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Surviving adolescence


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Hi,

 

Bob's now 10mo old and has gone mental, completely lost his mind. A few weeks back he's was attentive, relatively well behaved, occasionally calm and getting compliments on how he's developing in his classes. I want that one back.

 

Everything has to sniffed, possibly licked and then peed on for good measure. Poops are apparently now fun to do up a tree or a wall so they just smear down delightfully. Recall has gone from being really solid in a distracting environment to optional from 6ft away at home. Loose leash is surprisingly still ok except for when he forgets the lead exists and goes haring up to yet another thing to pee on taking my arm with him. Being told to get off the table or stop chucking cushions around is met with curling up on top of what he's been told to leave alone and huffing indignantly...or just a full blown tantrum.

 

I know it's all about being firm, consistent, going back to the basics and a lot of patience. It's hard to be patient though when you're quietly counting to 10 following the 3rd disagreement over whether it's time to go home and he comes charging up to whack you round the shins with a log.

 

How long does this last and please tell me he'll get his mind back again soon? Wine is helping some but he's so much worse on a hangover

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Hello . . Rey is now 18 months old. She was a pill from about 8-12 months. I was going through beginning and intermediate obedience classes starting when she was 6 months. In class, on a lead she was great. Off lead in the house OK and in the backyard a maniac and I didn’t exist when outside. Long story short, i just kept plugging away. I was particularly worried about recall as it really was bad off a lead, long or short, but I kept working.

 

Then something happened at about 12-13 months. She grew a brain! Not that it wasn’t there, but something clicked and she was all of a sudden recalling outside really well. She turned into a dog that I thought I would have after obedience but it was a major change almost over night. Since then she’s been the most wonderful dog.

 

I hope you keep at it, keep patient and hopefully he’ll click.

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Is Bob still intact? Im guessing youve got teenage brain coupled with a normal hormone surge. My perfect boy was a bit wonky in the 8-12 month range.

 

Anyway, its pretty normal. Just keep working with him. Go back a few steps in training and management as needed. His brain will eventually even out and be back

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As Maralynn said, it may be hormones. I have seem several maniac young dogs settle significantly after neutering. Not meaning they turned into well behaved dogs right away, as there is also the "teenage" period to go through.

 

You are correct that you simply need to keep plugging away. Most important is keeping your patience and being absolutely 100% consistent in training.

 

Another thing that might help is to remember that when he is an old dog moving slowly you will look back on this time period with some fondness, however difficult it seems now. :-)

This too shall pass.

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The thing to remember about staying on course (aka just plugging away) during adolescence is this: You may very well feel like you’re not getting through—and that can be quite discouraging—but if you’re consistent and patient it will all fall into place. Sometimes it happens gradually and other times it seems as though your pup is transformed overnight, but you will get there. Don’t get discouraged!

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Thanks guys, I guess it's just key keep reminding myself that he can't help any of it either and this is the part of the training I'll have to pick up the slack on instead.

 

There are some rewards as well to balance things out a bit. He's much more confident and thus sillier which is regularly hilarious. He's also more affectionate, or better at being manipulative with affection I'm not sure yet.

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So glad to read this thread. My 11 month old boy, Cael, who has been a dream.....up until now, is also really losing focus. Used to walk _heel_ almost flawlessly. Now he’s testing me at the end of his leash. But I can still call him back into place but it seems like I’m doing it every 2 minutes. Acting like a fool as we greet other dogs while out walking. I think I may be walking him too long. I think he may be getting bored with it and his prey drive is STRONG. Those two things don’t go well together. Maybe shorter obedience sessions with some short walks in between. Looking forward to the neutering and hoping it may shift him into a cooler head. I remember this happening with my last BC before Cael but don’t remember the age. Anyway, thanks for reminding me to be patient and that he’s not going off the deep end.

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The thing to remember about staying on course (aka just plugging away) during adolescence is this: You may very well feel like you’re not getting through—and that can be quite discouraging—but if you’re consistent and patient it will all fall into place. Sometimes it happens gradually and other times it seems as though your pup is transformed overnight, but you will get there. Don’t get discouraged!

 

 

This. :) Just buckle up, take a deep breath several times a day and know this too, shall pass. I have one who's just turning a year old and he's such a doofus. He's learning how to pee on stuff, he's discovered dogs have butts, he has the attention span of a gnat ... And yeah, there are the hormones. :P I think they start to settle again around 2 years old, but like Terracar says, it may come and go. Hang in there! You'll both survive this. :)

 

~ Gloria

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Hi,

 

Bob's now 10mo old and has gone mental, completely lost his mind. A few weeks back he's was attentive, relatively well behaved, occasionally calm and getting compliments on how he's developing in his classes. I want that one back.

 

Everything has to sniffed, possibly licked and then peed on for good measure. Poops are apparently now fun to do up a tree or a wall so they just smear down delightfully. Recall has gone from being really solid in a distracting environment to optional from 6ft away at home. Loose leash is surprisingly still ok except for when he forgets the lead exists and goes haring up to yet another thing to pee on taking my arm with him. Being told to get off the table or stop chucking cushions around is met with curling up on top of what he's been told to leave alone and huffing indignantly...or just a full blown tantrum.

 

I know it's all about being firm, consistent, going back to the basics and a lot of patience. It's hard to be patient though when you're quietly counting to 10 following the 3rd disagreement over whether it's time to go home and he comes charging up to whack you round the shins with a log.

 

How long does this last and please tell me he'll get his mind back again soon? Wine is helping some but he's so much worse on a hangover

For what its worth, you had me cracking up. I wish I had some advice or words of wisdom, but I don't. These people on here are pretty informed I'm sure they will help. Good luck.

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Yep, what they all said. In spades.

My 10 month old has completely lost his brain! Seems like he's never had any training whatsoever.

Though every once in awhile, he'll show a sign that the brain is still attached.

 

That said, my (now) oldest BC boy (actually bred on purpose....) had a stellar recall - until about 9 months of age.

I had owned a previous mix who was Ms. Devil Incarnate - never could teach her a recall. So, when the (now) oldest boy came along, I did *everything* to ensure his was instant and consistent. He did well - until he hit this stage. I was crushed! All my work, for naught. So, I did just plug along in a total funk. It took another month or two - and he was back to his best self. I can now call him off of almost everything (deer, rabbits - no problem; cats....are another story!).

 

So, yes, wine DOES help! Meanwhile, patience, repetition, and lots of good rewards.

 

diane

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