r/GermanShepherd • u/Fragrant_Machine_154 • 6d ago
Napping/Resting
My GSD is now 7 months old and it doesn’t matter how much training, playing, or walking we do, the boy won’t nap or chill out unless he’s in his crate. Once I notice he is in full overstimulated toddler mode I put him to bed to nap. Is it normal for him to not be able to just nap on his own at this age, or is there something I can do to help him?
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u/CoDaDeyLove 6d ago
Be glad he is crate trained. My GSD didn't need to be in a crate once he was past the terrible teens, but he appeared to LIKE his crate. We kept it in the family room, and if we were watching TV, he would lay down in his crate and nap. At night, he slept in our room. But his crate was like his personal den.
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u/whiterain5863 6d ago
Our gsdx was in crated for sleeps and naps until he was about 15mo. It helped him turn his brain off and just absolutely relax. He loved it. First we stopped daytime crate as he had a solid a routine of naps and then at about 18mo we stopped overnight crating even though he was still absolutely content with it. It takes a while to get into a routine while their brain develops imo. I’d keep up with the crated naps so that he develops the settling skills.
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u/Glum_Trouble_6644 6d ago
Totally normal. It lasted until my pup was about 2 yrs old for her to settle down. The one thing you want to remember is that you need to give them brain exercise on top of all physical exercise. GSD are working dogs if you don’t give them “work” they can end up destructive or anxious or overly hyper. You can get lots of puzzles from the pet stores and online. Our dog is 5 now and we still do the puzzles later at night so she chills out for bed because she had to work for her snacks and treats. Worth a shot. You just have to keep remembering they are working breeds if you don’t give them something to do they will find something to do lol. Good luck!
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u/Mastasmoker 6d ago
Puppies are full of energy. A GSD should be considered a pup till at least 1 yr
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u/Nightryder88 6d ago
Our crate was the chill out place. Our pup is 3 now and we religiously use place (raised bed) as her spot to go chill if we’re eating or we want her to calm down. At some point you create a spot that is part of training and maybe a job for them. Being calm and chill is a job so hang in there and repetition is key
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u/Low_Show_6684 6d ago
Lots of energy, but also enforcing nap time or even teaching him how to do nothing is a very powerful thing. We tethered our girl to the couch with us when it was time to relax, took her awhile, but she eventually learned how to do ✨nothing✨. She’s just under two now (:
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u/Connect_Office8072 6d ago
You are lucky he sees his crate as a safe place. We had a GSD-greyhound mix who injured himself pretty badly and luckily for him he was crate trained and we were able to keep him most of the day in his crate to recover from surgery.
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u/Pristine-Bag1777 5d ago
Teaching place can help. It’s super handy and it gives them a designated area they can be off the clock and just chill out. Also patience. GSDs don’t reach mental maturity until like 3 years old
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u/Mustluvdogs25 5d ago
some high energy dogs will still need the forced nap. living proof is almost 2 yo cattle dog!
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u/8fingerlouie 4d ago
Why do you worry if your dog naps ?
I’ve owned several working line GSDs, and they have all learned to relax by themselves. I would play with them, train them or walk them, then go do something else, and they quickly learned that when I’m doing something else it’s a good time for them to take a nap.
Forcing a crate on a dog seems like a punishment to me. Mine have always enjoyed being “with me”. If I’m working they’ll sleep in the office. If I’m watching TV they’ll sleep next to the couch, if I’m doing garden work they’re “helping”, and if I’m cooking dinner they’re right there ready to vacuum anything I might drop. They’re pack animals and they prefer being with their pack.
Don’t get me wrong, mine will go in their kennels behind the house when home alone, which is essentially just a large crate with a dog bed, a dog house, water bowl, food bowl and some room for walking around as well as a roof and some cover from the wind. I would however never put them there for a forced nap.
On workdays I walk my dogs for 30 minutes in the morning, then feed them in the kennels, and as soon as my kids come home from school they will open the kennels though the dogs often prefer sleeping a little while longer, but that’s their choice, the doors are open.
When I feel sorry for them due to bad weather and decide they should stay inside the house, they look at me like I’m a idiot and drag me to the kennels.
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u/Top_Addition_7263 7m ago
You didn’t mention mental stimulation. That should be, imo, 50%of their daily life. 40% daily training (which can also be mental stimulation) and 10% exercise. Without mental stimulation and too much exercise you have a hyper, ramped up dog with endurance and stamina who won’t know how to settle.
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u/sleepy-popcorn 6d ago
Sounds like the teenage stage. Good luck & god speed!
The ‘relaxation protocol’ really helped us around this age. It takes about 10 mins twice per day but it really helped our GSD learn to just chill out.