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!

That's fab news. Bill was very much the reactive hooligan in his class, but it makes me feel better that he was probably making the others feel better 😄

Ooh, we're nearly at the end of the thread - anyone feeling brave?

I got very brave today and actually drove Bill out to a new place - a park on the other side of town, that neither of us had been to, that I knew had a lake and a lot of wildlife. He had the time of his life, but was still able to focus just enough that I only had to drag him away from things a handful of times and I was able to get him to sit and wait when we needed to let other dogs or cyclists pass. He only jumped in the lake twice and only when I'd checked it was shallow enough, and he managed to ignore ducks and pass moorhens, and have a good sniff of some distant deer. Don't ask me about squirrels.

Really pleased about this as I was coming up with 432 excuses for not trying it this morning and it was fine - he was a pain in the arse in the car but it was excitement and we coped, and he was a pain in the arse on a long line but again, we coped 😍

What lovely news from everyone! And how nice to see you, @CoubousAndTourmalet – Brie is looking gorgeous! So regal!

Pupsy is two in ten days – gratuitous portrait here on her new bed, an early birthday present. It's kind of a 50/50 hit tbh but I had wanted one for ages.

@Bupster well done for this morning! If it was where I think it is we should get together there as it’s such a great spot.

Sounds like a very successful outing @Bupster

Hi @brushingboots . It's nice to see you too, and little Pupsy is looking so sweet on her posh new bed.
As for Brie, well yes, I suppose she does look properly regal, but, she certainly doesn't behave much like a Princess. She's a bit of a wild one 🙄

@Bupster that sounds like a good trip. Well done Bill on ignoring the wildlife!

I always find new places a bit challenging. M gets so excited and pulls like a train. I’ve been working on him sitting and waiting for me as we go down steps and slopes but it’s very much a work in progress.

@brushingboots pupsy doesn’t look too sure about the bed! Is the plan for her to sleep on it or use it as a ‘place’?

@BupsterWELL DONE!! I find it so nerve wracking going to new places so I am pleased you did it and it went so well.

@Nella68i also get dragged down hills and steps when he’s on the lead!! Sometimes I plan my walks a certain way so we are going up the steps rather than down 😄

@brushingbootsgorgeous Pupsy in her new bed. She is such a good girl.

Had to share this photo of V I took in the village on our evening walk. I love it when we get the late sun. It’s very rare that there’s no cars or other people on this road!!

Lovely photo @YorkshireFelix

He was an absolute nobhead this morning on the way to our normal walk; pulling on the lead, barking at a dog he doesn't like across the road, dragging me off after a squirrel. Then turned it around completely and was brilliant after we were there ten minutes, and all the way back. I wish they had some kind of signal: like a flashing light that says 'nobhead for 60 minutes, counting down' so you could be prepared.

Brie's version of this nobhead pattern is more like 5 minutes beautiful walking, 3 minutes lead ragging lunacy and play growling, getting distracted by a smell, 2 minutes of sniffing, eat some rabbit poo... then off we trot again.

This morning we had downhill backwards lead ragging on a steep tussocky field, so that was fun for my 61 year old knees😬

Now I seem to be back, I should perhaps point out that my disappearing act was in no way connected with this thread or anyone on it.

I just needed to step back and remind myself that I've done this crazy puppy thing before and come through it. So I buggered off for a bit of a rest. And I knitted and I painted and I reconnected with my sense of self and what matters.

All these weeks have been spent getting to know my girl properly, without being distracted by conflicting opinions on how to rear a pup. I have managed to stop stressing over the hound people constantly telling me I know absolutely nothing about dogs. (Always hound people...why? The LGD brain does not work like a hound brain ffs...😏).

So, we are in a very good place now, me and Brie. We have a strong bond. She is such a character, walks with her are a lot of fun. At home, good as gold, quiet and calm with beautiful manners. With regard to training, well, obviously in some people's eyes I'm doing it wrong for the 9th time 😉The one-to-one training was a stupid mistake, and I cancelled after just two sessions. I'm far too set in my ways, she is too much a free spirit, so we're doing it our way, me and my funny girl. And we're fine. I'm letting her be who she is, lead biting and all. She only does it with me, it's just an invitation to play - sure, it is not always appropriate, I have worked at stopping it to some degree, but she's stubborn as hell. So, I go with it. She's my little wild child, and I love her.

Am I going to be Threadkiller again? Sigh. It was ever thus 🙄

@Nella68 I really bought it as a cooler bed for using outside and as a spare regular indoor bed. We've never done 'place' per se but she keeps putting herself on it while I'm preparing her food so she seems to think that it is a suitable waiting area.

@CoubousAndTourmalet Well I for one am delighted that you're back and that none of us here were the cause of your disappearance! And also to hear that things are going so well with your absolutely giant baby! She's amazing and you're the LGD queen.

I have been a bit quiet here too because a) life, and b) there is only so much nonsense advice you can read given to others before you have to just go outside and breathe some fresh air.

Returning to usual service with a terrible image for you all – the other night on our walk pupsy got humped ON THE FACE by a horrible goldie, as the owners just sort of shrugged so I blew my whistle very loudly sort of at them like a football ref. Vile.

@Bupster I knew I’d jinx myself too as V was WILD in the woods today. We had such a good long walk yesterday and I was saying to DH how amazing his recall was and how well behaved he’s been. Then today he just dashed around like a maniac having the time of his life. But I will say that he walked like an angel after his first 5 minutes of crazy pulling for a poo. Must be something in the air!

@CoubousAndTourmalet we are glad to have you back!! It sounds like you have 100% done the right thing. I always thought the same, that you’ve done this so many times before so you definitely know what you’re doing. It’s so easy to get bogged down in other people’s opinions, especially when it’s so freely available on the internet now. I am trying not to do the same and focussing on the things we are getting right. I had a big wobble a couple of weeks ago after watching a video from a trainer on one of the WCS Facebook pages which basically talked about inexperienced owners ruining their dogs, and it made me feel awful as V was going through a particularly testing stage. He seems to have been slowly turning a corner the past couple of weeks since then thankfully, so I was wrong in thinking I’d irreversibly damaged him!!

@brushingboots ughhh that is vile, poor Pupsy! I have realised that at least 50% of dogs have very bad manners and their owners also don’t give a crap 😡

Thanks @brushingboots

Totally agree regarding ridiculous advice being handed out on all manner of subjects; puppy care and beyond. Yep, there comes a point when you just have to walk away from it.

Poor Pupsy re the Goldie. Seemingly, ill mannered owners create ill mannered dogs. I hope she wasn't too traumatised by "face humping boy".

@YorkshireFelix

You have to trust your own instincts with your own dog. Nobody knows him like you do. Training videos are helpful but they can also fill you with self-doubt because these people make it look easy.

There's always more to learn. There are quite a few things I got wrong with Brie and will do differently with the next pup. Notably, exposing it to more noise from 8 weeks. She is terrified of trucks and rattly trailers, for which I lay the blame with the vaccine schedule; Nobivac meant she wasn't out until 14 weeks because by 10 weeks she was too big and heavy to carry. We'll work on a solution to that for the next pup. Also, no tug toys because I've unwittingly caused the lead ragging habit.

Always more to learn but definitely trust yourself, not the "instant experts" out there on social media. You know your own dog x

@YorkshireFelix what was the trainer saying? I'm curious to know how I've ruined half of Bill 😄(the Labrador half is all on him)

New thread here - I just can't hack the pressure of being on page 40 at all 😄https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_doghouse/5329630-adolescent-dog-survival-thread-for-teenage-dirtbags