The Puppy Zoomies!

Oh yes, the puppy zoomies! I almost forgot what it was like even though I taught puppy classes for 15 years. It's one thing to teach about it, it's quite another to experience it first hand. Reality is such a great teacher.

The Zoomies time usually happens around 8 or 9pm. Runs around like a maniac. If you are not in the room with him, he will chew on anything and everything including the couch, the heater, your shoe. So I figured out what helps him through trial and error because puppies are different. So around that time I sit on the couch with a few of his toys. We play tug, fetch and any thing else I can think of. He has literally a dozen toys of all kinds plus his enrichment toys. We also cuddle and hug and pet for a while. He LOVES attention! We make a last potty run and more cuddles and pets then I'll take him over to his bed. We call it his Nite, Nite. And he goes in and sleeps all night.

Whew! at least this works for now. Redirecting is HUGE. If he's chewing on something of mine, I'll redirect to something of his. I might have to do this many times as their attention span is less than a gnat's. But this too shall pass. All too quick. He will be a 100+lb pup soon enough. He's almost halfway there.