[Hankscorpio]

I rescued a 7 month old mutt (jack russel pointer?) about 3 weeks ago from the humane society. He's my first dog (I'm single and work a full time job). So far I couldn't ask much more from the him. He's had no house breaking issues. He's super friendly very cute. Seems to be a quick learner. Yes we've had issues like playing tug of war with the leash or stealing my bagel but he's an untrained puppy I expected this sort of thing and we're working on it (we're in training and the humane society behaviorist is working with us). Overall I can't say enough good about him.
Here's the issue:
He has so much energy and I'm no fun. I'm doing it but I don't really like playing with him and he wants to play for hours. I wanted an active dog to take jogging and hiking but much to my surprise my vet says that walks of that sort don't count as activity. People speed is just too slow. This seems to be true because a long walk only gets him more excited. Luckily he's not too hyper with it but I just don't know how to deal with his energy in a way we can both enjoy.
(Side note: I'm not happy with how the humane society downplayed my "serious concerns" about activity level during the adoption)

I also don't care for him being by my side all the time. Can't he have some fun while I wash the dishes? I know he wants to play. I found myself dreading coming home from the grocery just because I needed some time to myself.

Lack of leash training has made walks unpleasant so far but I can see small improvements that give me hope for the future which is sadly the only area I can see future happiness for us at this point.

He took the place of a cat that was my best buddy for half my life. I thought since I'm pretty active a dog would be better then another lazy cat but now I'm thinking my personality is better suited for a cat. My cat helped me chill out every day after work the dog just ups the stress.

I do love this dog. he's wonderful. I want to make this work but I'm afraid we're just a poor match.
Any tips on how I can get over these issues.

 

[Gally]

Where is he while you're at work? Have you considered getting a dog walker or sending him to doggy daycare so he can burn some energy while you're at work?

Most dogs wont be content doing things on their own when they can do things with their people but remember he's still in transition and getting used to your schedule. If you need some time to yourself you will probably need to give him something to do. Try putting some plain yogurt or peanut butter with some kibble or treats in a kong and freezing it. Does he like to chew? Maybe an antler or a bullystick would keep him busy for a while.

Is there a place he can run around to burn off some steam? A fenced yard or a dog park you can go to when there is no one else around. Does he know how to play fetch? If not you can teach him.

 

[Bordermom]

If he's seven months, then you can't take him jogging for about another year - he has to be full grown. But you can take him to dog parks, walks, to classes - see if the HS can suggest some and get him in asap, then practice, practice, practice! Agility, rally obedience, tracking, there's LOTS of activities you can train him for that are fun for both and will tire him out. Need to unwind after work? Pick him up and go for a walk to an outdoor cafe for a cold drink and watch the world go by!

Even if for now you just take him into some classes, it will help him find a great home down the road if you really find he's not what you're looking for. But you can do some walks and hikes, not sure why a vet would say it doesn't count other than perhaps if it's a 'hike' to go around the block and back. When he's older he can get his own backpack and help carry things too.

 

[Kayota]

Is it true that walks and jogs don't count as exercise? I'm not sure I buy that... Any input?

 

[Gally]

Walks and jogs definitely count as exercise IMO especially if they are good long ones at a decent pace (45 minutes+). I'm guessing the vet meant it wouldn't be enough exercise for such a high energy pup but who knows.

I second bordermom's suggestion for taking classes or even starting with some puppy socialization classes. Great for some exercise, socialization, focus building and bonding.

 

[Kayota]

Okay, thanks... Had me worried for a minute. We go on bike rides often but they aren't really any more vigorous than a jog! But we rode two miles altogether last night so I figured that was pretty decent.

To contribute, I definitely find that doing some training practice at the ends of walks helps Roxie tire out more--it's not so much physical as it is mental, but it relieves boredom.

 

[kafkabeetle]

It sounds like you're giving him enough exercise and he just needs more mental stimulation. Try feeding his meals in a treat ball/toy of some sort. There are tons on the market if you look for them but this is what I use.

You can also give chews like bully sticks, raw bones, Nylabones etc, or you could also fill a Kong toy with peanut butter or canned food and freeze it and it will give you some more quiet time while he's occupied. There are even puzzles out there for dogs if you look!

Otherwise, if he's had enough exercise and play and mental stimulation and he's still looking to you, I wouldn't assume he still needs anything else. Most dogs are always on the lookout for their owners to do something with them...but that doesn't mean they actually need you to constantly. I think you'll get used to ignoring him if he doesn't truly need something and you don't feel like it. There's no shame in that.

 

[Hankscorpio]

Thanks. We are in classes although they haven't started quickly. ( first class was people only then the following was canceled for mothers day.)
I come home for lunch so he's home alone for 2x 4.5 hr periods 5 days a week.
We do go to the dog park.
We play a lot of "almost fetch" still working on that proper fetch. He loves it and can play for a long time. His attention span is much longer than mine.
He loves his kong and we've got the kong wobble feeder too which is fun for him and gives me a short break.

