# help with energetic puppy



## dizplanner (Jan 1, 2012)

We have a small hobby farm and purchased a Maremma pup to help with our chickens. They keep getting eaten by fox. She (Zoe) was out with her working family when we got her. She seemed so mature, unlike any other pup we've raised. She was our first LGD. Once home we realized she was vulnerable and just happened to find a 9 month old up for adoption. I was leery but we purchased her (Salt) too. Can't say enough great things about Salt. Fine with our 2 little goats and the chickens right from the start. But Zoe.....oh my. She bloodied the ears and tail of the little goat and has killed 2 chickens. We have kept the two pups near the livestock with only a fence separating them. They can see Ã®n the coop and the goats are in a paddock alongside the dogs. They show attachment by lying near them, howerever Zoe is still a bundle of crazy energy. She is almost 8 months old. She jumps terribly with me too, trying to get at my face. She is starting to snap now when she does it. Totally out of excitement and joy. I've raised many dogs but have never had one so excitable. Salt will listen and feel badly if my tone of voice is stern. Zoe seems to want to try but it is so exasperating. Everything is done with exuberance from sucking down her food (yes we have to slow her down with a rock in the bowl) to greeting everything. Do I have hope? I keep thinking with age she will mellow but my goodness these two dogs are like night and day! Thanks for any encouragement.


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

Please don't take this the wrong way.
You need to get rid of the problem dog.
Your other dog didn't need any more help just to protect against a fox.


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

sound to me like the chicken needs to bite her back, a dash of NILF and a non corn based food would help.

LGDs are made to have enough energy to run miles of territory so she needs more exercise and stimulation from things that dont squawk or bahh. Absolutely no squeaky toys.
This breed requires even more of a confident owner because they do not conform to the normal pack order which is what you can play other dogs on.
If your within a 100 miles of me and she really becomes to much for you I can either do some training for you or I may want to adopt her but what ever you do you need to do it NOW before she gets to far out of hand. You can ask Georgia girl how hard it is to rehome a chicken killing lgd, the dog is as sweet as honey but weve been trying to find her a home for a year now.


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## dizplanner (Jan 1, 2012)

We got the 2nd lgd because the 9 week old puppy was vulnerable to the fox and coyotes and I was so worried about her before the older pup arrived. The older pup is GOOD. They don't have tons of room to run as they are in about a 1/2 acre fenced around our barn and near the lake and garden. They could have more room later on our five acres once zoey calms down. I want to keep them near the goats and chickens. I'm fine with handling her but just wondering if this over zealous joy is normal for some. What is NILF? She is on Diamond Naturals large puppy. I almost wonder if she is just hungry? I feed her more than what the bag says and they are fed on a schedule twice a day. But I've noticed when I started to cut her back a bit the hyperness got worse. I was experimenting with offering her a bit more. Don't know if there is corn in there---i'll check. I live near St. Louis. I read and read the boards and am on a Maremma yahoo group. Many of those folks are overseas though. Love my pups and thrilled with the appropriate barking only and their respect of the fence, and love of us. Just hoping she will settle down. She has no squeakies-just sticks and an occasional treat in her booda bone and a bone from the butcher. Thanks for tips!


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## Goatress (Feb 4, 2011)

I would be more worried if the 8 mo old LGD DIDN'T have a lot of energy!


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## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

You cannot leave your pup unsupervised with the livestock, you must take the lead and discipline her when she acts ill. When you cant be out there place her in a pen next to the goats and chickens. She needs to know this is unexceptable. Ziggy is 12 months old he still gets into trouble. He does not bite the sheep, but sometimes he thinks a quick chase is inorder especially when the sheep go over to where his dogfood bowl was. I have to pick up the dog food bowl before letting out the sheep. But the sheep will still run over ther to see if any fell to the ground and Ziggy will run over there barking and chase them away a little, I go throw this routine of telling him to knock it off every morning there is not food there....LOL


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

You need to put some manners on the puppy. She needs to sit nicely when she runs up to you for attention. Teach her sit and give her no attention whatsoever until she sits for you. No cajoling, no looking, nothin! You also need to take her for a walk every morning so she can use up her excess energy. The directions on the kibble package are a suggestion. Some dogs need less, some more. Most dogs are not outside all day running around, so your puppy probably needs more than the suggestion. You should be feeding her twice a day or even three times if she is underweight.


