Your puppy isn’t bad — they’re overtired and overstimulated

The overtired puppy spiral nobody warns you about

Here’s the thing about puppies that most people don’t realize: puppies need 18–20 hours of sleep per day. When they don’t get it, they don’t just get drowsy — they get wired. An overtired puppy looks exactly like an overstimulated puppy: zoomies, biting, barking, total inability to listen.

It’s counterintuitive. You’d think a tired puppy would just fall asleep. But puppies are terrible at self-regulating. They’ll keep pushing through exhaustion until they’re running on cortisol and adrenaline, and the only outlet for all that stress is biting.

Recognizing the warning signs before the meltdown

Overstimulation biting doesn’t come out of nowhere. There are always warning signs — you just have to know what to look for.

• Yawning when they’re not sleepy — this is a stress signal, not a tired signal
• Ears pinned back, wide eyes, or a furrowed brow
• Faster, more erratic movement — the zoomies escalate instead of winding down
• Biting gets harder and more frantic instead of playful and loose
• They stop responding to cues they normally know (sit, leave it, their name)
• Excessive lip licking or looking away — your puppy is trying to self-calm and failing

When you see two or more of these signals, your puppy is already past their threshold. The fix at that point is a nap, not more training.

The enforced nap schedule that changes everything

Most new puppy owners dramatically underestimate how much sleep puppies need. The general rule is 1 hour up, 2 hours down. That means for every hour of awake time, your puppy needs a 2-hour nap. This sounds excessive. It’s not.

• Use a crate, pen, or quiet room for naps — puppies won’t sleep voluntarily in a busy household
• Cover the crate with a blanket to reduce visual stimulation
• Don’t wait for your puppy to show tired signs — by then they’re already overtired. Set timers.
• The "1 up, 2 down" schedule means roughly 4–5 awake periods per day for a young puppy
• Each awake period should include a mix: potty break, short training, calm play, and brief exploration

Calming protocols: teaching your puppy to come down

In addition to enforcing naps, you can actively teach your puppy how to calm down. These aren’t tricks — they’re emotional regulation skills.

• Relaxation protocol: reward your puppy for lying still on a mat, gradually increasing duration
• End play sessions before your puppy hits peak arousal, not after. Quit while you’re ahead.
• Use calm activities as transitions: a lick mat after play, a snuffle mat before crate time
• Lower your energy. If you’re animated and loud, your puppy mirrors it. Slow your movements, soften your voice.
• Teach a "settle" cue paired with a mat or bed — this becomes your puppy’s off-switch over time

How Bubbas structures your puppy’s day

The hardest part of managing overstimulation isn’t knowing what to do — it’s remembering to do it consistently, every day, while you’re also living your life. That’s where Bubbas comes in.

• Daily schedule recommendations based on your puppy’s age and breed
• Short, structured training sessions that fit within awake windows
• Reminders and tracking so you know when your puppy last napped and when the next one is due
• AI coach to help you distinguish overstimulation biting from other causes (teething, attention-seeking, play)
• Progress tracking that shows the pattern: fewer evening meltdowns as the routine takes hold