Is it an adrenaline rush?

[ShellyF]

Our 8 month old is progressing well and as I have consistently found helpful thoughts from others on here I have a question about his behavior after play time. 

When he does a lot of running or playing he goes through moments of silly  jumping and biting when we end the session. Indoors he usually calms down quickly with a divert into training and if not I can calmly take him to his crate. In the middle of a field we have a different tactic which involves giving him a stick at the end of play as a ‘that’ll do’ reward - which he attacks like a rabid animal to vent what ever is going on - and then we do some sniff training or he happily walks on.

The time he spends being silly/not calming down seems commensurate with how long he’s played I.e. a little play and he calms quickly but extensive running and he’s a nutcase for longer and almost can’t control himself for a few minutes. When we don’t have a stick with us ones of us has knelt down and hugged him while the other steadies him by holding his harness handle.  He can be quite snappy for a few moments but if our hands our clear he’s just snapping the air. 

My question isn’t to ask how to deal with it as our solution works for us but i’m curious to know what’s going on. 

Is it that he has so much adrenaline surging through him that he has to release it somehow? 

[urge to herd]

Yes, is my belief. One of the things that we learn to do as humans is 'come down' from the high that adrenaline produces. Serious athletes cool down after a work-out. After big events of any kind most people do some kind of winding down, in my experience.

I've never raised a pup, the youngest dog I've had was about a year old when I got him. And there was a ritual when we came home from the park every afternoon. Get a drink, go out in the backyard and relieve oneself, do any of the following: throw oneself to the carpet and roll around, howl a bit, nudge the human hopefully for treats, bother the other pack members, etc. It took the whole group of us, (3 border collies + one human) about 5 minutes at least to make the transition from running full tilt, being social w/other dogs and people, sniffing all those wonderful smells, etc to quietly being at home. It seems to be the same in other groups, human and 4 legged, when transitions in activity level and environment are made.

One of the things that comes with maturity is more ease in transitioning. It seems to me you're doing the right thing and he's right on schedule.

Ruth & Gibbs

[GentleLake]

It could be adrenaline or it could just be that he's gotten over-tired. Given your description, especially with the biting, I suspect it may be the latter.

If I'm right the answer is to learn to recognize the signs that he's becoming tired and slowing down the action before he gets to the point where he starts throwing a tantrum.

Puppies really aren't all that different from kids.

[ShellyF]

Thanks guys  

[jami74]

I've actually also been thinking about this! The more exercise or stimulation our boy gets the more restless he is at home afterwards. Yesterday I had him out for a couple of hours, not all running, quite a bit on lead but most of it in new places. I thought he'd come home happy and tired and give me a peaceful day but instead he was a pain for hours afterwards. Often when we come home he needs to be a bit crazy before settling down. I used to try and take him to lots of different places but I'm realising that if I want him relaxed he's best if we go somewhere he is very familiar with.

[ShellyF]

@jami74 - we certainly have to ignore our little guy and or/pop him in the crate for a nap if he’s really tired. 

I’m also in the habit now of mixing some kibble into a home made liver paste and stuffing a kong with it as that gets him lying down and licking at it for quite a while which helps him wind down.