# Puppy Goes Crazy at Night



## Mbrowngold (Dec 1, 2014)

Hello, we adopted a lab mix about 2 months ago. He is 4 months old now and for the most part he is a great dog. I work from home and he hangs out in my office during the day, and I'll periodically take him for a walk/play with him without any sort of incident.

The issue that we're having now is that every evening at about 6pm until 9 he goes into a frenzy for no apparent reason. This happens daily regardless of how much exercise he's had that day, who is around, or where he is at the time (even if we're on a walk). He starts to bark at us and tries to bite us wherever he can (my arms and legs are covered in little puppy bites). If I can get close enough to pick him up at this point he calms down immediately and starts to lick my hand but as soon as I put him back down he goes crazy again. 

I guess my question is if this kind of behavior is normal for a pup his age or is this something I should be concerned about. I'd like to think it isn't a fear/anger response since his hackles don't go up and he doesn't bare his teeth but I really don't know for sure. If it is, I have no idea what could be causing it since his environment doesn't change at that time. He is currently teething so I'm somewhat hopeful that this may be related...is that realistic?

At this point he isn't big enough to really hurt either my wife or me but I'm worried about when he gets too big to easily pick up. I've tried putting him in his ex-pen but he just barks unless I get in there with him. 

Any insights or suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

This is commonly referred to as zoomies and yes, it's completely normal. 

If you know when roughly it'll happen, the best thing is to just allow him the space to get them out. Maybe go outside and play some chase, etc.


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## Mbrowngold (Dec 1, 2014)

That's good to know, frankly it would be adorable if not for the biting (those puppy teeth are sharp!). When do they usually grow out of it or is it one of those things that are different for every dog?


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## notgaga (Oct 25, 2014)

I don't know if there's a usual age to grow out of it, but mine is 11 months and still gets the zoomies maybe 2-3x a week... usually when she's been cooped up inside all day or knows she's gotten into something she shouldn't (so when I try to remove whatever it is she goes nuts). I kind of just roll with it and cheer her on. My roommate and I get a kick out of it plus she usually conks out shortly after.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

Even if he bared his teeth or raised his hackles I wouldn't necessarily worry


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## seaboxador (Sep 23, 2012)

He's a puppy and most likely he needs more exercise than his owners are getting him. In terms of his behavior, a puppy that age can go into an obedience school with puppy play sessions. It's likely the best advice you'll get on the site.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

Isn't that a little presumptuous of you?


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

seaboxador said:


> He's a puppy and most likely he needs more exercise than his owners are getting him. In terms of his behavior, a puppy that age can go into an obedience school with puppy play sessions. It's likely the best advice you'll get on the site.


Wow... yea, no, puppies do this. Regardless of the exercise they receive. That's not to say a puppy class isn't a bad idea in general, but the dog isn't doing this as a result of the owners lacking in doing something.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Pretty much all puppies do this. Heck, plenty of adult dogs do it too. 

Just keep working on bite inhibition, try to give him toys so he can't bite your skin, and put him in his crate or on a leash if he's getting out of control and nothing is working.


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## Mbrowngold (Dec 1, 2014)

seaboxador said:


> He's a puppy and most likely he needs more exercise than his owners are getting him.


I'm pretty sure it's not exercise, he does this nightly regardless of the amount of exercise he gets. He goes to daycare once a week for socialization and play; he's also enrolled in a puppy class...he still goes crazy those nights too.

If it weren't for the crazy biting I'd let him get it out of his system but since he goes for people I have to put him in his pen. Is it normal for his bite inhibition to be gone during these sessions? During the day his bite inhibition is pretty good (minor mouthing but without much force) for a pup his age.

Does it make sense to put him in his pen before he starts going crazy since I know about when he does it every night?


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## cookieface (Jul 6, 2011)

Mbrowngold said:


> I'm pretty sure it's not exercise, he does this nightly regardless of the amount of exercise he gets. He goes to daycare once a week for socialization and play; he's also enrolled in a puppy class...he still goes crazy those nights too.
> 
> If it weren't for the crazy biting I'd let him get it out of his system but since he goes for people I have to put him in his pen. Is it normal for his bite inhibition to be gone during these sessions? During the day his bite inhibition is pretty good (minor mouthing but without much force) for a pup his age.
> 
> *Does it make sense to put him in his pen before he starts going crazy since I know about when he does it every night?*


I think someone here (maybe Hambonez?) did something like that. She knew her pup got the zoomies around a certain time every day. So before they started, she gave him a bully stick or stuffed Kong or something else to keep him occupied (and maybe put him in an expen).


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## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

My dog gets the zoomies at bedtime. He just runs and runs and runs. Usually that's when I'll leash him up and take him for his last walk of the night. 
He also gets zoomies after having a bath. 

