A few things at 7 months

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Luna is growing up into a nice young lady after 7 months, but she has a few quirks that I am hoping the puppy madness group can help with!

 

1. Luna has started to chew on things she's not supposed to (carpets, boxes, toilet paper rolls).  Before this, she would be entertained with her toys and leave the house alone.  I have some bitter apple spray which seems to have solved the carpet problem (it was just 1 spot), but I can't spray everything in the house!

 

2. She wakes up my fiance every weekend without fail.  I wake up with her about 7:30-8:00, and she will only play with me for about 5-15 minutes.  After that she insists on whining, barking and clawing at the bedroom door till he finally gives up and gets up at around 9:30.

 

3. I think she might be getting a bit pudgy.  It's sort of hard to tell, but I can easily feel her ribs, her tummy doesn't hang down as low as her chest... but her waist is not well defined when you look down from above.  It could be an optical illusion since her head has yet to catch up to her fast-growing body, but she seems too wide for her height.

 

Thanks!

 

[Melinda]

Our doodle is 7 months old and does the same things.

 

1.) I read online that a dog will get its molars around the 7 month mark, so the increase in chewing might be related to teething pain. We give our doodle ice cubes and that usually calms down her chewing. I've also heard about wetting some knotted up hand towels and freezing them to give to a puppy to help with teething pain.

 

2.) Our doodle is the same way. If one of us gets up with her on Saturday morning and the other stays in bed, within 30 minutes after eating she will be sitting outside the bedroom door whining. I don't know why she does this, but just know you aren't alone.

 

3.) We were noticing that she was looking a bit awkward as well. Similar to the way a teenager looks when they get a growth spurt and the rest of their body needs to catch up. With our doodle, we are just watching the ribs, making sure that we can feel them, but not see them. We also take her on walks 2 to 3 times a day, so we're more concerned with her being too trim, and not getting enough food for the amount of exercise.

 

I hope it helps to know that you are not alone.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Thanks!  It's definitely good to know Luna is not an oddity, although I would love her just the same if she were ;)

 

They're really little things, and I'm sure she'll grow out of most of them, I'm mostly just curious if there is anything we should be doing to correct these things now.

 

I didn't know she still had teeth coming in... I guess that would explain the chewing!  We have lots of ice cubes and she has her own set of towels for freezing, so we'll have to start bringing them out again :)

 

Yeah I'm not that worried that Luna is "overweight" yet, I think she may just be sturdily built.  She just *looks* like she should be mostly fluff, but then you feel her and it's all Luna!  She is very strong and has lots of energy, so she's probably just built like a little tank ;)

[Deb, Connor & Simon]

Is Luna in obedience classes? This may give her a good opportunity to broaden her world and learn to give you her attention even with distractions. It will also help you prepare for adolescence. At 7 months, she sounds like a perfectly wonderful, normal puppy. BTW, she is as cute as a button...what a face!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

She went to puppy kindergarten and she is starting her basic obedience this Saturday.  We tried to get her into obedience last month, but our chosen school was all booked up!

 

She's pretty good most of the time with her recall - she comes to us at the dog park even if it means she has to run towards us and away from a pack of dogs.

 

Thanks - we think she is very cute! (And of course, she knows it too...)

[Adina P]

1.  Sometimes they just don't discover the fun of doing some things until later.  Rosco didn't learn the joys of counter and table surfing until after the age of 4 years old.  Just goes to show you're never truly 'safe' =)  So your best bet is to puppy proof as best as possible, closing doors behind you when possible and if puppy is not supervised puppy needs to be in a crate or tethered to you.

 

2.  If it were me I'd keep a drag line on her and somehow block the path to that door, if possible.  Then pop the leash to you when she heads toward the door. Otherwise, I'd take her outside, potty her, play with her and then crate her until fiance wakes up.

 

3.  If you can feel her ribs without too much work and her chest hangs down lower, it might just be an awkward teenage thing.  When in doubt ask the vet at her next appt.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Thanks for the advice! :)

 

Yeah I was worried that it might just be that she's discovering her rebellious side ;)  I'm just happy she hasn't decided that she likes the taste of furniture...

 

I can keep her locked in my office, but it's not far from the bedroom and sound carries really well in the house.  I think maybe though if I just keep her in here and make it clear that she can't go wake him up she will get the idea.

 

She's going to the vet next month to get her preventative heartworm stuff, so I can ask about her weight then. :)

[Becca & Lucy]

Have you tried a yak bone? Lucy goes NUTS on it and chews HARD. Totally wears her out!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

I've never heard of a yak bone, and couldn't find it searching on Google.  Is it this?  http://www.himalayandogchew.com/

Himalayan dog chew -  a bully stick alternative.

 

Also - we reduced Luna's food intake a little (she's 7 months but we've started feeding her the 8 month recommended diet) and she has slimmed down back to her normal self :) 

 

 

[Becca & Lucy]

Yes! That is it. Lucy LOVES it! It smells like smoked cheese. WAY better smelling then a bully stick! Plus it takes while to chew! I get the large ones for Lucy and she has to work on them hard. It really helps with the teething

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

All I can say is keep on training, take loooong walks with her, and maybe the occasional daycare day??  This is what we did around that time and it does get better. 

I am about to leave the puppy group (tear - Peri will be 2 in 2 weeks), but remember those days vividly.  You will actually miss it.