Temper tantrums

[Lorfal]

What is the best way to deal with these? We are having to force rest on lupin, or she would never halt. She hates is when she can’t get down to follow the older dogs. We have been taking everywhere with us but as we are rural it’s not so easy to get to big a town regularly.

When she doesn’t get what she wants she whines, cries, bites, and wriggles like I’ve never known before! I’m astounded at such a young age of 9 weeks she can be so manipulative .

I have held her close but not too constricting until she calms . I don’t want to put her In her crate as good things happen to in there and I’m worried she would see it as punishment . We’ve only just got her to be comfortable in there at our mealtimes d she needs zipped in! She protested initially, decided she will no longer be happy with a carrot stick but will gladly play with a cork instead.
All advice very much appreciated. Really I’m astounded at pups behaviour and we are now thinking of calling her Diva lolol

[zeta1454]

Usually if a puppy is having a tantrum it is because they are overtired or over stimulated. If you have a set routine with regular rest periods for Lupin, she should begin to settle more quickly. The early weeks before you got her as well as personality traits from her parents may also affect her....and possibly diet / treats?

If Lupin was not used to regular rest times at her birth home, she will need to learn to settle for regular periods throughout the day. Make a timetable for her day with meal times, play times, training sessions and rest times (allow for at least three separate hours of rest throughout the day). If you do not want to use the crate for these rest times, it would be useful to have a separate playpen where Lupin can be less confined but encouraged to relax and preferably in a quiet place away from stimulation from the rest of the family.

Young puppies tire very easily but if they are not given the opportunity to rest, they just become irritable and unhappy. Socialising her by taking her out to new places, meeting new people etc. is vital but you need to be sure you do not overload her with too many new experiences in a short time and, after an excursion, she will need a good sleep to process the new information. Her brain is still developing and needs plenty of rest to help her learn and remember new things.

Make sure that her diet and treats do not include a high level of carbohydrates or artificial additives which can cause hyperactivity in puppies. Teething can also cause some puppies a lot of pain (or some have a lower pain threshold ) and that too can lead to them being irritable at times.

If her diet is fine, I expect it is just lack of rest that is leading to the "tantrums". Puppies do need someone to guide and structure their daily life - it is not so much "forcing" them to do something but giving them a routine they can get to know and the opportunity to eat / rest / play at the times they need to do these things. If Lupin has not had a regular routine in her life before she came to you, it will be stressful initially for you and for her but, in time, she will understand that there are times that she settles and times to play and that life is not just random activity without structure.

[Lorfal]

Thankyou for taking the time for such a constructive reply. We will endeavour to adhere to routine. Even if it means a a 6 am start lol