Doggie daycare is a bit of a problem because there isn't one in town. Two 60+ min round trips to daycare would be tricky. Also Once again my vet surprised me recommending against daycare. She'd seen some bad examples where dogs were getting sick or injured. (starting to wonder about my vet. I was bad and only took my cat as needed but I'm pretty sure I never saw this vet at the office)

I think he would really benefit from a home with people around more of the time and other dog(s) however retuning him to the HS doesnt garntee an improvement. he could do much worse than me. As I said I wasn't impessed with there adoptio process. (post adoption they been very helpful though providing a free behaviorist.)

Any rainy day tip for a high energy dog? It's been pretty wet lately.

 

[Hambonez]

I am absolutely a cat person. We have three cats whom I adore. Then we got the pup and it was total culture shock. We thought a dog would be fun because we love our cats so much, but can't take them out and do things with them, so we thought a pet we could do stuff with outside of the house would be fun, and it is, but it is SO MUCH more work! It's taken a few months for him to settle in, but it is definitely getting better! He can and will do things on his own (with supervision, of course), and after about 8 pm he starts to get tired and just wants to snuggle with us on the couch until we go to bed. He's about 5 months now, so some of it I'm sure is maturing, and some of it is him getting into the rhythm of the house.

Nothing saying you can't have a cat too once your pup is more settled!

 

[momof3]

Have you considered a treadmill for him? He could walk a little longer or faster and it could be varied very easily.

 

[JonTempleton]

Yea, that is the thing I don't like about dogs too. They require so much of your time. Cats are much easier. Just remember that this is probably the only drawback to a dog. The rest is often more rewarding than a cat. I also find that dogs become less needy as they get older. The puppy phase is the most difficult in my opinion.

 

[Laurelin]

He sounds like an awesome dog! Really, you have a dog that has high energy but also sounds like he is very handler/people focused. I'd suggest getting into some sort of sports with him. I bet he'd do really well!

I definitely recommend the puzzle toys and just being creative thinking about ways to mentally wear him down a bit. Training is great, a couple short training sessions <15 minutes a day will help a lot. Clicker training and shaping is fantastic to get the dog thinking and give them something fun to do. Doing something engaging will help much more than just a walk.

My little dog is three now and much easier than when she was a puppy. As a pup she chewed everything and was pretty much bouncing off the walls 24/7. It takes time for you to figure out what works for the two of you and also for the dog to start figuring out expectations.

 

[hargyle]

As a cat person with my first puppy I know exactly where you are coming from, the first few weeks were a rude adjustment for all of us. As stated, he will adjust it take time. As for energy, treat dispensing toys are a god send for us - If I need to do something and need Loki out from under food, I fill a few toys with treats/kibble and let him play in his own room (do you have a space where he can be left out of the way, a pen or something?). when I am done we go to the park for some frisbee.

We also play what I call "chase the puppy" if I'm really tired a quick game tires him right out - get a toy and play chase around the house/ yard. But over the months he has learned when enough is enough and he settles down.

Keep it up, you can and will get through it - before you know it you will have a lazy little cuddle bear you wouldnt want to live without!

 

[Shell]

I wanted an active dog to take jogging and hiking but much to my surprise my vet says that walks of that sort don't count as activity. People speed is just too slow. This seems to be true because a long walk only gets him more excited. Luckily he's not too hyper with it but I just don't know how to deal with his energy in a way we can both enjoy.

Walks, just neighborhood walks at the typical pace of about 2.5 miles per hour, are not all that much "exercise" to a young, high energy dog. But they have their own benefits as the dog can sniff and check out the world (working his mind), you can do leash training (working his mind) and he does get some exercise. Think of it like a person trying to get fit- walking 30 minutes daily is healthy but not sufficient on its own; they would need to add some jogging or hilly walking at a brisk pace and weight lifting to add muscle.
But long walks at a brisk pace and jogging once he is full grown (about 16 months old for a small breed), running around on a long leash (try a 50 ft rope) or in a fenced yard or dog park, HILLY hiking and if you have the option, swimming, are all good exercise.
If he's only 7 months and not that hyper right now, you have good potential for a more moderate energy JRT when he's an adult.

Remember that you've only had in 3 weeks. Figure at least 3, even 4 months, for a shelter rescue to completely settle into your home and show his true personality. Of course with a pup, he'll also be maturing during that time and gaining training, both positive things.

I also don't care for him being by my side all the time. Can't he have some fun while I wash the dishes? I know he wants to play. I found myself dreading coming home from the grocery just because I needed some time to myself.

Get some toys and especially try out one of the interactive food dispensing toys like the buddy ball. Only feed his meals (dry food) in a food toy to make them more interesting and to take more time to eat. Try a good tempting chew toy like a raw meaty bone or a bully stick for when you really have to have some quiet time.
Play fetch and then do a short training session (try puppy push-ups... sit/down/sit/down/sit, repeat) for a few minutes to give him some focus and then you should have a little quiet time. He'll probably still want to be by your side, after all he is a puppy in a new home with a new person! but you don't HAVE to give in to him begging to play.

