Labrador adolescence - share your wisdom

[bingohandjob]

Bingopup 8 and 1/2 months old and over last few days adolescence seems to have hit. Selective hearing, loo training wobbly (no accidents indoors but after 6 solid months of perfect use of designated loo area now rather hazy boundaries - still in the garden but on the lawn/path), last 24 hours turning nose up at his kibble, this morning was grumbling post walk (could be teething/teeth settling?) and just tried to take him on afternoon stroll and he was having NONE of it. Bum planted on street. Basic commands sit, stay, down which were rock solid now seems if he fancies it . I knew this was coming but still, I didn't know it would hit so suddenly after a relatively calm and positive progress month 6 and 7!.... Any wisdom on how to keep sane and consistent gratefully received!

Please?

So winterpup is a 6 month old collie and has been renamed twat dog!!.
Hes started jumping on the bed, mouthing, attacking the hoover and herding people...his perfect recall failed miserably
yesterday when he chased a jogger across the field 🙈.
Theres a fab facebook group called Dog training advice and support- it was recommended on here - so might be worth joining that. Otherwise ive been told to hang in there, go back to positive training basics and trust that it passes!!

Drink eat and this too will pass.

Do remeber that his hormones are having a bit of a surge and that is affecting his behaviour.

Re training carry on as if he were a new puppy, reinforce more frequently than you have been. Take him to his wee area on lead as you used to when he was a puppy.

Management in my mind is training so prevent the lose of recall by using a long line, ask or behaviours when he is able to do them not when he is highly aroused or distracted - dont give him the chance to make the wrong choices and you will soon be back as you were with a well trained happy dog.

Thank you both it's the lead walking that's really testing our patience. It was coming along so well and now he's such a little sod on the lead - he's better off it with heel walking and attention but he can't be off it on the street. Keep telling myself we're training for the dog we want not the puppy we have (though he is still so fun and affectionate and even more loving as he gets older and snuggles up by feet at night).

Ten month old Newfie has suddenly developed selective hearing and having accidents again. She's jumping, recall has turned weirdly spiteful? She'll ignore me, run at another dog while I call her. Then stop before approaching them and trot back and look down her nose at me smugly. Basically off lead time is now non existent. She threw a tantrum today as I left for the school run, DH was home but she wanted to come to school for a fussing from the kids.

It's a good job I love her

I don't have any advice though, just trying to stay consistent and not repeating words too much of she ignores them. It's good practice for when the DC are teens maybe?

Our Lab has just turned 1. About 6 weeks ago ( to helpfully coincide with the school summer holidays and my elderly parents house sitting with him for a week- which ended in a broken thumb) he was at peak Twatador. We had some terrible walks where he totally ignored me, he is super strong, nothing was safe from his thievy jaws.

I’m not sure if this helps, but he’s really really calmed down of late. His recall and awareness of us on runs is better, he is better ( still not great as he’s a country dog) on the lead and he’s now got living room privileges as he can be semi-trusted.

I’d agree to keep up the positive reinforcement and save high value treats for when his recall goes to pot. DDog started agility training recently and I think that’s really helped both him and me. I know there will be ups and downs but ours’ is the easiest he has ever been.

Oh you lucky lucky thing. Is it your first dog OP? I’d give anything to have adolescent lab back, having spent a (dog’s) lifetime with one very special (but also typical) lab and no longer having him. In terms of tips - well, I promise it gets better (at 3 you’ll have a bullet proof dog that others will be jealous of), boundaries, long line, and patience. It’s like a price you pay for 10 years plus of having the best dog. Mine was pure Marley and Me and he morphed into the dog you could take anywhere, at any time, the dog other owners envied. So for now control and management, don’t worry too much, and try not to count the days to the magic calm down age. I wish I hadn’t. it’s amazing how much you end up loving them.

The good news is that Labs become absolutely 100% perfect by the time they are 8 years old 😁

Unfortunately yours is at peak madness, it will pass before you know it. You have to try and be very patient and not deviate from training and being in control. At 1 1/2 you should have a perfectly well balanced Lab and well trained but still expect him to be full of energy. He'll be ignoring most other dogs by then and enjoy your company with long walks and interaction, you will become his only focus by that stage. As long as you enjoy being active with him, he'll be fine.
Also, be mindful to correct any unwanted behaviour of a destructive nature. Labs need a firm hand. Not shouting etc, just firm. They are very dependable, loyal and easy to train but consistency and clear boundaries are required.

