What age is teenage for a dog? Rescue lurcher behaviour ....!?

[Phillpot12]

Adopted our gorgeous saluki x in the summer aged 18mths ish but recentlyher behaviour has changed. Seems like she has become very protective of us; barking at people walking past the house, barking at random person walking by us on walks but ignores others, gets very jumpy and nippy (tricky as she’s big!) and growls as she leaps around, bowing down and running off when you try to get hold of her. Today she barked loads and pulled forward on lead as family group walked in, (she hadn’t met them before ) we were already in. She was on a lead as there was food everywhere! Most of the time she’s s so gentle, expects people to come and talk her to when out and about and is mostly brilliant.
My question is....is this the delayed teenage phase now that she is happy and settled or is this something else? Going to start training classes with her to see if it helps.
I have contacted the rescue and am awaiting advice from them too.
Any ther ideas or experience?

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

Salukis are bonkers, aren't they? We are in a similar position - rescue saluki x whippet x greyhound aged between 18 months and 2 years. She was good as gold in the first few months, but is now quite hit and miss with recall and can be way too boisterous with other dogs. Also a terrible thief! It's coincided with her becoming a lot less clingy, so I think it's just a case of her relaxing and growing into her personality. Possibly also some rescues have a bit of a delayed adolescence due to neglect or abuse? That's just my theory (I came up with it to resist the temptation to strangle her).

[Nesssie]

18 months is prime time adolescent behaviour. Its when they push you to your limits. Its the most frustrating time! In most dogs, 2 years is roughly when they settle down, it may be slightly after due to her being a rescue.

Have lots of tiny treats in your pockets and whenever you are passing someone or someone is approaching, you the 'look at me' trick to distract her.

Training classes will also help.

It will get better!

[cowfacemonkey]

My 18 month old lurcher is similar things that didn’t bother him before now get him all riled up, dogs when he’s on lead, men, hearing anything outside. He still mouths when he plays although only in the morning and not too hard.
Previously he was great off lead and loved nothing more than being chased by other dogs but wouldn’t pester if the other dogs not interested. Now he’s a total bull in a china shop barging into dogs so I can only let him off if we see certain “friends” who are receptive to his twonky behaviour. As for recall we’ll im about to start a thread on that....
he is fab though just very skittish at the minute!

[Phillpot12]

Thank you so much the reassuring responses. Sounds like we have let our guard down slightly with training and we have a slightly cheeky teen pup. Back to basics whilst this phase passes. Good luck to you all with your slightly loopy but v lovely lurchers!

[Phillpot12]

Jesus in certainly going with theory! Ours is same x as you saluki x grey x whippet = terrible food thief!!! Good job she's a good snuggler too!

[bluetongue]

Wow, she’s gorgeous

I also have a teenage sighthound (whippet) and he’s seriously testing my sanity at the moment.

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

Phil mine is in exactly the same pose

[DramaAlpaca]

I've no advice to offer but just had to post to say that is one gorgeous dog

[Flippetydip]

No advice either, we adopted our hound at nearly 3 when she seemed to be out of any trying behaviour but you have one seriously beautiful hound there!

[MattMagnolia]

Adolescence seems to last longer now than when my DF bred setters and they were called adult at nine months.
I’ve always had toy dogs, which grow up much sooner than big breeds. The latest was a stroppy teen at six to eight months and fully grown by ten months.

[Forzaitalia]

She’s defo a teen! Training classes will help both her and you. Dogs bark for so many reasons - seeing off people who walk past the house, play bowing and barking when she wants to play. It’s never just one reason. Out on walks it could be just that she wants to meet other people and dogs. If you feel happy to, and the people are happy to, let her meet them and have a fuss. Barking at people or other dogs on a walk can also be a fear response - she’s telling them to go away, but doesn’t sound like that to me. My sister has a 1 year old Labrador and he is full of beans too, and keep telling her he will be calmer once he is 2 or 3, fingers crossed! You will get there.