How to Get Our 7-Month-Old Australian Shepherd to Calm Down at Night?

by Laura
(Bournemouth)

We have a 7-month-old Australian Shepherd puppy from x 5 generation show lines (I mention this because I want to emphasize he's not working dog line).

He gets 1.5 hours of walks a day, including some off-leash time daily. He has 2 x 15 minute play sessions in the garden with fetch or a flirt pole, we do daily training sessions, we do scent games several times a week and he goes to puppy agility (no jumping) once a week.

He's learning fast, he's good natured, brave and smart (if stubborn). Our issue is we just can't get him to just chill out in the evening. He paces, he grabs things, he annoys the cat and us and eventually we give up and put him in his crate. He's crate trained and in there he settles and sleeps, but I just want him to chill out next to us at night and not have to put him in his crate all the time—I don't like doing that, it feels mean.

We know he's young, we know he's a high energy breed but honestly it's getting to the point where we haven't got any more that we can realistically give to this dog.

Would appreciate advice from experienced Aussie owners on what to do to give us some peace back in our evenings and also do what's best for the dog here.

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