Who is wrong? Me or Bacon?

Last night Bacon was extra hyper than usual after his evening walk. It was his bedtime, but since he was so hyper I decided to try a game of tug to tire him out a bit before he went to bed. Well, you guessed it... The toy came out of his mouth and he bounced back up trying to get the toy and latched on to my hand really hard which hurt like heck!

So, I did as I usually do when he makes contact with skin, ended the game and took him to timeout immediately. Well, when I put him in his crate he snuck out before I was able to close the door and started running away from me and running around the house in circles. When I caught him he got * gave a growl and turned and bit me in the arm again!

Was I wrong in trying to catch him after not being able to shut him in on timeout? Is it better to try to get him to sit and do something else instead of chasing him to eventually get him into his timeout in the crate? I feel like it was my fault for chasing and trying to trap a rocket in cage, but also know that he shouldn't be let off the hook for biting me even when he is hyper!

I wouldn't use the crate as a punishment, he will then just see it as somewhere bad to go and not feel safe there. He should be able to go in his crate of his own accord when he wants time out and peace and quiet.

You are trying to calm him down then play tug which is only going to make him playful again. Try something quiet like looking for a treat. Maybe place some drops of lavender oil near his bedding, this will calm him down and make ready for bedtime.

Try a later walk in the evening, if possible, to tire him and calm him before bedtime.

Yes, the tug game was probably a mistake. The first bite was a mistake, and he probably shouldn't have been time-outed for it (I know some will disagree with me there). I'd have just stopped the play & calmed him down.

By shutting him in the crate while he was still hyper, you've made him resentful & probably even more hyper - especially when you then chased him round the house! You'd have been better off getting a treat, calling him to you & then giving him a command (like sit) for the treat.

If he's hyper in future before bed time, try giving him a gentle massage (neck, shoulders & back), and rub a really tiny amount of lavender essential oil on his forehead & chest - just a drop - and maybe a little at the edge of his bedding. Then entice him to his crate so he can settle.

Caryll's advice is spot on.

Agree with Caryll

I also wouldn't chase him, it makes it all the more fun for him! Saffy does that sometimes when she's hypo. She will grab something and make off with it! So what I've done is: walk the other way, calling her name and she will run back to me. Then I'll grab whatever she's got and command her to sit. And I'll make her sit until she's calmed down a bit. Even if I have to hold her collar for a few seconds. Then I'll call her to walk round with me a bit. By the time I've done all this she's forgotten what she was doing in the first place and will go and lay down lol

It works ok for calming her down. Sometimes if she's really off her rocker I will hold her, sitting next me, for a min. Just firmly enough so she can't get away or nip me but not so i hurt her obviously and just tell her to lay. This works well. She knows I mean business so packs it in.

I agree totally with not putting in the crate too.

I agree with Caryll as well espically on not using the crate as a punishment or chasing him to calm him down. This seems more like a game to him which will just make him more hyper.

I love tug but I get nicked about once a week or so either with a nip or scratch.

Thanks for the advice once again everybody!!!

Kathy - I have two crates for Bacon. One that I use for timeouts and another for him to sleep and stay in while i'm away from the house. He seems to love both crates even the one he gets timeouts in.

Caryll - I'm going to order some lavender oil and give it a try.

I knew I shouldn't have chased him, but I worry sometimes that If I don't dicipline him, I will have a problem when he is an adult. Anyways, another learning experience on how to handle him. I get caught up in trying to stop/correct bad behavior rather than calming him and getting him to do what is acceptable behavior. I know there is a balance to the two things.

Y'know, very often bad behaviour can go un-challenged without a problem. If you ignore bad behaviour & encourage/praise good behaviour you can get very good results.

Obviously not all bad behaviour can be let go (you do need to stop him chewing things & biting you) but mistakes happen, and if that's all it is, then correction doesn't really need to be done.

Pups learn by experience.........but so do we!