My 5 month old beagle mix goes nuts everyday between 6 and 7:30 pm. He nips at us, barks, jumps up, runs around the house and hides under the couch where he's not permitted to go. He's got brand new sharp teeth, so his nips are actually painful! He gets a half hour walk in the morning, another one around 5 pm and some playtime in between with me. Does anyone have any ideas as to WHY he does this and how to curtail it?

The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at Raising Your Dog with the Monks of New Skete (http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/) For more on being top dog, see Establishing and Keeping Alpha Position, Letting your dog know you are the boss (http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm)

Young Labs, which I know best, and other puppies tend to very bad about
Biting. You see a litter of them, and all the ones that are awake are biting
Another one or themselves. I am not even sure they realize that when they are
Alone, if they quit biting, they would quit being bitten. At 3 to 4 months
They are getting their adult teeth, and it seems they spend every waking
Moment biting or chewing. One thing you can do at that stage is to knot and wet a piece of cloth. Then freeze it. The cooling will soothe the gums. Only let the puppy have it when you are there to watch it. I maintain a Lab's favorite chew toy is another
Lab. Otherwise they settle for any person they can. They keep hoping to find
One that won't yelp, jerk their hand away, and leave.

You just have to keep on correcting them, hundreds of times, not dozens.
Provide sturdy, safe toys such as Kongs and Nylabones. Avoid things they can
Chew pieces off and choke on them. Keep them away from electrical cords.
Crates are essential for most young Labs and other dogs.

The pet stores are full of toys that many dogs will quickly chew up into
Pieces they could choke on or cause intestinal blockages. If you are not
There to watch, stick to sturdy stuff such as Nylabones and Kongs. Keep a
Close eye on chew toys and quickly discard anything that is coming apart in
Pieces. Rawhide is especially bad because it swells after being swallowed.
I don't trust any of the consumable chews. The dogs just gnaw them down to a
Dangerous size too quickly. These problems are the worst with, but not
Limited to, large, aggressive chewers such as Labs.

ymsoo, please follow labman's advice. In addition, you have to recognize that you have a very young and energetic dog. From your description of what he is doing, he is telling you that he wants to play. He needs more exercise. You need to tire him out. Take him for longer walks, play with him, or do some training exercises with him. Do any of these things prior to his "asking" for attention. He needs to know you are the boss and you will play with him when you decide to, not when he does.

Regarding the biting, besides redirecting and giving him something that he can chew on as labman stated, you need to train him to stop biting. The method that works best for me is, when he bites, you need to say "OUCH" in a tone of voice that sounds like a dog yelping. Then turn away from him and don't give him any attention. You are responding as if you were another dog that was hurt, and he will understand that. If he comes around and starts to lick you, it is the doggy equivalent of an apology. Praise him, tell him "Good Boy" and give him the chew rope/toy. Any time he bites, you need to correct him in this manner. It may take hundreds of corrections to extinguish this. Consistency in training is the key to a well behaved dog. Redirect his need to bite to his toys.

What is the beagle mixed with?

Thanks Ruby & Labman. I'm tiring myself out trying to give him enough exercise and play! But I'll catch him before the evil puppy hour strikes tonight and try to get rid of some of that energy.

Mowerman, I don't know what he's mixed with. The rescue we adopted him from said he might be part Australian shepherd. Other observers have said cattle dog, maybe spaniel? We think he looks like a foxhound.

That is interesting, but likely not much help. My son has what looks like a Fox Hound, but the shelter in Pittsburgh identified it as a Plottshound, which I found unlikely. Dogs are individuals, with the breed not making that much difference in most training. I have a thick Puppy Raising Manual from the dog guide school that breeds hundreds of Labs, Goldens, Shepherds, and other breeds and crosses every year. The only breed specific statement in it, is a warning that Shepherd puppies will look very thin. Unlike Beagles, it usually is difficult to fatten up a Shepherd.

In rereading you question, is the evil hour just before its dinner? Or perhaps your dinner is filling the house with attractive smells?

Probably not a shepherd then, our puppy's looking a little portly; another reason for more exercise.

The evil hour is after his dinner. We take him for a half hour walk around 5, he eats when we come back and then the hyperactivity hits. Our own dinner & cooking time varies; I haven't been able to detect any correlation between our dinner and his behavior. Although - he's been getting a little hyper after his breakfast lately, so could his food be causing this?

What are you feeding him? There is a lot of disinformation around on dog chow. I think most of it is outright kooks or those selling something else. I never saw any credible information that regular dog chows cause behavior problems.

Portly is not healthy. See LongLiveYourDog.com - Life Span Study - Rate Your Dog (http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx) You need to get the fat off him even if it means cutting back on what you are feeding him.

Most dogs like a nap after eating rather than becoming active. My dogs routine is I feed them as soon as I get up, they then go out to relieve themselves with the younger one going out for the paper on lead. Usually they both then take a snooze.