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Adolescent Dog Survival Thread - Bark the Herald, furry angels sing!

999 replies

YorkshireFelix · 26/11/2024 23:01

New thread to get us through the festive season! Angelic and naughty teenage pups all welcome Halo

OP posts:
Thread gallery
146
CoubousAndTourmalet · 29/12/2024 14:56

Thanks @Bupster and Happy 6 Month Anniversary to you and Bill. He is looking very handsome indeed ❤
You've clearly socialised him well; surely it has to be a positive that he was robust and confident enough, even as a young pup, to stand up to the larger dog park thugs like the Akita with the squishing habit...?
If I'm honest we didn't socialise Brie anywhere near enough when she was tiny, but she's getting calmer around dogs now. Still totally obsessed with children unfortunately, as most PMD seem to be.

Thank you @brushingboots I know we all have negative experiences with unruly dogs at some point and there is always much to be learned from it.
Eeek! There is no way a ridgeback can possibly be controlled on an extending lead; that puts fear into me. It's another matriarchal breed, so if it's male, he might actually be okay, though I'd still be wary unless he was on a sturdy webbing. That is not an easy breed but then mine isn't either...

Well, the girl had her first big walk today. My chap took her out mid-morning for a quick walk around the block, but made the mistake of allowing Brie to choose the route. Hmmmm. So off she trotted and somehow (yeah, right 😏), by following various people, they ended up walking all the way around the reservoir.
Apparently they encountered dozens of dogs and large groups of adults with young kids (as you always do on a Sunday in a touristy village) and she was an angel.
So I kinda missed out on her first big adventure because it was meant to be a 15 minute walk but still, he's happy, she's happy albeit that she's filthy! Technically it's probably too long a walk for her age, but they took it slowly, so as long as it's not every day, she should be fine.

CaptainBeanThief · 29/12/2024 15:22

I do agree that small dogs get away with everything and anything - some women let her dog snap at Milo and Milo went up to the dog to sniff it and she went "oooh that could have been nasty couldn't it? In a smug manner I said it could if my dog was a nasty bastard like yours, couldn't it.

When Milo was a pup he went to say hello to a dog - but I called him back but an old man ( his dog was a small arsy dog) and he full on booted Milo in the face, NOW I do NOT AGREE with that, and XL bully fine, if Milo was a threat, snarling ready to attack, by all means boot him in the face.
He could have grabbed him, that would have been fine however Milo was already turning around back to me - my husband had to hold me back from twatting him in the face. Sorry but that was uncalled for IMO.

CoubousAndTourmalet · 29/12/2024 16:28

That's horrible @CaptainBeanThief poor Milo. But he probably wasn't the only dog to get a kick from that grumpy old sod...

My chap was horrified the other week when he and Brie were on a pavement walk. They passed a man walking two terriers on leads; they both went ballistic at Brie - fortunately she ignored them, but the guy started kicking hell out of his own dogs 😧

How are you doing this weekend? Have you recovered from Christmas Day?

CaptainBeanThief · 29/12/2024 16:40

Luckily Milo is a hardy dog and didn't really bat an eyelid, I do get people don't want other dogs approaching them/ their dogs however surely it's about risk assessment plus Milo was actually mid U-turn as I shouted him before he even got to his demon dog.
Tell me about it - we saw a man hitting his spaniel puppy the other day cos he yanked towards the road abit - why get a SPANIEL puppy if you don't know they are little dickheads who are prone to doing dickhead things like that, don't hit it - I wish I could have hit him in the face 🫣
I'm really snappy in my old age 🥴
There's a fine line of dogs approaching other dogs IMO and if course we have our own opinions but some people are kinda weird about it on MNs about it you only have to read some of the threads 🫣
No I'm not recovered I think I won't be recovered until 2029 😱 how are you

CoubousAndTourmalet · 29/12/2024 17:27

If you think you're snappy now @CaptainBeanThief , wait until you get to menopause (admittedly it's a long way off for you youngsters here but still...). I became a monster during menopause. Hair trigger, short fuse, red rag to a bull, the slightest thing set me off into RAGE 😡

Anyhoo, I'm okay except starting to get a teeny bit jittery about New Years Eve, noise, effing fireworks, drunken yobs shouting. I could not hate it more. Urgh. Think I'll hibernate for the week.

