Crazy Puppy

[MisterRex]

So we just got a puppy (last thursday), and overall she's really great- already sits on command, is learning to be toilet trained, comes when called etc, however playing with her is really difficult.
She's a King Charles Cavelier Spaniel and 9 weeks old, so obviously high energy levels are expected since she's a little puppy- however I didn't expect her to be this crazy.
The moment you throw a ball, put a toy down, try to pet anything other than her head, or go any faster than a walk, she literally freaks out. She jumps up, growls, barks, and literally flings herself around. Earlier today she pulled almost a 360 flip because I threw her ball for her for being a good girl.
She also snaps when she's this excited, not out of meanness I don't think because she's lovely, and goes to sleep on my lap while I do my homework.
I know it's best to stop playing the moment it's too rough, but if I did that she would never get to play at all, and it seems a lot more than just puppy excitability. She's really hard to deal with like that, she sits the moment you ask but as soon as anything new happens she's off on one again, biting, jumping up and flipping about. I can't go anywhere near her for risk of having her sink her teeth into my hand and I don't want her thinking it's okay to completely freak out- I have two siblings under 4 and they do a lot of running, i'd really rather she learnt not to start barking and chasing at them and nipping.
Is there something I can do to make her calm down, without ending play sessions 10 seconds in?

 

[AmyMay]

Gosh, my Bichon at 12 weeks (which was when we collected her) only really played with soft toys - with no interest in balls etc. Are you really throwing balls - or simply rolling them for her?

It all sounds rather high energy and frought to me for such a tiny little thing. I'd drop the play levels down significantly to make them less exciting, which in turn should hopefully reduce the nipping levels.

 

[MisterRex]

God forbid if I genuinely threw the ball in the house- my mum would have me hung, drawn and quartered!
My bad, I did phrase it wrong- what I mean is, when she sits nicely I roll the ball for her, she chases it, then comes back over and (naturally) expects me to get it and roll it again for her.
I always ask that she sits nicely and waits before she gets her toy (she knows this), but it doesn't seem to stop her from absolutely freaking out anytime her bum isn't in contact with the floor.
She has soft toys but has no interest in them whatsoever, they just sit in her crate and bed, abandoned.

The thing is, she does the exact same thing if I move quickly. Like when i'm watching the kids, if one of them is in danger or doing something they shouldn't be and I go over quickly, she loses her mind- starts barking, jumping, etc all over again.

 

[lindsay1993]

At 9 weeks, my 2 pups were just falling over themselves and bumping into things! They are springer x border terrier. Mine played by themselves with toys left near their beds, I didn't initiate any play until they were much older and less wobbly.
Sounds to me like it's all too much for her brain to process at such a young age and she's freaking out.
Does she have her own quiet area she feels safe away from the young kids & excitement?

 

[MisterRex]

I suppose that's it then- no playing, haha. When did you first start introducing play with them?
Yep, she has a crate in the living room with a bed and soft toys in that she can go to if she wants to relax but be in the same room as us, but if she wants to get away from us altogether and not be in the same room, she also has a bed in the kitchen with her blanket and a few chew toys.

 

[lindsay1993]

I would say about 12-15 weeks we started to initiate play with small balls, kong toys etc.

I was very strict with mine & they spend most of their time in their own quiet room (which is a corridor between our kitchen and old bathroom that doesn't get used) with access to the kitchen. This meant they were free to entertain themselves without the stress of everything going on in the living room.

Small puppy's tend to seek you out, especially if they are the only dog. They have just came from their family group where the mother will have disciplined them quite severely when needed. Then suddenly they are by themselves in a strange house with new surroundings and no mother to direct them. That's where you need to step in. Luckily, we have 4 so they aren't so dependent on us for comfort & play. Ours only came in to the living room at night when my 4 year old daughter was in bed and everything was calm. Any sign of over-excited behaviour and they were immediately sent back to their beds.

They are 10 months now and very independent, no silly behaviour in the house and seek out their beds without any direction from us.

 

[MisterRex]

She defintely does seek out attention, and me being me, I can never really resist those sullen puppy eyes! I suppose what's really needed is a little bit more time before play is properly introduced.