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In this article we\u2019ll list out 10 common reasons your puppy may be acting weird, whether you should be concerned about the change in your puppy’s behavior, and of course our tips for what you can do to help your puppy if you think they\u2019re acting weirdly.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Download the Zigzag app<\/a> to help understand your puppy\u2019s behavior, get a structured puppy training program and have the support of professional dog trainers<\/a> too. They\u2019re available every day in our in-app chat to talk you through anything puppy related, whether it\u2019s your puppy acting weird or for help with any other puppy question, just drop them a line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Puppy\u2019s can behave strangely at times, this can be as a result of developmental or hormonal changes, breed behavior, or even illness. Here\u2019s our top 10 reasons your puppy might be acting weird.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just like our teenagers, hormones create BIG feelings in a puppy! As puppies grow, their hormone levels fluctuate, and this can cause your puppy to act weird. Hormone related strange behavior includes humping<\/a>, looking sad<\/a>, eating less or a lot more,<\/a> being restless<\/a> and agitated and in male dogs starting to mark furniture!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Puppies have several fear periods as they develop, and during these periods they can show fearful responses or be scared of things they weren\u2019t scared of before. This can look like your puppy suddenly stopping on walks<\/a>, being scared at night<\/a>, or suddenly scared of everything<\/a>, even a plastic bag blowing down the street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read more in our guide to puppy fear periods<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many breeds exhibit behaviors, which if you haven\u2019t owned that breed of dog before can certainly seem weird! Cockapoos <\/a>stealing socks (or pants!) and then suddenly resource guarding<\/a> them because they haven\u2019t been taught to drop<\/a>, is easily explained when you understand the breed mix is bred to collect game! Border Collies<\/a>, chasing cars or trying to herd children, can certainly seem weird and worrying when you haven\u2019t owned a herdy breed before.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stress can be the cause of all kinds of challenging and weird behavior, humping <\/a>inappropriate digging<\/a>, chewing<\/a>, being super clingy<\/a>, and excessive barking <\/a>can all be as a result of stress.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Puppies need a huge amount of sleep<\/a>, so if they\u2019re overtired or overstimulated they can behave quite weirdly, zooming all over the place doing wall of death on the furniture, digging at beds<\/a> and all sorts. Tiredness is often a cause of the dreaded puppy biting<\/a> too, as they get more nippy <\/a>and irritable the more tired they get. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read more in our guide to puppy sleep explained<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Puppies can really struggle when they\u2019re teething<\/a>, their gums hurt a lot, both when their new teeth are cutting through, and they\u2019re losing the old ones<\/a>. Weird behavior associated with teething can be suckling on blankets,<\/a> chewing on inappropriate items<\/a>, grinding their teeth<\/a>, and a lot of drooling!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read more in our puppy safe chews<\/a> and puppy teething<\/a> guides. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If your puppy isn\u2019t receiving enough exercise, either mentally<\/a> or through walks<\/a> and physical stimulation like play, then they can get bored and act weird as they\u2019re just going self-employed and trying to keep their brain busy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Attention seeking behaviors can include weird things like a puppy just staring at you<\/a>, putting their paw on you, or also chewing and ripping up things<\/a> they shouldn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your puppy seems suddenly lethargic<\/a>, has an upset tummy<\/a>, or is being sick<\/a>, then this can be an obvious reason why they might be acting out of character and appear grouchy or even aggressive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some dogs handle the heat better than others, and for many getting too hot, can result in increased panting<\/a>, lethargy<\/a>, drinking excessive amounts of water<\/a>, or even diarrhea<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learn more in our article is it too hot to walk my dog<\/a>? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Any sudden changes in behavior can be a worry, if you feel like there is a medical reason for your puppy acting weirdly, then we do advise you to seek veterinary help. Even if it\u2019s just a quick phone call to ease your worries, it’s better to be safe than sorry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Make your visits to the Vet stress-free by reading our guide to your puppy\u2019s first visit to the Vet<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your dog is acting weird all of a sudden, it\u2019s handy to keep a note of what they\u2019re doing, when, and any strange circumstances, as it can help to pinpoint the reason behind it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To help your puppy, it’s vital to recognize that some of the obstacles they face will be developmental, and will require simple management and patience on your part, while others will be specific things you can do to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s our tips to help your puppy through their weird behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having a structured daily routine<\/a>, so that your puppy understands what\u2019s coming next in their day-to-day life, provides them with security and can help to lower overall stress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A regular walking schedule<\/a>, and enrichment via puzzle toys <\/a>and interactive games<\/a>, will meet your puppies needs and prevent boredom<\/a>, lower stress and reduce attention seeking behavior<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Get your puppy a cosy bed<\/a>, blanket<\/a> and a crate<\/a> if you\u2019re open to using one. Very often puppies are not good at putting themselves to bed when they need it, so they need help to get into routine nap times<\/a>. Think of it like a cot for your pup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some bits of puppy raising require management<\/a>, so remove things they want to chew<\/a>, use babygates or puppy playpens<\/a> if there are areas you don\u2019t want them to get into. Provide plenty of toys<\/a> for redirecting your bitey puppy onto, and ride out the developmental phase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your puppy is struggling with a fear period<\/a>, hormones or other emotional phase, listen to what they need. If your puppy is stopping on walks<\/a>, don\u2019t drag them, stop and wait and let them take in the environment until they\u2019re confident enough to move on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read more in our guide to puppy body language<\/a> to see what your puppy is trying to communicate with you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s usually a reason behind weird behavior, it might just be your pup\u2019s goofy behavior, or a little foible of their personality that they act weird. It can also be breed type behavior, so get a book on your breed to understand why their perfectly normal behavior <\/a>might seem weird to you!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also check out the breed guides<\/a> on the Zigzag website, or download the app<\/a> and get a personalized program today!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chewing<\/a> not only helps a teething puppy, it also helps prevent boredom, and has a positive effect on dogs psychologically as chewing and liking releases endorphins in the brain, and lowers stress. Even adult dogs need recreational chews, so fill your boots (or Amazon cart) with edible chews<\/a>, Kongs<\/a> to stuff up and other fillable chew toys. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Talk to your Vet<\/a> if you think there\u2019s a medical reason or look for a positive reinforcement<\/a> dog trainer, who will be able to help you come up with strategies, or help you to understand your puppy\u2019s weird behavior.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Any sudden changes in behavior are worth checking in on, whether that\u2019s with your Vet or trusty reward based dog trainer or behaviorist. Many aspects of your puppy\u2019s weird behavior can be explained as \u2018normal puppy behavior\u2019 but when it doesn\u2019t fit into our lifestyle it can be challenging. Keeping a diary is useful to see what can be improved or changes in your puppy\u2019s daily routine and what effect that has on their weird behavior.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read our guides to puppy behavior explained <\/a>and puppy facts<\/a> to learn more about the wonderful and weird world of puppies!<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"odd](\"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sad-1-1.png\")
10 Reasons why my puppy is acting weird<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Should I be concerned about my puppies change in behavior\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What can I do to help my puppy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Give them a routine<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Provide them with adequate exercises <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Make sure they sleep<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Manage their behavior<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Listen to them<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Understand their quirks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Chews, chews and more chews<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Seek professional help<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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