Camden's Mom Posted June 20, 2014 Report Share Posted June 20, 2014 I'm curious how your dog acts when he or she is tired. Mine seems to channel an irritable two year old human child. Usually, if he's really pooped, he'll just give me a look that says "go get bent" when I try to engage him. Last night he didn't get a good nights sleep and it showed this morning during our training session. First he wouldn't even take the "lie down" at the start of his session and then, when the trainer physical put him in a down, he stayed in an awkward crumbled pile on the ground. Just about the only thing he didn't do was pound his paws on the ground and roll around wailing. I swear it was like a toddler having a temper tantrum. I think my tired dog is a grouchy (or at least pouty) dog... what about yours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cass C Posted June 20, 2014 Report Share Posted June 20, 2014 Mine are usually super affectionate when sleepy, but they usually won't preform tricks or even basic behaviors like lay down. I wouldn't say they are grouchy as if I push them Enough they will do as asked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RemsMom Posted June 20, 2014 Report Share Posted June 20, 2014 Sometimes my puppy acts overtired and will be fussy when I put her in the crate and takes a few minutes to settle down for her nap. I take an agility class with my German Shepherd and usually there are five to six dogs. The class runs 60 minutes. On a couple of occasions only two dog show up for class and we usually work for 35 minutes and let the dogs play for the remainder of the class. Since there is very little rest between runs the dogs tire quickly and will stop listening. When my GSD was younger he would start pulling on the leash (backwards like a stubborn donkey) and jump around acting silly when overtired. Thankfully he is seven years old now so his tactic when tired is to look at me and then look at the door. He will do this over and over to tell me he is ready to go home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted June 20, 2014 Report Share Posted June 20, 2014 Mine go off by themselves and nap. They used to act like overstimulated toddlers and get all bitey and wild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schrevolution Posted June 21, 2014 Report Share Posted June 21, 2014 Ziggy will get extreme zoomies and nippy if I don't pay attention and it's past his scheduled bedtime. Otherwise that's usually when he's at his cuddliest right before sleep. It only makes his tantrums worse if we do an exciting activity before bed so I tend to keep the evening chill. After an hour of obedience class he's at the end of his patience and exhausted so he may throw a tantrum, but he'll stop when he realizes he isn't getting anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoutthebc Posted June 21, 2014 Report Share Posted June 21, 2014 My puppy turns into a wild animal when it's past her bedtime! It always makes me laugh... And always makes me put her in her crate, where she immediately crashes.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maralynn Posted June 21, 2014 Report Share Posted June 21, 2014 My older dogs have just snoozed - but they've always been ready to go if I'm gonna do something. The puppy gets crazy and super mouthy. So I crate him and he chills/naps right away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom of Mya Posted June 21, 2014 Report Share Posted June 21, 2014 After a weekend of playing with bff Mya is usually zonked out pretty much the whole next day and just sleeps on and off. If we try to get her to play she looks at us, gives us a hpffff and turns around with her back to us and back to sleep. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaveProfesora Posted June 21, 2014 Report Share Posted June 21, 2014 As a mother of a toddler and a 2 year old border collie--the results are the same. Tired is OK. Overtired results in what we call "drunken sailor syndrome." They both realize if they stop moving, they will fall asleep--and they won't let that happen. The border collie is getting older and thus learning to settle and just sleep. Can't say the same for the toddler just yet. When both are going through it at the same time (like on a busy family day full of activity)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olivehill Posted June 21, 2014 Report Share Posted June 21, 2014 To me a "tired dog" and the dog you describe are not one and the same. A tired dog is, just like a human, one that has used 95-100% of the gas in the proverbial mental and physical energy tanks for the day and is ready to rest and recharge. An over-tired or exhausted dog is one that has given 100% or more of the gas from those tanks and is being asked to give even more. The latter, reasonably, leads to tantrums and meltdowns regardless of age or species. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted June 22, 2014 Report Share Posted June 22, 2014 Bandit gets really snippy when he's overly tired. It's about the only time he's not pleasant. The good thing is I will put him into his crate when he gets like that and he doesn't even protest, he lays right down and takes a nap, and when he wakes up he's back to his sunny self. Dean gets cuddly when he's tired, and Tessa just finds somewhere to plant herself and she sleeps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camden's Mom Posted June 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2014 To me a "tired dog" and the dog you describe are not one and the same. A tired dog is, just like a human, one that has used 95-100% of the gas in the proverbial mental and physical energy tanks for the day and is ready to rest and recharge. An over-tired or exhausted dog is one that has given 100% or more of the gas from those tanks and is being asked to give even more. The latter, reasonably, leads to tantrums and meltdowns regardless of age or species. Olivehill, this is a great point! I would agree that mine acts like a grouchy, pouty toddler when he's over-tired. Unfortunately mine is one of those not uncommon border collies who will give 100%, then gives another 50%. Despite my best efforts to not let him overdo everything in life, we still end up with an over tired dog more then I'd like to admit... When he's simply tired he'll go off and nap but is ready to go at the drop of a hat. His tantrum at our lesson on Friday was rare form for him. I had never seen a dog act so overtly "bratty" like a child. Truth be told, I hadn't even thought about the fact he might not have slept well the night before. I was getting over a cold, slept in another room (which is extremely rare) and I'm sure he could still hear me rustling around and coughing. Anyways, the pouty behavior caught us off guard a bit as he's normally so enthusiastic and eager to learn at his lessons! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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