CaptainBeanThief · 29/12/2024 20:37

This dog
Loves chewing his harnesses loves annoying me his most favourite things to do 😤

Adolescent Dog Survival Thread - Bark the Herald, furry angels sing!
YorkshireFelix · 30/12/2024 12:47

Thanks everyone for the support re the off lead dog situation! It's really good to hear everyone's opinions and experiences.

So good to hear she was an angel on her big walk @CoubousAndTourmalet 😇

We had a walk with my sisters mental Jack Russel yesterday and they got on just fine. Vinny seemed to enjoy having another dog to trot along with! We've just had a really lovely walk through the woods in the sunshine and he was brilliant. Turning into an arsehole overnight when he hit 6 months only seemed to last a few days and I am pleased to report he's back to being my angel sent from heaven (for now!!).

Adolescent Dog Survival Thread - Bark the Herald, furry angels sing!
OP posts:
YorkshireFelix · 30/12/2024 12:48

CaptainBeanThief · 29/12/2024 20:37

This dog
Loves chewing his harnesses loves annoying me his most favourite things to do 😤

But he looks so happy about it 🤣

OP posts:
CoubousAndTourmalet · 30/12/2024 13:18

@YorkshireFelix
So glad that the delinquent phase didn't last long and the real Vinny has resurfaced. He's a gorgeous boy.

Bupster · 30/12/2024 13:23

If anyone could give me more messages of hope about puppies emerging from adolescence that would be aces. Bill is a horror outside the house at the moment. I know it's not his fault, he's a hairy toddler with the impulse control of a 15-year-old boy right now, but it is exhausting...

Picture of the hooligan looking angelic in his sleep, having yanked me round his normal weekend walk plus a tour of the city with friends - 12 km - without showing any signs of noticing my presence until the last 500m or so, when he trotted along like he was at Crufts, the little sod.

Adolescent Dog Survival Thread - Bark the Herald, furry angels sing!
CoubousAndTourmalet · 30/12/2024 13:37

@Bupster
It's hard. Awww, bless him ❤The teen years (well, months) are knackering.
Brie is at the same stage, as you know; still angel at home but devil on the lead. For me that's the most frustrating part of it all, nobody sees her quiet side, people see hooligan hanging onto my sleeve...
There are no shortcuts really - it's just a waiting game.

CoubousAndTourmalet · 30/12/2024 13:40

And here's the girl, loafing as only a LGD can; sleep with one eye open is their mantra. Ever watchful and ready to spring into action, whether it's a wolf at the door or someone opening the fridge to get a piece of cheese...

Adolescent Dog Survival Thread - Bark the Herald, furry angels sing!
Bupster · 30/12/2024 13:43

@CoubousAndTourmalet she is just gorgeous. That's exactly what it's like - we have such a lovely time at home, and mostly still at the dog park when the others are dogs he knows - but on lead he is 80% AWFUL and off lead increasingly deaf. Hooligan.

CoubousAndTourmalet · 30/12/2024 13:56

That is the single worst thing @Bupster the Jekyll and Hyde aspect. It's just exasperating and a walk can be exhausting. I commented to my partner the other day that I love Brie at home, but sometimes, when she kicks off like she did on Friday, I hate walking her. It's frustrating when they end up fighting you.

YorkshireFelix · 30/12/2024 15:04

@Bupster as you know we are quite a way behind you so I don't really have any advice but I agree with @CoubousAndTourmalet that it's probably just a waiting game, as bloody frustrating as it is. You're doing everything right so surely it has to click at some point! Also trotting along like he's in Crufts at the end of the walk sounds so familiar 🤣 I'm glad it's not just me!!

