Your puppy is racing around the house, biting everything in sight, ignoring every word you say and behaving as though somebody has secretly replaced them with a tiny furry tornado.
They must need more exercise, right?
Maybe not.
An overtired puppy can actually look like a puppy with far too much energy. Puppies need lots of sleep and downtime, but they aren't always very good at recognising when they've had enough.
So how can you tell when your puppy needs less entertainment and more rest?
Here are 10 common signs your puppy might be overtired.
The Zoomies Have Gone Into Overdrive
A quick burst of puppy zoomies can be perfectly normal.
But frantic racing around, grabbing things, crashing into furniture and generally appearing to have lost all connection between brain and body can be a sign that your puppy has simply had enough.
Instead: Rather than starting another exciting game to "burn off" that energy, try reducing stimulation and helping your puppy wind down.
The Biting Gets Worse
Puppies use their mouths. That's normal.
But if your puppy's usual mouthing suddenly turns into relentless ankle hunting, clothes grabbing and increasingly enthusiastic use of those tiny needle teeth, tiredness may be playing a part.
Overtired puppies can find it much harder to control themselves.
Instead: Consider how long your puppy has been awake and what they've been doing. They may need some quiet time rather than another activity.
They Suddenly Can't Hear You
Well… obviously they can hear you.
But the puppy who was happily responding to you earlier may suddenly seem incapable of doing anything you've taught them.
That's not necessarily stubbornness or bad behaviour. A tired brain isn't particularly good at concentrating.
Instead: Stop trying to squeeze in more training. If your puppy's ability to concentrate has disappeared, call it a day and let their brain recover.
Everything Becomes VERY Exciting
The toy is exciting.
Your trouser leg is exciting.
A leaf is exciting.
The rug is apparently the most exciting thing that has ever existed.
When puppies become overtired, they can actually become more excitable rather than looking sleepy.
Instead: Reduce what's going on around them. Put exciting games away and switch to something calmer.
They Can't Seem to Settle
This is one of the confusing ones.
Surely if they're tired, they'd just go to sleep?
Unfortunately, puppies haven't necessarily read that particular instruction manual.
Some puppies will keep going long after they're tired and can struggle to settle themselves even when they're exhausted.
Instead: Create opportunities for proper downtime in a calm, comfortable place away from lots of activity.
They Become Whiny, Barky or Demanding
An overtired puppy may start barking at you, whining, pestering for attention or generally seeming unhappy with absolutely everything you offer them.
They're not necessarily asking for more entertainment.
Sometimes they're simply struggling to regulate themselves.
Instead: Before assuming they're bored, check the basics. Toilet? Hungry? Thirsty? Uncomfortable? If those needs are met, consider whether what they actually need is rest.
Little Things Suddenly Cause Big Frustration
A toy rolls under the sofa.
Disaster.
A treat takes three seconds too long to arrive.
OUTRAGE.
Their human has committed the terrible crime of sitting down.
Unacceptable.
Just like tired humans, tired puppies can have a much shorter fuse.
Instead: Don't choose this moment to practise something difficult. Make life easier, lower your expectations and give your puppy a chance to decompress.
Play Gets Rougher and Rougher
Play can gradually change from fun and bouncy to increasingly frantic.
Your puppy may grab harder, struggle to disengage or keep trying to restart the game when everybody else has had enough.
Instead: End exciting play before your puppy reaches complete chaos. Learning how to come back down after excitement is a skill too.
You Keep Trying to Tire Them Out – But It Isn't Working
You've walked them.
Played with them.
Done some training.
Given them enrichment.
Played again.
And somehow your puppy STILL seems to have endless energy.
This is where we can accidentally create a vicious circle.
The puppy looks energetic, so we add more activity. They become increasingly tired and overstimulated, which makes them look even more frantic, so we add even more activity.
Instead: Don't assume more energy always requires more exercise. Your puppy's day needs a balance of activity, enrichment and proper rest.
They Fall Asleep the Moment Everything Stops
You've finally stopped entertaining them.
The house becomes quiet.
And within minutes, your supposedly unstoppable puppy is completely asleep.
There's your clue!
Sometimes puppies need us to stop providing opportunities to keep going before they realise just how tired they actually are.
Instead: Build quiet periods into your puppy's normal routine rather than waiting until they've reached full furry-tornado status.
The answer isn't to force your puppy to sleep.
Instead, think about creating the conditions that make settling easier.
Lower the excitement. Reduce noise and activity. Give them somewhere comfortable to rest. Calm activities such as chewing, licking or gentle sniffing may help some puppies transition from activity to relaxation.
And start noticing your individual puppy's pattern.
If the biting, zooming and general chaos reliably appears at a particular time of day or after particular activities, try introducing downtime before they reach that point.
Prevention is usually much easier than trying to persuade a tiny land shark to make sensible life choices.
How Much Rest Does My Puppy Need?
Puppies need considerably more sleep than adult dogs, although exactly how much varies with age, breed, individual puppy and what they've been doing.
Rather than becoming obsessed with hitting an exact number of hours, pay attention to the puppy in front of you.
Are they coping well with their day?
Can they concentrate?
Can they settle?
Or are you regularly reaching the point where everything descends into chaos?
Your puppy's behaviour can tell you a lot.
The Important Bit
Activity is important.
Play is important.
Training is important.
Socialisation is important.
But rest is important too.
One of the most useful life skills you can teach your puppy is that they don't need to be doing something every second they're awake.
Learning to switch off is a skill – and it's one they'll benefit from for the rest of their life.
Need Help With Your Puppy?
At Mojo Dogs, puppy training isn't about creating little obedience robots.
It's about helping your puppy develop the skills they actually need for everyday life – from recall and confidence to calmness, focus and learning how to switch off.
Train for real life before real life happens.
Train with heart. Train with joy.
