The joys of adolescence!

Who else is enjoying the challenge of an adolescent dog?

I bought Your Dog magazine today and laughed my way through the "Coping with adolescence" article. Cain basically ticked every single box (except humping which thankfully he doesn't do, probably because he's neutered).

It lists symptoms as
Second excessive chewing phase (Cain went through that for months but thankfully seems to have grown out of it very recently)
Clumsiness and lack of co-ordination
Wariness of strangers and dogs
Aggression towards sane sex dogs (I wouldn't really say Cain was actually aggressive, just socially inept!)
Untesponsive to commands they know

Apparently "young makes can be prone to reckless behaviour" accompanied by a photo of a lab throwing himself into the air with gusto exactly the sane way Cain does!

Cain has been utterly awful today and to be honest, he was starting to push my patience by midday. I was so glad I picked up the article as it really made me laugh, but also realise that Cain's poor socialisation and shaky start aside, on top of this, I think he is also going through a long hard adolescence.

I had no idea that his chronic clumsiness could be due to adolescence, I just thought he was a klutz! Apparently they can get growing pains and growth hormones can cause this lack of coordination with their limbs. Also his total distractedness is part of it all and something he cannot control or help.

Apparently adolescence can last from 7 months up to 3 years depending on the dog. I was aware that GSD may not mature until 2-3 years. Cain is now 16 months and I absolutely positive that a good chunk of his behavioural problems are his age.

We had a good long walk where he actually trained in the park for treats (Id given up on treats weeks ago when he'd lost total interest!) and then I read the article. It calmed me down and renewed my patience about his manic, uncoordinated, reckless behaviour, reminded me to take into account his age and that his mental development is delayed due to missing out as a puppy. I'm now feeling positive again Im convinced Cain is going to go through a long adolescence.....16 months now, only another 18 to go

Anybody else dealing with an adolescent dog now? Or anybody had a particularly tricky adolescent dog in the past?how did you get through it (patience and training I guess!)? Did they come out of it well the other side? If love to hear your stories.....especially funny ones, about our dear youngsters with bananas firmly on their ears!!!

Vito is 15 months now and he is still a big daft pup in all but size.

He is very clumsy and although I haven't noticed any wariness of strangers he has become much more alert and "on edge" every time we are out, always looking for squirrells or cats during the day and foxes at night, where he never used to bother.

He has completely forgotten "stay"

I can't see him maturing for some time and although he can be a pain in the bum sometimes I actually feel sad thinking of him losing his sillyness.

im pretty sure Dutch is in this stage and some days he really does test my patience!
he seems to have all of those symptoms! except the wary of strangers bit, he is the complete opposite, he tries his best to greet everyone we see, and god forbid they should walk past without fussing him... he sits there and refuses to walk! im not even joking, its a nightmare, although it does make me laugh, he's like a big sulky teenager.

sometimes when i tell him to 'sit' he looks at me like im speaking a different language, he's also started trying to sit on your lap while your eating....

yesterday he made me laugh though, he was having a mad moment running around in circles, then he darted onto the settee across 3 peoples lap and off the other side... coffee, tea, crisps, biscuits went flying everywhere!
Dutch ran out and into my room and onto his bed...
leaving us to tidy up the mess...

training = square one again.

I have 3 at 11 and a half months, so far everything is not too bad, the only problem I have is one of them (and I know who) has started weeing and pooping in the night again I am just hoping its a short tearm thing.

I would have loved to have been there when Dutch did his run

it was funny, if only i had a camera at hand.
every one jumped up like they were doing a mexican wave
and he's not particularly light either, 18kg! he's like a little tank!

I'm never going through this stage - Louie is staying a puppy forever, he's skipping the teenage years - I'll make him miss it Hahaa I cant wait - I love a challenge - as long as it isnt mathmatical

Oz 19 months old- drives me mad sometimes, shows me up constantly is only good when there's no one else there to see it and still can't understand why not every dog in the world want's to play with him.Yes this stage will pass (please!) I love it though when we're out if someone else's dog won't come back or do as they're told, at least I know I'm not alone!

I'll have to have a read of that artilcle.

Luchi is 12 months now, and is doing amazingly well most of the time.

I have noticed that she is definitely more reactive to visitors to the house now though, or strange noises, however out on walks she turns into Miss Soppy Wuss when greeting anyone,imagine a 47 kg dog acting like a little puppy. one lady in pets at home got a surprise, as anyone who makes a fuss of her gets their hands licked, on this occasion I think the lady was a bit surprised at the amount of drool, slimed rather than licked lol

Luchi also seems to have developed a bit of a stubborn streak, and we have to go through a little ritual involving bribery before she gets into the car. Only 2 more years to go I am told lol

Ahhhhh yes adolescence! It went from 8 to 14 months. He was very vocal and if ignored would launch turbo whinge, woo wooing. He would throw things left on the work tops around the kitchen, including the kettle. He would sit on the kitchen table as a protest if shut in there. He would let himself into the bedrooms and wee on the beds.

heehee, Cain just sounds ace

Yup Keisha was an adolescent from birth to 3 years of age!!! I can finally say she is definately maturing, she's nearly 3 and a half now, but she will always be cheeky I know it, and that's why we love her