7-month-old rescue biting hands/feet + can’t settle, overly vocal. Had her 1 week. Need help

Hi everyone, I adopted a 7-month-old Spitz mix about a week ago, and I’m getting a bit overwhelmed. I know it’s still super early, but I’m not sure how to help her calm down and actually rest.

What’s going on:

  1. Biting hands and feet She nips at fingers, hands, sleeves, and feet. Redirecting with toys works sometimes, but most of the time she ignores the toy and goes back to skin or clothes. And sometimes it goes to humping

  2. Very vocal inside the home She barks a lot when she’s frustrated or overstimulated. I know Spitz mixes can be vocal, but this is more like constant commentary. Outside she barely barks at all.

  3. Can’t settle This is the biggest struggle. She’s constantly pacing, jumping up, grabbing things to chew, biting, whining. Even when she’s exhausted, she can’t lie down and switch off. I know she needs more sleep, but she can’t get there by herself.

  4. Crate training Started 2–3 days ago. She’ll go in for treats, but she’s not seeing it as a resting place yet. I’m going slow, but she’s so wired that I’m not sure how to help her associate it with calm.

Other context: • Only had her 1 week • Lives in a loud, busy city apartment • Outside: sometimes nervous but quiet • Inside: vocal, mouthy, overstimulated • I’m pretty sure this is lack of sleep + adjusting to a new life, but I don’t know how to help her settle

Since she’s new to my area, we’re doing little 10-15min walks to not get it to overwhelming. I currently doing an online course where I have teams meeting everyday from 8am-1pm. Sometimes she settles down and sleeps for 1-3h, but then the doorbell rings or my roommates comes home and she’s just wired and can’t calm down.

Any guidance, routines, or resources would be amazing. I really want to set her up for success.

submitted by /u/justkeepbeingyou123
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