always keep the first dog entertained. My boys do not self-entertain. Instead of one face looking up at me for attention, I have two.

Originally Posted by Britster

Also, do NOT roll her on her back as a form of punishment. Dominance training/theory has been debunked by the very people who created it. No need to stress a dog out. It will not help anything.

It also seems to me that she has learned that what she does gets her attention. When you say I seriously can not spend more than 15 minutes at a time with out her biting or yelling at me for attention. What do you do when she is doing this to you? Talk to her, give her attention, or just ignore her?

I agree with ditching the "alpha roll" on her back. Not productive, and could be dangerous with a hyperactive dog.

While training is needed, I do think hyperactivity and related problems also need medical attention as well.

[Bellabean]

Wow. That's intense. Have you talked to your vet? I sure hope the more experienced members can help!

[lynzy420]

It is a fact that some pups, more than is recognized suffer, yes suffer from mental illness. Mental Illness in dogs manifests itself much like what you are describing. Often times "parents" go in to denial, blaming themselves and searching for an answer while the pups symptoms worsen....it is ok, and there is something you can do about it. First step is to rule out medical symptoms, a blood test to make sure there aren't any underlying medical conditions is first in order. From there your vet will advise you to the next steps.

Most importantly you need to put your shame away and advocate for your pup and insist on getting the help you need. Presently Prozac is a vastly used drug, with much success, to get your pup on track while utilizing a Behavioral Specialist. Your vet will be able to refer you to a Veterinarian Behaviorist who may or may not also prescribe Xanax or another drug.

Mental illness in dogs is real...inherent and environmental causes. A good breeder, even in the best lines can have a pup that is mentally ill. People often give these dogs up because they can't deal with it, these are the pups you see go from home to home...etc...

A good owner will see it through. Contact your vet, make an appointment and get the help you need. Getting another pup will NOT solve the problem. Once your pups condition is controlled then you can add to the family....STOP BLAMING YOURSELF AND GET TO THE VET! You and your pup will feel better.