Will I ever relax again??

[Sharae & Winston]

Sometimes I wonder if I will ever be able to relax again after getting this doodle monster. Yes, there are times when he is cute, and does the sweetest things, but these are far and few between when he's being a little terror and testing me and my sanity (what is that again?). Seems like all he consists of is nipping, biting, whining, chewing, pulling the leash, trying to eat any inanimate object he can find on the ground, jumping on strangers while completely ignoring me, and chewing everything he's not supposed-all while turning down all the expensive Nylabone chews or whatever else expensive toys I get him. Add in the fact I'm constantly trying to correct all of these things while watching him like a hawk for fear he will decide to squat in the house is making me nuts! I can't catch a break...

I know he is not going to be a perfectly mannered, well behaved adult dog that i can simply enjoy for a long time but I thought when we got him at, a little less than 3 months, things would at least start getting easier at this age (5 months).
So, to all you people with older puppies or experienced doodle owners... Is there any hope for me and my tyrant of a doodle?? Like I said, I know it will be along time before I can completely relax, but what age will things at least start to improve and get a little easier than they are now?

[Jay, Lola and Colonel Esau]

All great tips - especially numbers 1 and 8.  Those will make the dog want to please you, and after that the rest is just technicalities.  Which reminds me, speaking of technicalities, I would also add that in everything you do, focus on timing (making sure the reward or correct is delivered at exactly the right time) and consistency (making sure you are always giving him the same message for the same behavior, and that everything about your message matches up - i.e., don't say no but pet him a the same time).  I am curious, do you know where your dog was in his litter in terms of dominant/submissive?  Lola is a very "hard" dog, but I expected this given her prey drive and dominance over her litter mates.  My last dog was much softer, and I loved her very much, but now that I am used to having a hard dog I can definitely appreciate the benefits.  I can also see how it would be a quite a handful if you were not expecting it, though.  I think of it like driving a Ferrari vs. a Chevy.  Of course the Chevy is easier at first, but ultimately the Ferrari will be more satisfying because there is so much more you can do with it.

[Anthony Leong]

Sound like you're talking about my 3 months old Mari ALD.  It's so bad at times, my wife wants me to give Mari away.  I need help too!!

[Sandy jimerson]

I can't help but believe the earlier you start training, the better life will be. It takes a lot of time yes, consistency is major, but not nearly the time you'll spend stressed out over bad behavior. Find an obedience class immediately and follow through with daily practice. These are smart dogs with high energy who need EXERCISE ! Our Bella was very mouthy...biting, snapping with those razor teeth. I taught her "no bite" beginning at 8 weeks old. She totally stopped the behavior by 14 weeks. She is now 23 weeks and I can put my fingers in her mouth and feel perfectly safe that she will no longer bite. Find an obedience class !

[Anthony Leong]

Yes, I know I need to find a obedience class right away, but I can't right now.  When I got Mari from my breeder I tested her for Giardia and it came back positive.  She's done with all the medications and I'm planning on going back to the Vet next Friday for shots and retest for Giardia.  Hopefully it will come back negative the 2nd time around.  Once I get a negative on her Giardia test, I'll enroll my puppy into an obedience class.

[Sharae & Winston]

I know what that's like. Winston got parvo 2 days after we had him so he had a late start with his classes. It was a horrible experience and took a long time to get him back to somewhat normal. He doesn't have normal BM's to this day on a regular basis. It's frustrating to sit around and wait when you know it's the peak time to get them into training. I'm not sure how old Mari, is but Winston was almost 4 months when we got him into his first puppy class and he excelled better than any other dog in the class, so maybe being a little older helped. Or maybe it's just because these doodles are so smart :)

[Cathy, Fozzie & Shaggy]

Hi, my first doodle is now almost 4 years old. He was my first puppy in 10 years. I couldn't believe I had forgotten how much work a puppy was! UGH I did the things that have been suggested so far. In addition I joined a kennel/training club and met then became friends with many very experienced trainers. I also took the same classes several times sometimes with different trainers. From the variety of classes and trainers I saw many different training styles. I was able to decide what worked best for me and my dog. Throughout our first year of training i had to be reminded over and over that he was still a young puppy. One of the hardest lessons for me to learn is that I was/am responsible for many of the miss behaviors because of inconsistencies with training, expecting to much to fast, and just not understanding what my dog was "saying" to me. Fozzie is now a wonderful well mannered dog.

Don't give up, take classes and read about understanding dog behavior! Before you know it your pup will be grown up and you'll start all over again - yes you will! My Shaggy (doodle #2) is 11 months old!!

