[DoggoMomof1]

Hi, I have a 3 month old toy poodle. We have been working on leash training, and she is fine on the sidewalk. Her problems relate to the grass.

I have played and run around with her indoors (we live in an apartment) before we finally go outside. We play all day. She gets love and hugs, but as soon as we hit the outdoors, she lays down like a baby lion and starts pouncing on my feet, tries to latch onto my jeans. It’s like any place with a lot of grass is exciting for her. Then boom, she’s running around, she’s barking at the top of her lungs. It’s like she instantly gets the zoomies on the grass!

I have been hiding a few treats in safe parts of grassy areas nearby to desensitize or to let her explore and that seems to help. I am also bringing her favorite toys, but it literally only takes a second for her to go crazy sometimes lol. I have shortened the leash. I have kept walking, and most times we leave the grass if she’s too excited and loud. I try to save the grass for the end of her 2nd walk.

Does anyone have any suggestions for this problem?

 

[Raindrops]

Mine was exactly the same. We don't have grass in our yard so he felt like it was special. He just slowly grew out of most of it. But he still loves grass. I avoided letting him get into very large patches of grass where I knew he would zoom around because it was dangerous on leash. It may help if you can take her to a friend's house where they have a yard with grass. And let her get her zoomies out. It will hasten her getting over it.

 

[old-boots]

If it was my pup, I would probably just plop down in the grass with her on a long lead and wait for her to tire out and relax. The moment she relaxes I would reward her for her calm behavior, then get up and continue on. Also walk onto the grass and ask her for some focus and obdience - have her sit, down, ect so she learns to focus on you. If you give a treat or toy during a behavior you don't want to encourage, it will do the opposite and further encourage it.

Also I would make sure during the day she is not constantly played with. Play for a period and then put her into her crate or exercise pen with a chew toy and allow her to be alone and relax. It's very important she learns to be alone and relax without you - not to say there can't be plenty of fun and cuddles in between. Once the quarantine situaiton is over she will probably be alone more than she is now and it's important she is comfortable with that to reduce stress in the future.

She sounds like a real sweetie!

 

[DoggoMomof1]

If it was my pup, I would probably just plop down in the grass with her on a long lead and wait for her to tire out and relax. The moment she relaxes I would reward her for her calm behavior, then get up and continue on. Also walk onto the grass and ask her for some focus and obdience - have her sit, down, ect so she learns to focus on you. If you give a treat or toy during a behavior you don't want to encourage, it will do the opposite and further encourage it.

Also I would make sure during the day she is not constantly played with. Play for a period and then put her into her crate or exercise pen with a chew toy and allow her to be alone and relax. It's very important she learns to be alone and relax without you - not to say there can't be plenty of fun and cuddles in between. Once the quarantine situaiton is over she will probably be alone more than she is now and it's important she is comfortable with that to reduce stress in the future.

She sounds like a real sweetie!

She normally spends most of the day in her excercise pen while I work from home, but most of the time I’m in eyesight since my office things for work are in the living room ,and I have a one bedroom apartment lol. I try to leave for an hour on my lunch break. Give her time alone. And then sometimes, I’ll pop over to check on her. She’s pretty used to being there, and she will whine for a minute or two when I pop my shoes on. And then I will leave, and she is calm for that hour.

so I cuddle with her after because I noticed that she was so excited to see me that she would literally go crazy on our walks lol. She would jump up on my leg, etc. so now we have like twenty minutes of cuddle time before she goes into the playpen and twenty when she can come out. She’s okay for about an hour. Thank you!

Definitely gonna try this.

 

[DoggoMomof1]

Mine was exactly the same. We don't have grass in our yard so he felt like it was special. He just slowly grew out of most of it. But he still loves grass. I avoided letting him get into very large patches of grass where I knew he would zoom around because it was dangerous on leash. It may help if you can take her to a friend's house where they have a yard with grass. And let her get her zoomies out. It will hasten her getting over it.

This makes me feel better. My aunts offered to let my dog zoom it out at their place with a good fence. So I think I will do that lol.

 

[old-boots]

If it was my pup, I would probably just plop down in the grass with her on a long lead and wait for her to tire out and relax. The moment she relaxes I would reward her for her calm behavior, then get up and continue on. Also walk onto the grass and ask her for some focus and obdience - have her sit, down, ect so she learns to focus on you. If you give a treat or toy during a behavior you don't want to encourage, it will do the opposite and further encourage it.

Also I would make sure during the day she is not constantly played with. Play for a period and then put her into her crate or exercise pen with a chew toy and allow her to be alone and relax. It's very important she learns to be alone and relax without you - not to say there can't be plenty of fun and cuddles in between. Once the quarantine situaiton is over she will probably be alone more than she is now and it's important she is comfortable with that to reduce stress in the future.

She sounds like a real sweetie!

She normally spends most of the day in her excercise pen while I work from home, but most of the time I’m in eyesight since my office things for work are in the living room ,and I have a one bedroom apartment lol. I try to leave for an hour on my lunch break. Give her time alone. And then sometimes, I’ll pop over to check on her. She’s pretty used to being there, and she will whine for a minute or two when I pop my shoes on. And then I will leave, and she is calm for that hour.

so I cuddle with her after because I noticed that she was so excited to see me that she would literally go crazy on our walks lol. She would jump up on my leg, etc. so now we have like twenty minutes of cuddle time before she goes into the playpen and twenty when she can come out. She’s okay for about an hour. Thank you!

Definitely gonna try this.

Sounds like you are doing very well with her!! I also agree with raindrops that she will grow past it - the world is so exciting when you've only been alive 3 months! Lol

 

[PeggyTheParti]

Zoomies release pent up energy and even have a technical name: Frenetic Random Activity Period (FRAP).

And puppy grass zoomies are super normal. Rather than fighting any normal puppy behaviours, I like to set up safe opportunities for them and then (like boots said) reward calm.

There was a point during puppyhood where it was like Peggy suddenly discovered she was a poodle. And poodles are athletes! So it was a joyous discovery and she had a wonderful time discovering all the things her body could do.

 

[DoggoMomof1]

Zoomies release pent up energy and even have a technical name: Frenetic Random Activity Period (FRAP).

And puppy grass zoomies are super normal. Rather than fighting any normal puppy behaviours, I like to set up safe opportunities for them and then (like boots said) reward calm.

There was a point during puppyhood where it was like Peggy suddenly discovered she was a poodle. And poodles are athletes! So it was a joyous discovery and she had a wonderful time discovering all the things her body could do.

Thanks guys! I will try it this weekend and update you!