Lack of leash training has made walks unpleasant so far but I can see small improvements that give me hope for the future which is sadly the only area I can see future happiness for us at this point.

Leash training (and other training) makes a WORLD of difference. You can enjoy things so much more with your dog when he is leash trained and has good behavior in public. You can do long relaxing walks and hikes after work, take the dog to outdoor cafes and coffee shops, take him to friends and family houses, to doggie daycare (a WELL RUN doggie daycare is relatively low risk and will tire him the heck out), to outdoor festivals and even some stores like camping and outdoor stores. If you like to camp, you can take him camping (the sniffing and extra walking on a camping trip are majorly tiring).
Maybe set up play dates with other dogs owned by friends or seek out dog-friendly activities via meetup or other groups (try looking around on facebook)


All that said, give him AT LEAST 3 full months (starting now) of attention, training and effort. Even if right now it feels like a job rather than a joy. Then, after 3-4 months, when he has settled in, gotten trained and matured some, you can reassess. IF you decide at that point that it is a poor match, contact a breed specific rescue group and talk to them about assisting you in rehoming him to a more suitable home. Be willing to keep him until they can find a foster or (even better) an adopter. If they take him into foster care, you should provide 2-3 months worth of food, HW preventative and flea/tick preventative if needed in your area. Rescues are financially burdened enough with dogs coming from shelters, as strays and from abuse/neglect situations that when they help out owner surrenders, I really feel it is the ethical thing to do (to financially cover them caring for your dog).

I KNOW I am a dog person and my previous foster drove me absolutely crazy for the first 6 weeks or so with her energy, antics and lack of training. I was tired and annoyed all the time. Then, she settled in and the training started to click and she suddenly became a great companion that I actually enjoyed having around.

 

[Hambonez]

All that said, give him AT LEAST 3 full months (starting now) of attention, training and effort. Even if right now it feels like a job rather than a joy. Then, after 3-4 months, when he has settled in, gotten trained and matured some, you can reassess.

This is so true. At just about the three month mark it was like someone flipped a switch with Hamilton! I would not have believed it if someone told me, the beginning was SO hard, but all of a sudden it's like I have a completely different dog. I'm so looking forward to seeing how much more he matures over the next three months!

 

[Amaryllis]

3 months really is the magic point with rescues. Kabota is so much different at 5 months than he was at 3 weeks.

Walking him will be relaxing once he gets loose leash walking. I love the after walk work. By the time we're done, I'm destressed and reenergized.

Did you have that fishing pole toy for your cat? For dogs, it's called a flirt pole and I bet your dog will love it. And you can play sitting down!

Also, puppies are tough. He'll calm down with age. I won't do a dog under 2-3 years because of how my last dog was when I got him at 11 months. That was trial by fire.

Good luck!

 

[dagwall]

Also, puppies are tough. He'll calm down with age. I won't do a dog under 2-3 years because of how my last dog was when I got him at 11 months. That was trial by fire.

Same here, no interest in getting a puppy. Thankfully I knew that before getting Jubel who is my first dog. I knew I wanted a young adult, mostly out of the crazy puppy stage but still potential many good years of life left. Jubel was just over 2 years old and now that I have actual dog experience and even some time foster sitting 6-7 month old puppies I know I only want to get dogs over 18 months as a bare minimum, preferred over 2 years old. Puppies are fun to play with but much better when you can give them back when the fun wears off and the annoying begins.

 

[a7dk]

This is so true. At just about the three month mark it was like someone flipped a switch with Hamilton! I would not have believed it if someone told me, the beginning was SO hard, but all of a sudden it's like I have a completely different dog. I'm so looking forward to seeing how much more he matures over the next three months!

Just jumping on the 3-month bandwagon. We were really kind of thinking we had made a huge mistake in adopting Hobbes (and he wasn't even that young - about a year) but then around 3 months his training finally started to kick in and he started to behave better. Also, I think we just started to trust him more during that time, and began to enjoy his antics rather than dreading the fact that he was silly and wouldn't listen unless he felt like it. Suddenly he became the world's greatest companion - now it's a little over a year later and I can't imagine life without him.

He's well-trained, he's got good manners. He gets along with other dogs and LOVES all the people in the world, he wakes up every single day thinking THIS IS GONNA BE THE BEST DAY! You have to admire that. Give him time, and give yourself time to get used to him.

 

[Independent George]

The funny thing is my rescue was the exact opposite with regard to energy levels. She started out very quiet, shy, and submissive; almost exactly three months later, she finally got comfortable with her surroundings, and turned into a hyperactive ADD knucklehead. She gradually calmed down as she got older, but the personality change before & after the 3-month mark was remarkable.