A puppy frenzy, or cycle fit, can be best equated to a baby's tantrum. In it, the puppy in question goes crazy, running in endless circles and causing total havoc. A puppy frenzy follows a set pattern:
- The dog who will have the frenzy is either playing or lying around bored. He/she has an excess of energy right now, either caused by being "pumped up" by playing or from sitting still too long.
- The dog now either gets up from his dormant state or begins to get more involved in whatever game is being played. You can notice at this point that the puppy's eyes become slightly glazed. His/her lips might also curl upwards as he/she playful bares his/her teeth.
- The puppy now begins causing mischief. He/she either begins stealing various items belonging to you, running around, or becoming "too involved" in the game and becomes a little violent when playing it (increased personal contact and/or jumping on the human he/she is playing with).
- By this point, the frenzy is now in full swing. Your dog can will now begin running in endless circles, play-biting, ripping up the rug and/or other furniture, etc. He/she is uncontrollably crazy, terrorizing anything in his/her path like a small tornado.
- This final stage is when the puppy frenzy peters off. He/she is now so exhausted that he/she doesn't have enough energy to run around anymore. The dog will probably collapse into a panting heap on the floor and lie there for at least an hour. You can now rest and prepare yourself for the next onslaught.
Owners of young dogs, beware! This can, and probably will happen to you at one point or another. By the end of it, you will be so tired and annoyed that you'll probably collapse onto the floor along with your dog. The best way to avoid this pain is to head off a frenzy before it gets into full swing.
You can do this in one of two ways:
- Put your dog in his/her crate. In other words, confine him/her to a space too small to run in. This should calm him/her down. I advise you to leave him/her in it for at least 30 minutes.
- Distract the puppy. Do this by giving him/her several commands, such as sit, stay, paw, etc. Take the time to give your dog obedience training. This will refocus the dog on listening to you and release his/her pent-up energy through mental stimulation. I advise you to do this for at least 15 minutes.
Hopefully, with this guide, first-time dog owners will be able to recognize the symptoms of and avert a cycle fit. May you
never have to live through that trip to
hell!