Let me start by saying that I love Chewie - my four and a half month old cockapoo. I do genuinely love him very much. However, at the moment, I am hiding upstairs and working (I am writing this whilst on a work break) because the moment he sees me - he goes crazy. It would be nice except - his greeting consists of jumping on me, scratching me with his claws/talons (and yes, they were clipped last week but still hurt when he jumps) and then biting me. My mum says that he is fairly calm with her. He does jump excitedly at her when he first sees her in the morning - but after that he is calm and chilled out. It's only when I take a break and go downstairs, when he gets quite aggressive. I play with him every day and take him out for walks. I suffer from chronic pain which does tire me out - but I still love walking him and playing with him. It's in the evenings when I try and spend time with him and he keeps biting / scratching at me. What's worse is that I am quite tired at this point in the day from working and the pain and I have to work super hard not to lose my temper. It's getting to the point - where I am hiding away from him and letting my mum look after him - which really was not the intention. And now I feel like quite a failure. Any advice please? I am starting to wish there was an RSPCH (Protection of Cruelty to Humans) - so that they could take me away from here :-(
My 18 week cockapoo is driving me mental
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Couple quick thoughts (because I'm getting ready for work 
)
1) Use a baby gate. You stay behind that gate until he settles. He gets up from a sit or tries to jump? Back behind the gate.
2) Either toss treats away from you or at your feet when you are next to him. Sitting/politeness =awesome, jumping=nada.
3) I wonder if he is overtired in the evenings? Puppies can get growly and bitey when they are tired but don't want to sleep. Like a cranky toddler.
4) freeze a Kong and try working it into the evening schedule. Think something like this: walk. Training session. Kong and relaxing. Bedtime for puppy when it's time.
*puppies sleep between 17-20 hours at this age.
Just a note, but this isn't aggression. It's exuberant puppy in the bitey and teething toddler stage.
What is the schedule like? In detail please.
)1) Use a baby gate. You stay behind that gate until he settles. He gets up from a sit or tries to jump? Back behind the gate.
2) Either toss treats away from you or at your feet when you are next to him. Sitting/politeness =awesome, jumping=nada.
3) I wonder if he is overtired in the evenings? Puppies can get growly and bitey when they are tired but don't want to sleep. Like a cranky toddler.
4) freeze a Kong and try working it into the evening schedule. Think something like this: walk. Training session. Kong and relaxing. Bedtime for puppy when it's time.
*puppies sleep between 17-20 hours at this age.
Just a note, but this isn't aggression. It's exuberant puppy in the bitey and teething toddler stage.
What is the schedule like? In detail please.
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I do understand what you are saying, an over excited, jumpy, bity puppy can be overwhelming at times but keep in mind that at 18 weeks your pup, any pup, has a lot of learning to do! For a moment consider how much education your pup has had the opportunity to receive, they don't come knowing how to behave or interact with us in our world but they can and do learn rather quickly given the opportunity. Jumping up and biting ('playing' using their mouth is how they learn bite inhibition - a critical 'life skill' for a dog) is normal behavior for a pup when playing with another pup and so by default that is how they play with us. But with our help the can and do learn to play more politely (appropriately) with us.
This article may be helpful. Kidnapped From Planet Dog - Whole Dog Journal (whole-dog-journal.com)
This article may be helpful. Kidnapped From Planet Dog - Whole Dog Journal (whole-dog-journal.com)
Thank you so much for your reply. It instantly made me feel better. I think some of the fault is mine. I get tired and then emotional and then start to feel like a failure. Not good for poor little Chewie. I will do better by him.Couple quick thoughts (because I'm getting ready for work
1) Use a baby gate. You stay behind that gate until he settles. He gets up from a sit or tries to jump? Back behind the gate.
2) Either toss treats away from you or at your feet when you are next to him. Sitting/politeness =awesome, jumping=nada.
3) I wonder if he is overtired in the evenings? Puppies can get growly and bitey when they are tired but don't want to sleep. Like a cranky toddler.
4) freeze a Kong and try working it into the evening schedule. Think something like this: walk. Training session. Kong and relaxing. Bedtime for puppy when it's time.
*puppies sleep between 17-20 hours at this age.
Just a note, but this isn't aggression. It's exuberant puppy in the bitey and teething toddler stage.
What is the schedule like? In detail please.
His routine - either he wakes up or I do at half five in the morning. Out he goes for a wander in the garden and to ummm...do his business. He then gets quite active, running around and stuff. I give him his breakfast just after six and then leave him with my mum (I have swim training). When I get back, I used to put him in his crate so that he could sleep. Lately it has been so hot and he seems very uncomfortable in the crate so he stays downstairs where it is cooler and sleeps, wanders around. If I don't have meetings etc - I take him out for a walk (20 minutes as it's five times his age in months) and then he rests until around half four/five. We play 'fetch' out in the garden (which he loves) and then dinner. I try and gethim back into the crate by 8 - but again - with the days being longer and very warm - this has slipped in the last few days to 9/9:30. Any suggestions? Thanks again!
Just read the article. Thank you so much for sharing it. I feel a bit appalled with myself now. But - it is a learning curve. I will put on my 'Planet Dog' cap on more often now. Thank you !
Little portable fans or cooling mats with non-toxic water-based gel should help with the heat.
Other than some training sessions, "field trips", and the suggestion of food puzzle toys for his meals, the schedule sounds pretty reasonable.
I think it's mostly just feeling overwhelmed and exuberant puppy. As I said, baby gates, training, and teaching him to settle down should help. Not very helpful when you're in the thick of it, but you are not alone in this. And a year from now, it'll probably all be a vague memory.
Kikopup on YouTube is a good resource. And you can always hop on here.
Other than some training sessions, "field trips", and the suggestion of food puzzle toys for his meals, the schedule sounds pretty reasonable.
I think it's mostly just feeling overwhelmed and exuberant puppy. As I said, baby gates, training, and teaching him to settle down should help. Not very helpful when you're in the thick of it, but you are not alone in this. And a year from now, it'll probably all be a vague memory.
Kikopup on YouTube is a good resource. And you can always hop on here.
Both spaniels and poodles are high energy, sociable, exuberant dogs. I'm not at all surprised your pup is a complete maniac at times. He's just a bouncy boy at a very difficult age. My puppies had a tendency to turn into unmanageable little gremlins in the early evening. They would get tired and start zooming around like the Looney Tunes Tasmanian Devil. After a period of mayhem their batteries would finally wear down and they'd crash.
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