*When* is the teenager stage?

[Syncrope]

Not much more to say here... Just wondering when that adolescence stage happens? I've seen different ranges from different sources, and I know all breeds kind of grow at different rates. Just curious approximately when that time period would be for your average (relatively-speaking) border collie? My dog is 9 months old right now... but she doesn't seem to display any of that rebellious teenage energy. Am I just lucky? I know some dogs have it worse than others, being individuals and all!

 

Thanks!

[Root Beer]

Not much more to say here... Just wondering when that adolescence stage happens? I've seen different ranges from different sources, and I know all breeds kind of grow at different rates. Just curious approximately when that time period would be for your average (relatively-speaking) border collie? My dog is 9 months old right now... but she doesn't seem to display any of that rebellious teenage energy. Am I just lucky? I know some dogs have it worse than others, being individuals and all!

 

Thanks!

 

I wouldn't necessarily describe the "teenage" time as a "rebellious" time. Sure, it manifests that way in some dogs. But I've found that during the "teenage" time, my boys have just gotten somewhat "ditzy". They seemed to forget things they had learned and needed frequent refreshers. Sometimes I had to put certain training aside for a short time. They had a lot of energy, they wanted to explore everything, and they didn't always have the maturity to handle certain situations.

 

When did it end? Completely - after about 2 years old. But from about a year and a half, I saw constant signs of greater maturity.

[Syncrope]

I wouldn't necessarily describe the "teenage" time as a "rebellious" time. Sure, it manifests that way in some dogs. But I've found that during the "teenage" time, my boys have just gotten somewhat "ditzy". They seemed to forget things they had learned and needed frequent refreshers. Sometimes I had to put certain training aside for a short time. They had a lot of energy, they wanted to explore everything, and they didn't always have the maturity to handle certain situations.

 

When did it end? Completely - after about 2 years old. But from about a year and a half, I saw constant signs of greater maturity.

 

Hmmm, I guess in that case, she might be at that stage. She gets bored and distracted more easily than before, and she's a bit more... I don't know, demanding of attention? I swear I've always done so well ignoring that toy dropped in my lap when I'm busy at work with something, but just recently she's been a lot more pushy about it. I suppose it's hard to see it before they've finally matured, when you look back and have something to compare it with... I can definitely see her becoming more mature in the future, its just difficult to see it since I haven't got that "final product" yet.

 

Well, gotta enjoy them for who they are rather than what they *will* be! One day I might just look back and miss it.

[Gideon's girl]

Gideon was between 8 and 14 months. I think Micah will take a little longer.

[Flamincomet]

Link hit this stage at about 8 months, and didn't get out of it until after 3 years old. He had poor impulse control, where previously I had been able to bring him to agility trials and sit right next to the ring with dogs running courses while he napped, and just in general seemed to lose his brain. I don't think he was willfully rebellious, but just got hit especially hard by hormones. Now he's a good boy, and I don't have to worry about him running off chasing squirrels or the family of raccoons in our backyard. Actually a few months ago a raccoon walked by within 10 feet, and Link held his sit and didn't even try to break away! He was also intact until just under 2 years, but I didn't notice a difference when he was neutered.

[ChantalB]

8 months here and I didn't really notice any beginning signs of maturity till 3. Signs.. At 3.5, he finally was able to watch other dogs run (at the end of a very busy tired out day) at 4 we went to his first trial of the year and he could finally handle the environment. (Maturity wise). This was all with a lot of work.

 

He was neutered at 6 months. Jude is a goofy boy, all about play.

 

Now I just got a 9 month old pup, granted I've known him less than a week. He is already showing maturity. He's a more serious little lover guy.

 

All dogs are different, hard to pinpoint age.

[MrSnappy]

Dexter is still an idiot, and he's 3.5 years old. I gather the whole litter was slow to mature, as I hear the same complaints from some of his siblings' owners. An inkling of self control and maturity is starting to gleam in him now and then. He was neutered when he was 2.5 years old, so it's not that alleged "permanent puppy brain" from early neutering. He's grown up no faster or slower than his siblings neutered young. The only difference pre and post neutering was that he no longer had his nose shoved up the nether regions of all doggies he met once he got snipped.

 

RDM

 

 

[Tricky]

Ollie is definitely in the teenage stage - either that or he has a split personality disorder.

 

I actually quite like it - they grow up far too quickly...

 

Edit: he's 15 months by the way

[Murray Momma]

Pretty sure Murray is falling into the "terrible teens." Our obedience instructor laughs at his, as she says, "perpetual puppy." He goes NUTS to be around other dogs and he's also discovered the cheep Target filing cabnet is a lovely chew toy when he never chewed furniture before. I need to buy stock in bitter apple.

 

If he's had a good work out, I can get him in a 2 minute down-stay. We're also revisiting a lot of the earlier obedience tasks. Any tips on keeping him from dragging me down the road with a Gentle Leader on? I think he holds his breath and just guns it for the squirrels!

[gcv-border]

......he's also discovered the cheep Target filing cabnet is a lovely chew toy when he never chewed furniture before. I need to buy stock in bitter apple.

I hope bitter apple works for you. As a puppy, my dog would go and lick (and then chew) the item that I had just sprayed with bitter apple. I think he liked the taste. I have heard that bitter apple doesn't work for all dogs.

 

Jovi

[Gideon's girl]

I had one that bitter apple was a treat for, but bitter lime worked like a charm.

[Tommy Coyote]

I just lost a lot of books - and paid for a lot of library books. That was about the only thing Tommy bothered.