Also you might find he's better off the lead - strange but it happens.

It's reassuring and interesting to hear your experiences. And sometimes it can be easy to focus on his little s*d tendencies (the latest is to use his usual 'ask' to go to the loo then just wander into the garden and nobly sniff the air for several minutes, look of utter disdain as I call or point to his loo area with his signal word (that has worked solidly for over 6 months) turn on his heels and jauntily trot back to the door and wait for me to let him in (thankfully, he hasn't forgotten his doorway manners and even with an open door he patiently waits to have his OK to come in ). He's a puppy, he does puppy things

The on lead walking continues to be a daily battle but I think this is really the most frustrating and challenging thing right now. When I think back to how loopy I felt I was going when we first had him, overthinking, overtired and absolutely full of puppy blues for months - even now on his walks, I don't feel that sense of WTF right now so that's got to be good, hasn't it?

Today, I've been poorly and he's been so affectionate and cuddled up on me - so protective. He's such a lovely lad.

@Branster

The good news is that Labs become absolutely 100% perfect by the time they are 8 years old 😁

Unfortunately yours is at peak madness, it will pass before you know it. You have to try and be very patient and not deviate from training and being in control. At 1 1/2 you should have a perfectly well balanced Lab and well trained but still expect him to be full of energy. He'll be ignoring most other dogs by then and enjoy your company with long walks and interaction, you will become his only focus by that stage. As long as you enjoy being active with him, he'll be fine.
Also, be mindful to correct any unwanted behaviour of a destructive nature. Labs need a firm hand. Not shouting etc, just firm. They are very dependable, loyal and easy to train but consistency and clear boundaries are required.

Also you might find he's better off the lead - strange but it happens.

I keep waiting for some destructive behaviour but other than a few things where really, it was on us not correcting/setting him up to succeed, he hasn't shown any signs of this. Fingers crossed. He's got really clear tells of tiredness that we respond to quickly (he'll scratch at a corner of the wall and with an AH-AH he will flop down on his bed and do that big Labrador sigh and settle. Basically, 7 months of very strict boundaries on taking/leaving things, coming to the table, things lying around that aren't for his mouth etc do seem, touch wood, to have paid off. For us, using baby gates to control his access, crate for naps and sleep, LOTS of regular mental stimulation and teaching control with food and treats, with routine exercise so far seems to be rewarding us with a lovely natured pup at home. My husband has been military in his approach to teaching him to sit/down to break first signs of destructive nosing about. But my God you need to be patient and consistent in buckets!

God,I hope I don't live to regret typing all this

I've got 2 spaniels and both were nearly rehomed in their teenage years. And my dogs are my absolute world so I don't say that lightly.

Funnily enough, they weren't that naughty at home, it was outside that we had issues. Chief bastard (no 1 dog) was on a long training line until past 18 months as his recall just vanished. No 2 wasn't as bad but went through a horrendous phase of barking at other dogs like Cujo and making people run in the opposite direction

Further to the above, funnily enough I have a young dog of my own again now (different breed) and I thought we were past this stage at 18 months, but she’s just made an absolute show of me with a workman who came to the house. Tried to eat his samples then demonstrated how she eats the post. I thought of this thread and my advice not to wish it away . Now sleeping beautifully and I love her again. Ha!

"Chief Bastard"

Things change so quickly with pups don't they - for the last fortnight he's been an absolute angel. So affectionate, loads better on his on lead walks (he's always been better off lead so far) and will happily busy himself with a split antler or ostrich bone for ages then snuggle down on my lap or take himself to his den like crate for a nap and he just seems so happy and content. He's taken to our twice weekly group dog walk dog walker and been very happily "puppysat" by a friend for an evening out we had where he snuggled on her lap for an hour after we left then took himself to his crate at his normal bed time and crashed into a deep sleep. Long may it last. My God, I've learnt that a) mental stimulation as important as physical b) a tired pup is a happy pup

(Fully expecting to retract every word next week, such is the rapidly changing nature of dog ownership!)

Thank you to all of you for your words of experience and empathy!

Awww he sounds like a little angel!!! Well done to you and to the pup! Phew 😁

As an aside, years ago, my vet said antlers are stronger than dogs' teeth and shouldn't be used - when I thought I found the holy grail of safe chewing with no mess!
Ostrich bones, no idea but sounds interesting.