# I don't have a maltese.... I have an energizer bunny... Help!



## diane&ozzie (Jun 24, 2008)

Hello all! :biggrin: 

I have a huge dilemma concerning my 7 month old baby girl Sookie. She is literally the energizer bunny.... she just keeps going and going and going and it never stops. She is extremely hyper, has a hard time focusing and the barking, the barking is just becoming a little much at the moment. We recently had a tragedy in the family with the passing of my father and I have been attributing all of this crazy behavior to that since he was one of our room mates. But it is becoming absurd the way she just can not stop for a second. 

I have tried everything, they go out for daily walks, playing for an hour a day, frozen treats, crating, working on her training.... which she will just not focus on. Even when reprimanded her little tail continues to wag like everything is rainbows and sunshine. I am just at a loss for her high strung behavior, I just don't know what to do anymore. I am considering taking her to the vet and consulting to give her something to relieve some of her anxiety. But I am seriously conflicted.... I honestly would never want to medicate her, but her anxiety and actions because of it is becoming a bit much. I realize that she is only 7 months old (she has been neutered) but she has never been this... well... crazy! :smilie_tischkante: 

Any :smhelp: or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I am willing to try anything before thinking about medication. Thanks!


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

If her tail is wagging, she is a happy little girl, not anxious. I certainly wouldn't medicate a seven month old puppy for being, well, a puppy.

When you say she won't focus, do you mean she won't listen? Puppies go through a "teenage" stage the second half of their first year where they will challenge your authority. You may feel like she has regressed in her training.

JMM has some wonderful suggestions for dealing with excessive barking:

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=45730

I wonder if the death of your father has something to do with it? Maltese are very sensitive. She may be sensing your grief and trying to get your attention.


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## Max & Rocky (May 20, 2004)

>I have an energizer bunny<

Remove the batteries...?


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## plenty pets 20 (Jul 8, 2006)

You could try some "Rescue Remedy" for you and her. I think she could be feeding off of your anxiety also. Can you carry her around more and just keep her close to you?? Will she permit that. Do you have any friends that have a young dog she can play with?? Or a dog park you can take her to for play. She just sounds like she needs interaction with another dog. Just some thoughts.


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## littlemissy (May 19, 2009)

QUOTE (Max & Rocky @ Jun 20 2009, 10:07 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=794295


> >I have an energizer bunny<
> 
> Remove the batteries...?  [/B]



:smrofl: 

OP I would keep being as consistent as possible and as for the treats I would give those when she does what you want her to during the training sessions. This is a stage and she is testing you and her placement in the pecking order apparently. There are some great threads as Marj mentioned about stopping/lessening barking etc.


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## diane&ozzie (Jun 24, 2008)

QUOTE (LadysMom @ Jun 20 2009, 10:40 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=794287


> If her tail is wagging, she is a happy little girl, not anxious. I certainly wouldn't medicate a seven month old puppy for being, well, a puppy.
> 
> When you say she won't focus, do you mean she won't listen? Puppies go through a "teenage" stage the second half of their first year where they will challenge your authority. You may feel like she has regressed in her training.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the forum link for the barking I will definitely read it. The thing that worries me the most is that this is not normal puppyhood to me, I have gone through puppyhood with 3 different dogs and never did they show the behavior she shows. She constantly paces from the front door of the apartment to the back, the whole time she is wagging her tail frantically. It appears to me that she is doing more than the usual trying to challenge my authority, its like she has tunnel vision. I don't want to put her on medication, thats why I came to you lovely ladies for advice. I have decided that I am going to take her into the vet for a once over.


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## diane&ozzie (Jun 24, 2008)

LOL... thank you for the laugh!


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## diane&ozzie (Jun 24, 2008)

She will only let me keep her in my arms for maybe 5 minutes and then she is off pacing again. She has Ozzie in the house and he tries to pay and interact with her and sometimes she does, but most of the time she is in her own little world. I will look into the rescue remedy.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

I don't recall where you got her, but have you spoken to your breeder about her behavior?


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

You have a NORMAL puppy. She does NOT need to be medicated. She needs a strict schedule, exercise, obedience classes, and learning self control! 

Most small dogs do not get adequate exercise. 2 good walks a day is a good start. No more free meals out of a bowl. She works for her food (going tricks and behaviors for each piece) or the food goes in a food toy (kong, busy buddy, treat ball, etc.) or hide it around the house and let her run around and find it. 

Young dogs are often like toddlers in that they cannot put themselves down to relax/nap on their own. That is up to you. Having scheduled crate time during the day will help decrease some fenzied behavior. 