[Gary_and_Karen]

Xena is about 7 months old, is that considered the "teenage" stage or still the "puppy" stage ?

 

The reason I ask is because even though overall her behavior has really improved in the past couple months (she used to nip and be rowdy most of the time) she still has her episodes where she will (for no obvious reason) get agressive and jump up and nip at my shirt, arm, or pants leg all of a sudden and if I tell her no she will start barking.

 

My wife says I should have been giving her more "time outs" in the crate instead of just trying to settle her down and I think she is right, so hopefully more "time outs" will start making her think twice before having such behavior, even if it takes giving her 20 time outs a day

 

(it's not like she doesn't get a lot of attention, over the course of an average day she usually has as much as 2 to 3 hours of direct interaction between play times and walks, ect. and a lot of the rest of the time someone is in the same room where she is at, so I am assuming this is just behavior she needs to be trained out of from time outs)

[Howling Farmer]

Gary,

Have you tried Karen Overall's Relaxation Protocol with Xena? This has been really helpful for Tucker. Also, I don't know if anyone has suggested Leslie McDevitt's Control Unleashed. Sounds like Xena might be a good candidate for the Control Unleashed games (as is Tucker!)

 

Leslie

[Gary_and_Karen]

Thanks Leslie !

 

I don't think I tried that yet but I definitely appreciate any help towards ways to help my dog behave better

 

I did a search online and found the "Relaxation Protocol" info, and also saw that "Control Unleashed" had a very high customer review rating.

 

Here are some various links I found relating to all that -

 

 

http://www.dogdaysnw.com/doc/OverallRelaxationProtocol.pdf

 

http://www.upwithpup.com/resources/overall_relaxation_part1

 

 

 

 

I checked and the "Control Unleashed" has a 4.8 out of 5 star rating from 19 reviews -

 

http://www.amazon.com/Control-Unleashed-The-Puppy-Program/dp/B0077BTNFS

 

also a couple related dog behavior links -

 

http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com/DogBarking/

 

https://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/explaining-step-by-step-training-step-by-step

 

 

Gary,

Have you tried Karen Overall's Relaxation Protocol with Xena? This has been really helpful for Tucker. Also, I don't know if anyone has suggested Leslie McDevitt's Control Unleashed. Sounds like Xena might be a good candidate for the Control Unleashed games (as is Tucker!)

 

Leslie

[Gary_and_Karen]

Here are some books that were highly rated on Amazon (also a couple DVDs), but check your local library and see if they have them, if not you can request your library to buy them for their collection to be borrowed from (I have requested our library get certain books in the past and they got some of them)

 

On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals
Turid Rugaas
Publisher: Dogwise Publishing; 2nd edition (December 14, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1929242360
ISBN-13: 978-1929242368

Barking: The Sound of a Language (Dogwise Training Manual) [Paperback]
Turid Rugaas
Publisher: Dogwise Publishing (February 11, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1929242514
ISBN-13: 978-1929242511

 

How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves [Paperback]
Sophia Yin
Publisher: Tfh Pubns Inc; 2 edition (July 30, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0793806445
ISBN-13: 978-0793806447

 

Canine Body Language: A Photographic Guide Interpreting the Native Language of the Domestic Dog [Paperback]
Brenda Aloff
Publisher: Dogwise Publishing; 1St Edition edition (November 1, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1929242352
ISBN-13: 978-1929242351

 

Calming Signals: What Your Dog Tells You (2006) DVD
Turid Rugaas
ASIN: B000PGTF32

The Language of Dogs (2006) DVD
Sarah Kalnajs
ASIN: B000P28RXU

[Murray Momma]

I hope bitter apple works for you. As a puppy, my dog would go and lick (and then chew) the item that I had just sprayed with bitter apple. I think he liked the taste. I have heard that bitter apple doesn't work for all dogs.

 

Jovi

 

Bitter Apple was a fail, but I found Bitter Cherry on Amazon for a few dollars less. BINGO! A flavor my little man doesn't like! We're also making progress in our avancing skills class working on the CGC test. When Mur gets in one of his "CRAZY WOOOO!" moods, I just keep walking and working on keeping the leash under control. Funny how after 30' of my hauling him around he realizes that "Mom Means Business!" Epic improvement on "Wait" at an open door and "Sit" when commanded from across the yard. I think consistancy in obedience is saving my poor sanity with this pup.

[Gary_and_Karen]

Xena started chewing some on corner molding strips and kitchen cabinets, so I am considering trying the bitter apple spray first because the customer rating on Amazon seemed to be better for the apple than the cherry so while neither may work for all dogs, the apple seems to work for more.

 

Overall Xena has recently greatly improved in her behavior, she still has her occasional rowdy times, but usually not as intense and not as often as before. She is a chewer though, and it is a challenge to find new toys that can last for a reasonable time. She loves frisbees, but I can't leave them with her after playing catch as she will destroy them. (she likes both catching frisbess in the air as well as chasing them when I roll them across the yard on their edge, probally thinks she's "herding" a frisbee when its rolling

Bitter Apple was a fail, but I found Bitter Cherry on Amazon for a few dollars less. BINGO! A flavor my little man doesn't like! We're also making progress in our avancing skills class working on the CGC test. When Mur gets in one of his "CRAZY WOOOO!" moods, I just keep walking and working on keeping the leash under control. Funny how after 30' of my hauling him around he realizes that "Mom Means Business!" Epic improvement on "Wait" at an open door and "Sit" when commanded from across the yard. I think consistancy in obedience is saving my poor sanity with this pup.