At what age does puppy witching hour stop?
The witching hour is not age specific, it doesn’t only occur in puppies, adult dogs can have a dog witching hour too. But as dog’s age, they generally will slow down and have less energetic outbursts.
When the puppy’s witching hour stops will depend on your dog’s overall energy level and how you handle their needs for physical and mental stimulation.
Giving your dog the appropriate physical and mental stimulation is key to a happy and healthy dog. A bored dog is a troubled dog.
Some dogs need more exercise than others, but most dogs will benefit from a long walk at least once a day. Even a few minutes of fun training each day will go a long way.
And on days when the weather isn’t cooperating, try some of these indoor dog games.
Be careful not to overstimulate your puppy, because it could have the opposite effect and turn your adorable puppy into a cranky puppy.
You may not realize it but laughing or yelling at the dog to stop zooming around or jumping is fueling the crazy behavior.
Instead, give the dog a calming activity, such as a frozen Kong or lick mat. A simple dog puzzle could help stimulate your dog’s brain yet promote calm behavior.
This depends on your dog’s personality, if puzzles excite your dog, then find another activity that calms your dog.
The idea is to slow the brain down and create a calming environment.
I normally recommend a consistent schedule for most rescue dogs, but if your dog anticipates activities to the extreme, it may be time to switch things up a little.
If you can’t always stick to a schedule, then try changing the time of day you take walks, feed dinner, etc.
Changing the schedule could help your dog cope with change more easily, helping to eliminate the anxiety when you can’t take that walk or be home at 5 pm to feed them dinner.
If you have a dog that is easily excited and go “over the top” then SpiritDog’s Calm Down Course may be a perfect solution.
Teaching your dog how to calm down on its own can change your life forever. Not only for the witching hour phase but in everyday living.
The Calm Down course will help you:
What is the puppy (or dog) witching hour
The puppy witching hour is a time of day when the dog has a short and sudden change in energy level or behavior. The witching hour can occur in any dog of any age.
During the witching hour, your dog may run zoomies around the house, and show bad behavior such as stealing your shoes, jumping, or barking.
There are many causes of the puppy witching hour:
What to do during a dog’s witching hour
Are you looking for ways to deal with your dog’s witching hours when they happen? These tips will help you out.
You’ll also want to make sure you’re checking out these 5 tips to deal with puppy witching hour to get the complete guide.
Stop The Witching Hour With Calmness Training!
The “puppy witching hour” is a period of the day when the activity level or behavior of the dog abruptly and briefly changes. Any dog, regardless of age, can experience the witching hour. However, puppies are more prone to them.
What actually happens during a witching hour? During a particular time in the morning or evening, your dog may start acting out more frequently than usual. Even after you’ve taught it not to, it can still act cheekier than usual.
If your puppy behaves in such a way, you should try to keep track of it. You might identify a pattern over time, and you may be able to deduce something by seeing a pattern.
For many owners, 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. bring their puppies’ worst qualities out. If you are aware that your puppy does things excessively around a certain time of day, try to control or prevent this behavior and interact with your puppy in other ways.
The witching hour can be annoying at times, although it usually doesn’t last too long. The duration can vary, although it is difficult to predict. A lot of things can impact how long it takes. If your puppy is mostly restless, the witching hour may last longer on some days than it does on others. Your puppy could act completely out of control during these moments and not pay attention to you. The length of your puppy’s witching hour also depends on your ability to step in and provide comfort.
Whether your puppy ever fully grows out of its witching hours depends on a variety of things. Simply put, some breeds have complex activity levels. Even as adults, these breeds are susceptible to witching hours if not provided enough regular stimulation.
By giving your puppy the right amount of activity, you can help it calm down more quickly. Maintaining your puppy’s training will also help. Remember that your pet is unique. Given that every puppy is different, it is impossible to predict when your puppy will begin to relax more quickly.
The most important thing you can do if your puppy has a witching hour is to remain calm. Dogs have incredible perceptions. A dog’s natural capacity to detect emotions in others is the source of this ability. How you respond to your dog acting out is a big factor in how it behaves.
By not allowing puppy witching hour to start in the first place, it can be avoided. You have a significant impact on how your dog behaves. Your puppy will benefit if you can relax more quickly, train them frequently, and give them the activity they require during the day. If your puppy has enough stimulation throughout the day, it might also prevent them from occurring in the first place.
Speaking with your veterinarian about witching hours is advised if your dog’s agitation, confusion, or aggression worsens despite your efforts to control it.