OP posts:
CaptainBeanThief · 30/12/2024 16:09

@Bupster
Honestly you are doing so well,
I remember you bringing bill home and up to now he's done so well! He's purely just entering the dickhead phase, you've done what has needed to be done up to now, just continue you with your training ( it will seem pointless as he won't listen) but honestly he will still be learning even though he is pretending not to.
Milo is definitely still pushing his luck alot of the time but he does know what to do and how to behave but he chooses not to.
Dogs are always worse than bitches at this age.
They always have good days where they trick you into a false sense of security and then they be arseholes again
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news 😂

CaptainBeanThief · 30/12/2024 16:23

Milo moments before my husband took him into the woods just now - I've stayed in the car because I'm in my dressing gown and I can't be arsed 😂

Adolescent Dog Survival Thread - Bark the Herald, furry angels sing!
CoubousAndTourmalet · 30/12/2024 16:43

Just had another one of those walks 😩

Because it's a dry day all the dogs in the entire world were out. We'd met 7 or 8 before reaching the big field, so we had showing-off twirling and lead-biting twice. Then at least another 12, 15 or so dogs were on the field at the same time and madam started doing on-lead zoomies in the middle of it all. She followed it up with more lead biting, sleeve biting stuff so husband took the reins for the walk back, at which point devil child turned into sparkly princess. She then proceeded to walk so perfectly all the way back, that a lady with two doodles stopped us to say "oh, what a beautiful dog" while sparkly princess dog stood there smiling! 🙄Yup. Beautiful manners...when I'm not on the other end of the lead.

He's not really any stricter with her than I am but, seemingly, Mum means play. We can't figure out why, I do wonder if she actually thinks I'm a dog. I don't entirely know. Trainer could shed no light on it except to say it's definitely play. But it's really hard work for a little skinny old person with a bad back. I keep hoping she'll grow out of it but since the training sessions it seems to have gone worse, not better.

Any ideas, anyone?

CoubousAndTourmalet · 30/12/2024 16:49

@CaptainBeanThief

Can I edit your post to say "Dogs are always worse than bitches at this age....unless they are Pyrenean Mountain Dogs, in which case the bitches are far, far worse..."

Our boys were nothing like this madam but she's our third impossible, unruly, wild child female. That's matriarchal breeds I guess....😞

brushingboots · 30/12/2024 16:50

@Bupster I just pretended for the most part that it wasn’t happening, and so it sort of didn’t. Or maybe it did and I was just so relieved to be enjoying her slightly that I didn’t notice that she was being a cowbag. She did have a few bad recall days that resulted in the judicious use of the long-line and a lot of whistle training reinforcement, but that was more or less it until she had her season and chewed a load of toys in protest. So my only advice is to just pretend it’s not there, carry on as you are with him and not put him into situations where he will be triggered to be tiresome. And as ever you know where we are <3

brushingboots · 30/12/2024 16:52

@CoubousAndTourmalet I'm fascinated by the difference between matriarchial and patriarchal breeds, as before here I hadn't come across the terms before. It never occurred to me that pupsy might be one way or t'other because she's a bitch – we just didn't want the boy bits all over the house so got a bitch for that reason, if I'm honest. And also because my parents have always had bitches so I knew a bit more about seasons than boy hormones.

brushingboots · 30/12/2024 16:59

@CoubousAndTourmalet Oh no! I feel you on the dry day/fair-weather walkers stuff. We have had to abandon our plans to go to the NT park literally next door to us twice so far this week because of All. The. People. Everywhere. No fun for pupsy or us so we’ll wait until the kids are back to school.