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

NILF is the basis for every dog training method that works well, you can google it, its just a few things that can make a big difference.


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## dizplanner (Jan 1, 2012)

Just to clarify... the pups are not with the livestock. They are separated but can see each other and dog fence surrounds chickens and goats so its a good situation. Killing of chicken was an accident a few months ago and I can see that Zoe still would love to play with those noisy bouncy things! I am a confident owner and in many way they are so well behaved. Things have gotten 100% better since increasing her food. I was concerned with growing too quickly and even though I don't feel that she is thin, I don't think I was feeding her enough. So I will continue and see how it goes. Could have just been a couple months of teens and I was just looking for some assurance from others with pups.


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## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

Sorry, what is NILF?


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

NILF = Nothing in Life is Free. Your dog has to earn everything. No free feeding, no free treats, no petting when dog nudges your arm. You put all of the toys away and dole them out one at a time, having the dog do something to earn the toy (sit, down, roll over,...). This is not punishment based, as in I'm punishing you by removing the toys. It is reward based, as in if you sit calmly without whining I will put your dish on the floor.


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## MonsterMalak (Apr 15, 2011)

I cant say that I have ever had a pup that energetic. Usually by 6-8 months, mine have chilled out. the desire to stop playing with the chickens varies, but is usually gone before a year.
Be careful as to not have Zoe corrupt the other dog. Joining in can teach some bad habbits.

I am also not familiar with that breed, and the maturity growth rate. 

Wish you all the luck,,,, May just be ADHD????
I once had a german Shepherd that never grew out of the spastic energy.


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## wendle (Feb 22, 2006)

Good that you don't have energetic pup in the same pen with the chickens. Some years ago, I had a couple boys that were a little too rough on the lambs, and separating them helped. I also was there to correct them for roughness. Make sure your lgd learns to walk nice on a leash and work on some obedience. This helps you to handler her in different situations. You can also take her with when you visit the chickens at least a few times a day to encourage her to be calmer around them. The ideal would be an older dog to correct her. Watching my adult lgd , I notice he will get in there and bump my other dogs when they upset the sheep, he might even grumble, mouth and paw a little. He will keep it up until they turn away. He doesn't just bark from the sidelines like many a human does. Since you don't have an older dog to do that, it's your job. With that small of an area your dog will likely be effective just being able to go around the pen. If there are any sides he can't go on, you might run hot wire, or netting to repel other pests. Good luck with your dog!


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## libbypayne8 (Sep 17, 2008)

Just my two cents from my very limited experience... My Pyr started getting really rowdy at about seven months, chasing goats, jumping on my, being a bit of a jerk overall. I came on here and got lots of good suggestions and worked on training quite a bit at that time. I would go out two or three times a day at least and do little training sessons each time. It helped a little, but not a lot. Then I started to feed only raw meat and bones to him and his personality changed overnight. He went from a jerk to a mature, well behaved boy in less than 48 hours. I haven't had a minute of trouble since that switch and because of that he will never get kibble again. It can be a bit more expensive to feed him, but not as expensive as a dead goat or two. Good luck with your pup and I hope you're able to get her settled down soon.


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

It can be a bit more expensive to feed him, but not as expensive as a dead goat or two. Good luck with your pup and I hope you're able to get her settled down soon.[/QUOTE]

Feeding raw shouldnt cost you more than feeding a mediocre food. Chicken leg quarters are cheap enough, pork neck bones, ox tails, chicken feet, liver and gizzards are a great base diet. I get the sale meat a lot and if you have a mom and pop grocer in your area they will often give you rmbs. My dogs also got canned salmon or tuna twice a week. We are talking about when I had 9 Great Danes here plus my regular crew.


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