Teenager thing?

Boris is giving me nightmares at the moment. He was really good until about 2 weeks ago, now it's like he doesn't care what we say anymore. He still sits on command, but will only come if we show him a treat. It's like he only listens if he has good reasons to... Yesterday at the basic training class, he was crazy, jumping up when he was supposed to sit, sniffing everything all the time, and teaching him 'wait' was impossible. He kept going after the other dogs to play. Today he was playing rough with Tips and I called him, and he wouldn't come unless I had a treat. He just won't leave him alone. When I walk him, when he used to be so good, he will jump and grab the leash and play tug with it. He's starting to nip more again.

Is it because he's 7 months and is in the teenager phase? I'm patient, make him sit and stay to calm him down, usually it works so I guess it's not desperate but he's making me crazy sometimes. I'm going to work on wait (REALLY hard with him), it's probably the best time to remind him he's supposed to listen to us... How long is it going to last? The guy we got him from told us he had some character, and he was always a bit dominant, I guess it's starting to show. I guess the funny thing is that he's far from being the worst at the class...

LOL! Welcome to dealing with an adolescent pup! The males are worse than the females, although the grrrls were pretty obnoxious at times - especially Kharma. Shiva's adolescence was easier, I think, mainly because she didn't have the same spectacular self-confidence that Kharma has. Shiva is hyper-sensitive to disapproval, and that made her easier to guide in some ways, although I have to be more aware of how I correct her.

Basically, you just have to realize that Boris will have times when his brain falls out for the next three or four months. He will make you want to bang your head on the wall sometimes, but you'll also want to laugh at him sometimes. But this, too, shall pass . . . One day you will realize he's turned into a well mannered, intelligent, responsible member of the family that you can depend on no matter what.

Thanks Renee, it makes me feel better The trainer keeps saying he has brain farts, I guess it's pretty accurate...

When Purdue, my first GSD, hit adolescence, I wondered if he had been injured and had some brain damage!

Victor and i are just now passing thru this stage....yipppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it is not my favorite in people or dogs. I told him yesterday he is beginning to not only look like a man dog, but act like one too. It is such a relief. At least it is over in a year unlike the 6 years or so for people!

So far my experience with the working breeds is that it's over with in four or five months at the most. Whew!

Little Miss Kharma was a royal pain in the butt . . . Little Miss Independent . . .

Oh yeah....whew! I thought I was finished with that when my human children finally grew up. But, alas....I forgot about puppies...it had been a while since I had a puppy. Boy, what a flashback. All the same stuff with the pups....the back talk, the wild parties, the noise, the destruction and lack of respect. LOL. Ugggg. But thankfully, it doesn't last as long with dogs.

One thing I could recommend is to not bribe your pup with treats. Reward with them, yes. But don't show him the treat to make him come. Entice him with fun, play, silly sounds, run the other way to entice his prey drive and he'll come after you...and DON'T say the word, "come" unless you are able to enforce it. Then when he does come, reward with treat and praise. You can use a long line if need be.

I found the attention span the worst of all, so I'd do really short training sessions, but frequently and lots of exercise. Good luck!

Don't you just love it when you tell them something and they stand there and stare at you with a blank look? The dogs, not the kids, lol!

Unfortunaetly, Rocky's just HIT adolescence.