Classic showing off from Brie! Do you do more with her than your chap, feed her etc? Pupsy definitely used to not listen to dog-dad more than me – as I’m very much her primary carer – but today she stuck next to him hunting in a zig-zag all the way up a massive (read: vile) hill while I lagged behind with a screaming achilles, which she’d never have done a year ago. It’s the reverse, I know, but I wonder if a bit of it is age and just general maturity.

CoubousAndTourmalet · 30/12/2024 19:24

It was so busy today @brushingboots , it took me by surprise. Often on a weekday afternoon we can have the whole big field to ourselves. As you say, it should hopefully be quieter next week when schools are back and most people return to work.

It's hard to define the relationship with us. I've been the primary carer for all our pups, although my chap has been more hands-on with Brie, since he's based at home full-time now rather than 3 or 4 days in the office as before. We both feed and walk her, but I've definitely done a lot more play. She does seem to be more familiar with me - she'll come in and climb on my lap for a cuddle, she also still does puppy mouthing at my hands or clothes but doesn't seem to do it with him.

She does try zoomies/lead biting with him, to a lesser degree, but he controls it better than I do and she won't push it. With me she's cheeky, she answers back and she knows bloody well that I'm a pushover or will make some pathetic, half-hearted attempt to control her.

He is overall quieter with her, whereas I rabbit to her all the time. That drove the dog trainer mental. They seem to speak to her in words, I speak to her in sentences. So, in a way, she responds to me more because I talk to her more. It's not just basic commands or good girl. She likes me nattering about stuff. I absolutely don't baby her though, I mean you just can't with a dog this size. As I've said before, she is very good at home, calm and quiet with good manners.

She is a total sweetheart, she has no aggression in her, I have complete trust in her around dogs, kids everyone, it's just the size combined with puppy/adolescent lunacy is a liability at the moment. When she calms down she will be an amazing dog, but I just wish she wasn't so bloody loony out on a walk, because it's hellish hard on me physically at the moment.

CaptainBeanThief · 30/12/2024 19:49

@CoubousAndTourmalet
It absolutely makes it worse when your pup looks "adult" and they are being a lunatic, plus it being very busy and having anxiety on top of that!
I have enjoyed my husband being around over Christmas a lot more as he's doing more of the leg work, literally
Milo is 14kg but he is all chest and strong and pulls me over.
Who would have a puppy for them to then enter into this phase where they show us up 😂

CoubousAndTourmalet · 30/12/2024 19:55

brushingboots · 30/12/2024 16:52

@CoubousAndTourmalet I'm fascinated by the difference between matriarchial and patriarchal breeds, as before here I hadn't come across the terms before. It never occurred to me that pupsy might be one way or t'other because she's a bitch – we just didn't want the boy bits all over the house so got a bitch for that reason, if I'm honest. And also because my parents have always had bitches so I knew a bit more about seasons than boy hormones.

I'm not entirely sure if the PMD is classified as a true matriarchal breed in the same sense that Rhodesian Ridgeback is. However, it is often said that Pyrenean females are more dominant, protective and reactive and that has certainly been our experience.

Having had 4 of each in total and two bitches that lived with two different dogs (an older male first then later a male pup) I'd say the boys are definitely calmer and quieter. We've had two very dominant bitches that could be reactive towards other bitches. The boys were okay with other dogs and kept out of the way of our two half-sister girls who would also occasionally scrap with each other.
Our girls were also more highly sexed than the boys, which I suspect is unusual. Those two dominant girls were both obsessive humpers which none of our boys ever were, nor did the boys ever scent mark in the house, even while living with an entire bitch. None were neutered.

If you asked most Pyrenean folk, I suspect they would probably claim the males are dominant, but I'd disagree and say the girls are. Our girls have been more barky, more territorial, temperamental and reactive. Protective no - two of the boys were very protective of me in particular; one boy we had for 10 years and he only ever growled once in that time - protecting me. But in all other ways, PMD girls are full-on with big attitude compared to boys. Brie is no exception, she looks pretty and girly, but my god, she has bucketloads of attitude!

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