You could totally put him in his pen before the crazy starts and keep him occupied with a chew toy or something. That may help. 
And yes, it's normal for bite inhibition to go out the window - zoomies are ALL impulse controlled, everything is impulse, the dog is just so hyper and excited and sometimes that can result in some landshark behaviors. My dog (2 yrs old) will also occasionally nip our feet during a zoomie session, especially outside. We just stand completely still and say No! which he's been trained to recognize as being a 'stop action'. ~ Some feel 'No' is too vague, but we've found it works for us.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

We called it the Puppy Witching Hour at our house. Zoom, zoom, crash.


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## d_ray (Nov 5, 2013)

Jewel doesn't get the zoomies, but Jazz kinda does. She will fly in the house after our evening hike and jump on the couch and chase the cats. Hers don't last long though.


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## dagwall (Mar 17, 2011)

My boy is almost 7 and still gets the zoomies from time to time. Always after a bath, often after walking in the rain and getting toweled off, and sometimes just because.


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

I always enjoyed puppy zoomies time, Josefina was so funny when she did it and I would laugh and laugh LOL.

Like small kids who cry when they are tired, puppies, when they get overly tired can get the zoomies, if you have a fanced yard, maybe take him out and let him burn off his zoomies out there? If not, I am afraid you will have to grin and bear it til they pass (and they do) just when he bites you, offer a toy to him so he learns to take his zoomy nippiness off on a toy, rather than you. Dont bother with really trying to train him duriing this time, because ... well ... I will be honest its useless LOL


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## MrsBoats (May 20, 2010)

seaboxador said:


> He's a puppy and most likely he needs more exercise than his owners are getting him. In terms of his behavior, a puppy that age can go into an obedience school with puppy play sessions. It's likely the best advice you'll get on the site.


My 7 year old Rottweiler who's one more qualifying score away from his AKC Utility Dog title still behaves like what you describe . My 3 year old agility rottweiler runs inside the house from a good poop and charges all over the living room growling to himself while bouncing around like a bucking bronco. 

I call it the zoomies...they are fun and we laugh hard at them. I wouldn't be overly concerned about your puppy having fun in the way he knows how. I would take a tug toy, engage him when he gets like that, and have a good time. It might help build your relationship with your pup. (That might be the best advice you get on here...don't overthink it and enjoy your dog being a dog.  )


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

MrsBoats said:


> My 7 year old Rottweiler who's one more qualifying score away from his AKC Utility Dog title still behaves like what you describe . My 3 year old agility rottweiler runs inside the house from a good poop and charges all over the living room growling to himself while bouncing around like a bucking bronco.
> 
> I call it the zoomies...they are fun and we laugh hard at them. I wouldn't be overly concerned about your puppy having fun in the way he knows how. I would take a tug toy, engage him when he gets like that, and have a good time. It might help build your relationship with your pup. (That might be the best advice you get on here...don't overthink it and enjoy your dog being a dog.  )


Yeah, just enjoy it  thats what I say.


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## AlbertaLab (Feb 13, 2013)

When Dio (my male) was a pup he would get the zoomies around the same time as yours and yes, he would bite anyone around. What helped was to have a toy in hand to give him when he went for us. They seem to lose their minds when the zoomies come on, so they don't seem to comprehend commands until they calm down and their brain clicks on again.  By biting the appropriate object (toy), they learn what is okay to bite and may even learn their go-to object when they want to bite something.

This is what worked for us anyways. Take it with a grain of salt.


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## Kayota (Aug 14, 2009)

Even _Roxie_ does this. You know, that grumpy old lady who sleeps all day.


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## SelinaW (Oct 6, 2014)

My pup's been doing this almost every day too. Usually at around 12AM when it's time to go to his crate. It always makes us laugh whenever he does it but lately he's been baring his teeth and that scared us a bit. His trainer said that's still normal though and we just let him be and he doesn't mean any harm to us. She referred to it too as the "Witching Hour".


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

1. As someone already wrote, it's a burn off of that last bit of energy at the end of the day (just like a two-year old child). If you crate him, be sure to give him a frozen, stuffed Kong to chew on. You might also go for a 15 min. walk just before the zoomies start. 
2. Keep training for Bite inhibition ... but not during zoomies. I used to play roughly with my dog, but I wouldn't engage during zoomies, b/c it's a slash type of play...
3. This is VERY common with Labs.
4. You may have an additional issue causing this: At 4 - 5 mos, puppies start to loose their baby teeth, grow their adult teeth, and begin to teethe so their gums are sore. Zoomies can be one result.


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## LuvMyAngels (May 24, 2009)

As others have said, its very common and NORMAL puppy behavior. My big guys "witching hour" started at 8pm. We just laughed and enjoyed some playtime with him. He was such a mellow puppy that it was funny to see him acting like a clown...at least until he decided to nip me in the butt while I was picking up cards my kids left out LOL (ok, even that was funny...).

Buster will be 6 in February. He STILL gets zoomies after baths and other, more random, times. Last night he pounced my husband....just because they were both outside & husband stomped a foot towards Buster. Bus went ZOOM, circled and slammed into my husband...and then did it a couple more times. Its purely play so we engage him and enjoy the burst of energy.


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