Obedience class is awesome! First off you have a trainer there to help you with any issues. Class time itself is tiring for your dog physically and mentally. Your homework training sessions a few times a day will help tire out your dog at home. 

Self control can be very hard for dogs to learn. I have one Maltese you could mistake for a border collie! We work lots and lots of down stays all the time. It is essential for me to be able to down him to maintain control. This is also key when he wants to bark inappropriately. A down stay...and the release to come to me completely refocuses him to work mode. 

Games you can play in your house to make it more tiring by including brain work. If you play fetch, ask for a behavior before you throw the toy every time. A tug session when the dog comes back (must out on command) before you ask for a behavior and throw again will switch it up. 

You can also do some fun training games at home. Put a broom handle across to phone books and toss treats over it to teach her to jump over (this is only a few inches off the ground so ok for puppies). You can work on sending her over it from a distance, tossing treats over for her to get, retrieving toys over it. It keeps things interesting. 

Buy a tunnel from toys r us. Teach her to run through it! Toss a toy as she comes out the other end. Leave her on a sit stay and call her through it. Teach her to go through it as you run beside her. 

Be inventive. Make new games. Give her a schedule and forced down time during the day. Increase her exercise and include mind games with it!


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

If this is just her personality it will not be easy to change. Some dogs are easy going and some are hyper.

For the pacing have you considered she might be wanting out, or looking for something/someone? You probably have. It really just sounds like she is a super active puppy. If she were a Border Collie or Jack Russell I'd say give her a job, but a Malt puppy usually plays hard enough to make them want to sleep a lot and not need extra exercise.


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## puppy lover (Dec 25, 2007)

I agree with Lady's Mom that this may be Sookie's way of coping with your father's death. How soon after his passing did she begin this behavior? Could she be waiting for your dad to come home and be confused? 

A vet visit would be a good start but before you medicate please try holistic options whether flower remedies (rescue remedy, etc) or herbs (just make sure organic and non irradiated, especially for a sensitive puppy). If you can't find a holistic vet in your area, they are all over the country and many do phone consultations.

Some people have good results with pet psychics. Both Sonya Fitzpatrick (Animal Planet) and Penelope Smith have great reputations but there are many good ones out there. Penelope Smith does not do consultations herself but recommends different psychics for different issues. 

The important this is to keep trying and you will get to the bottom of this, and have Sookie back to herself.

Also, I'm sorry for the loss of your father.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I just want to give an example of my youngest dog, Roo. I evaluated Roo's entire litter and we selected him because of his high drive, extremely outgoing temperament, good bounce back, and high energy. I knew what I was getting into (and I've raised border collie pups and a sheltie so I'm no stranger to energy). 

Roo is about 15 months old. Its rather hot here. So, today we drove an hour away to a bigger city and went to two different pet stores where I let him sniff and explore and practice obedience. Then we went to the boat dock so he could wade in the water (did I mention its hot here), meet people, and watch the boats being put in the water. After we went for a little walk. Now he's sleeping on the couch...but in a few hours, I have planned some toy fun/one agility jump games. It is an effort to be sure he is well stimulated. When he was very young, schedule was KEY as was putting him up so he would nap. He is a lovely little dog but work!


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## dawkinll (Feb 8, 2009)

This makes me laugh because Miss Q is CRAZY sometimes. I live in an upstairs apartment and wake up at 5 am... well that's when she wants to run circles around my apartment. To my neighbors below me, it probably sounds like massive squirrels are running on the roof. As a little puppy, when Miss Q was barking like crazy AND running around my apt., I would carry her around in the mornings when I was getting ready. So funny... you just have to laugh.


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## bluebuzz81 (Jul 29, 2008)

Sorry, I was laughing also. I know you are frustrated, but haha.. it's just so cute....

My babies ( I have 2 maltese and I did have 1 before them a boy ) The boy dog that I had previously was extremely hyper but he calmed down after he turned around 2 years old and just became calmer as he became older. It was definetly hard to tell at the time because it was so gradual, but now that I think about it, his puppy time were just so much work.

Rightnow, I have 2 dogs a boy and a girl and my girl dog is just so much more hyper than my boy dog. She always wants to play 24/7. My boy dog in the other hand is extremely calm and wants to just sit or lay down. They are about 1 year and 2 month now and my girl dog is just so much calmer now. I also think a daily walk is important and if she has hard time focusing and is too hyper to train, I would do it after a walk. 

Yesterday I Took them out for a short walk late at night around 8PM and they were sleeping like a rock when we got home. It was a very short one, but it was terribly hot outside yesterday. 

Also it sounds to me like she may be thinking she is the ALPHA ( The head of the house) So may want to start making her do small stuff like Sit and lay down. ETC.


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