My 10-month-old pug, Punkin, starts crying in a high-pitched voice around 8 PM every night. She gets very demanding—pushing her head into my lap, mouthing me, and just acting restless. This lasts for about 30 minutes until she suddenly falls asleep. We’ve tried taking her for walks before this starts, but as soon as we’re back, the behavior resumes. Any advice on how to handle this?
Sounds like she’s got some extra energy she’s trying to burn off before bed. Have you tried giving her a toy that makes her think, like a treat ball?
manu said:
Sounds like she’s got some extra energy she’s trying to burn off before bed. Have you tried giving her a toy that makes her think, like a treat ball?
We haven’t tried that yet. Do you have a specific type of treat ball you recommend?
@Mitchell
I use one called a Kong Wobbler for my dog. It keeps them busy for a while, and it’s pretty sturdy too.
Have you thought about giving her short time-outs when she gets too demanding? It might help her settle down.
Angelina said:
Have you thought about giving her short time-outs when she gets too demanding? It might help her settle down.
What’s the best way to do a time-out without making her more upset?
@Mitchell
Put her in a gated area or playpen for just one minute. When she calms down, let her back out and see how she behaves. If she’s still restless, repeat the process.
@Mitchell
Don’t forget to give her a treat when the time-out is over! It helps her associate calming down with something positive.
It sounds like she’s craving attention. Maybe teaching her a ‘leave it’ command could help in moments like this?
Bostonjames said:
It sounds like she’s craving attention. Maybe teaching her a ‘leave it’ command could help in moments like this?
How do you train the ‘leave it’ command? I’ve heard of it but never tried teaching her.
@Mitchell
You can use a clicker and treats to train it. Start by showing her something she wants, then say ‘leave it’ and reward her when she looks at you instead of the item.
@Mitchell
There’s a great video on YouTube about it—look up ‘clicker leave it.’ It shows step-by-step how to do it.
This might just be part of her routine. Dogs often have bursts of energy before settling down. A mentally engaging toy could help tire her out.
Aniston said:
This might just be part of her routine. Dogs often have bursts of energy before settling down. A mentally engaging toy could help tire her out.
Yeah, it does feel like she’s trying to burn off energy. I’ll look into getting her one of those toys.
If the noise is bothering you, maybe try using noise-canceling headphones while she settles down. It won’t fix her behavior, but it might save your ears!
Gideon said:
If the noise is bothering you, maybe try using noise-canceling headphones while she settles down. It won’t fix her behavior, but it might save your ears!
Haha, my Apple Watch already warns me about the noise level! Noise-canceling headphones might actually be a good idea.