Sorry to post so much today - but this has been a ch~~~enging day. Again, I have a 9 1/2 week old GS puppy, that initi~~~y I thought only had high prey drive.

However, he is increasingly becoming extremely excitable. He HATES constraint! He does very well in his crate at night, but during the day he cries every time he goes in. Today, once when I picked him up he got crazy trying to get free. Fin~~~y I took him by the scruff and he settled down some. I also have a exercise pen that I put in my office as a change of pace for him. Today he romped and growled so hard with his toys I thought he would knock the crate down.

This is his schedule:

-wake up, outside.
-breakfast, outside.
-afterward a short play time either inside or out.
-in his exercise pen for 2-3 hours in my office while I'm working on the computer.
- noon, outside
-lunch, work on sit, outside
-in his crate (today cried for 2 hours!!!)
-outside - longer play time, tug, b~~~ on string
-then walk on leash
-in crate (cried again ~~~ afternoon!)
-5:00 PM outside
-then work on sit, down in kitchen, then dinner
-outside
-now (6:00pm in his crate - fin~~~y quiet). whew!!

It seems I am correcting him as a result of becoming VERY excitable every day which I DONT think I should - but, if I don't, he goes bonkers (has chased the cat several times, annoys our old dog, is always hyperventilating (sp).

Any suggestions please??

Doyle

He sounds pretty normal to me. All of his time is pretty much constrained to small areas except for the two play sessions outdoors, so all that pent up energy is going to go somewhere. It's likely to get a lot worse before it gets better; when he's a few months older, he'll nap a lot less and have even more energy. Do you have any option for either a large outdoor kennel or a fenced yard where he can expend that energy without bothering you?

Is there something wrong w/ your computer?What's with all of the squiggly lines??

As far as the screaming is concerned, check out Cindy Easton's suggestion under the puppy behavior section re: crate training.She has excellent advice about that issue which should work for you.

Are you able to get the pup out more? I agree that it sounds like the poor pup needs more of an outlet for its energy.Do you have anyone to help you that can perhaps take the pup out for you while you are unavailable?

Thanks for the advice. We were out three times this morning, once with a fairly long walk. Yesterday I got a Flexi leash and it really gives him a lot more freedom (and exercise)while we walk, etc. Now after 15 minutes of yelling in the crate he zonked out!!

I'm working at home until the first of the year, so I can take him out a lot more for exercise. I'll take Cindy's advice and feed him in the crate and get the bone. I've had toys in the crate, but the bone sound better.

Sounds obvious after you mention it - but not when you're first going through it. This is becoming a humbling experience!!

I don't understand the squiggly lines. It only happends with the letters "...all..." and only when I post.

Doyle