[Sharae & Winston]

Oh boy! That picture is what my whole house would look like if Winston ever got free!! :-o

[Adina P]

With continued advancing obedience training (i.e. YOUR strictness and consistent training) he will probably turn into an awesome adult dog :-)  But generally, 'puppy' classes don't get you very far.  He's just about old enough for serious training that starts to include distractions and real life situations.  I don't know if that is what your puppy classes are training you to train him or not, but that's what I'd be looking for.  A class led by a trainer who has put obedience titles on her dog...because it sounds like your guy is smart and has a mind of his own and needs a lot of stimulation to keep him well behaved.

Another thing to keep in mind is around 6 months pups reach their 'teenage' period where they tend to test you...a lot.  So you're just starting the tough part and if you can stick to it with an exemplary training plan you'll come out of it a great team.

[Adina P]

Sharae, I just looked at your page and saw that you are in Portland.  There isn't any place I'd recommend MORE highly than Civis Dog Training.  Kali has been my mentor and I've met Randall and Renee.  Renee apprenticed under Kali and basically took the second dog she ever trained to an obedience title AND more or less cured her of her cat eating (thereby saving her life and finding her a forever home).  Kali is EXTREMELY skilled and has put obedience titles on more than one dog.  I drove 4 hours to meet with her for a two training sessions a couple years ago.  Totally worth it and Randall and Renee came out too to help and to provide distractions.  And I have to tell you, they did this for free (as I am not an official client, but know Kali from a training seminar and training forum and her countless patient emails answering my training questions and helping me in my training plan) which shows they are dedicated to the sport and art of dog training.  If you can handle up to an hour of training a day, 6 days a week, go to Civis Dog Training!  They will get you and your dog to an amazing relationship and level of training!

[Sharae & Winston]

I am very scared of this teenage period everyone speaks of... I think it may be starting already... and I can't imagine it getting worse than it is right now! :-o

I agree that puppy classes are great, but they aren't going to help with real life situations. Yes, he knows the commands, and when I'm standing with a treat in front of his face he complies; but he doesn't do it when there are any distractions (i.e. walking him and seeing a stranger or another dog and him going absolutely beserk all while I'm trying to get him to sit- making me look like I have absolutely no control over my dog). I'm hoping the advanced classes will help; they are supposed to be a kind of CGC prep for puppies who are advanced. 

Thank you for the referral. I will definitely look into this. The nice thing about his training now is that they are completely FREE- the organization we got him from offers training classes to all the dogs for as long as you want. They are led by Susan Tripp who I believe is pretty respected in the field and she seems great so far. The Civis Dog Training site looks awesome, and you can't go wrong with 6 days a week of classes, maybe bootcamp is what he needs! lol

[Adina P]

oh no classes do not meet 6 days a week. 6 days a week is the amount of work you are supposed to put into it when you were taking the classes.

[Jay, Lola and Colonel Esau]

Hi Sharae.  I am new to DK.  There were so many nice people that just helped me through my first doodle haircut - then I saw this post and realized this something I might know a bit about, so I thought I would chime in.  I currently have a 5 1/2 month ALD puppy.  I have had several super-bright dogs over the years, but this is my first doodle so I am learning about the "breed" as I go.  I remember hearing that these dogs were bred to be especially intuitive service dogs, but before I got Lola I didn't really appreciate what that meant.  What I have since noticed is that she is incredibly, almost unbelievably tuned in to my emotional and psychological state.  When I am sad she curls up next to me and licks my face, and it's the sweetest thing in the world.  But the other side of the coin is that if I am the least bit scared, worried, nervous, angry, etc., she will mirror back those emotions too - often towards whatever animate or inanimate object her little puppy brain perceives to be the source of the problem.  It took me a while to figure it out, but now I think it's great - like having a furry little barometer for my emotional state.  Don't get me wrong, training, exercise, etc. are definitely very important - but if your dog is anything like Lola, you may consider really focusing on the intangibles as well.  For example, what tone of voice are you and others using around the dog?  When you give him a command, do you say it once, calmly and as a matter of fact with the expectation that of course it will be obeyed - or do you repeat yourself or raise your voice as if to ask a question?  What is being communicated with posture and body language?  Is the dog observing people and other pets that move slowly, confidently and with purpose - or do they move frantically to and fro?  Are you 100% confident in what you are doing, particularly with respect to your dog - or do you harbor doubts, fears or frustrations?  I know all this might sound a little weird, but I promise it really does help.

PS: Your doodle is very handsome!  I am all the way in Chicago and I can tell from here he is going to grow up to be an outstanding dog.