Adolescent Dog Survival Thread - get teenage licks right through the night!

[Bupster]

I've buckled and started the new thread - welcome to the horror of adolescence!

@YorkshireFelix Think of it as a good opportunity to practice a sit-stay!

I used to shut the door or baby gate on mine when I was hiding stuff. The long term consequence of that is whenever a door is shut on them and then opened they go on a sniffing mission, despite me telling them I haven't hidden anything!

Hello 😊

Sorry for slow response but we were out getting covered in mud!

We're fine, thanks. I have been lurking, but, as you know, we don't exactly adhere to a military training regime 😉 so it's difficult for me to make any sort of valid contribution to some of the discussions... particularly ones that involve that thing called...ummm... is it recall...?

Anyway, Brie turned 10 months yesterday, which is quite hard to believe! It seems no time at all since she was a tiny ball of fuzz.

Behaviour wise we're pretty much where we expected to be at this point - no major issues although she still does a bit of lead biting, but hopefully she'll grow out of that. She's very stubborn, full of attitude, she doesn't bark much but "talks" a fair bit, she still loves people but is becoming increasingly aloof around other dogs. She eats well, sleeps well, she's never been much trouble at home, so yeah, all is good. Thank you for asking 😊

@CoubousAndTourmalet Hi! I’m glad you are still around. I would love Midge to be aloof around other dogs (and people). I guess that’s very much her breed.

Midge hasn’t lead bitten for a few weeks now, Hooray! I’m guessing he has grown out of it. My hands are much less bruised.

I was trying to get Midge not jump up/ over an old lady today (it was like wrestling a kangaroo) and she noticed his natty yellow rain coat. She asked if he was a guide dog in training…. As if!

Ah glad to hear everything is well @CoubousAndTourmalet. Your presence is always missed!

Also happy 10 months to Brie 🎉

@Bupster I'm not sure who told you the whole 11 month thing but it's bullshit, dogs don't generally calm down until 18 months - 2 years.
You will often get phases of days or weeks where you think they are Improving then they revert back to being total nightmares.
I've been through it all so I don't want you to get your hopes up that it suddenly gets better at 11 months because it doesn't.

Sorry @Bupster but I'm in complete agreement with CaptainBeanThief .
I think your DTAS person is being very misleading. Technically yes, the testosterone levels do peak at that age but anyone who tells you that adolescence gets easier by one year is talking bollocks!

And yes, I know I came on here and proclaimed that I don't remember adolescence being that bad, which for me it wasn't, but it still took all of mine until 2 years old before they properly started to calm down on walks. That applies to males and females. All of them still have a pea sized puppy brain until nearing two.

Arg stop stamping on my tiny ray of sunshine 😂

I’m expecting to wait until at least 18 months- 2 years for Midge to calm down.
At a year old he’s in the throes of ignoring me and sticking 2 fingers up. Oh well.

It's about preparing you lol because it is honestly hardddddddddd

Thank you @Nella68 and a Belated Happy Birthday to Midge. We met a Labradoodle on today's walk but it wasn't as tall or leggy as Midge is. He's a lovely size!

Oh I am so glad he has seemingly grown out of lead biting and your hands are recovering. It gives me hope that the same thing will be true of Brie. She still has good days and bad days with the lead walking but we'll get there. The jumping up at people is an issue for us too, I am terrified of her knocking someone over; you're not joking about it feeling like wrestling a kangaroo!

I'm honestly not trying to piss on ANYONES parade by the way.
I'm trying to advise for my experience that it always gets worse before it gets better.
Sorry if people take offence by that.

I'm not sure I'd call it calming down, and even at nearly 4 I'm not sure calm is how you'd describe my older one. But I was able to start enjoying and relaxing a bit on walks from age 8/9 months, and we never really had any behaviour regressions, maybe some plateaus.

I don't think regressions are uncommon, but they're not guaranteed either.

Yeah, we're being kind, we're warning you that the worst is yet to come 😆

One day you feel you've turned a corner...next day you're straight down to the kebab shop 😉(I'm due one of those days tomorrow for sure...)

@CaptainBeanThief - remind me how old Milo is, and is he out the other side?

Thank you 😊
Here's a throwback to 10 weeks.

He's 18 months @Nella68

@CoubousAndTourmalet oh my goodness she was adorable

I don’t think @Bupster was suggesting that Bill was going to calm down at 11 months – just that his testosterone would have peaked by then. And besides, you can only train the dog in front of you – they’re all different. Pupsy’s best friend in the village, also a cocker, is the same age as her and you’d think they were different breeds. Everything about them is different except the shape of their ears.

Ok, it's clear that my "advice" is no longer welcome on this thread so I'm going to go ahead and leave 👍

But don't most people say males are worse during adolescence? I thought someone here disagreed when I said my girls were harder and the general consensus seemed to be that adolescent males are more difficult.

FWIW, I think your advice is very valid.

@CaptainBeanThief nobody said it wasn't valid! You're absolutely right that 11 months isn't a calming down point for most dogs but they are all different and all of us will have varying experiences even with the same breeds. From what I know of Milo and pupsy, they are totally different dogs despite being born within two months (or so) of each other. It's not a criticism, just an observation.

@CoubousAndTourmalet my vague knowledge of dogs versus bitches is that dogs are harder as teens but I maintain that they're all individuals. I'd say pupsy chilled out significantly after her season and then spay – by which point she was 15 months – and I'm sure it's not a coincidence.