Naughty Finn

[Jennifer]

Finn seems to be going through a difficult stage lately!!! Man is he getting on my nerves. I recall reading a few posts about difficulty at this age (he's 33wks) that are now sounding very familiar.

In the past 2wks he has chewed a hole in the carpet in 2 different spots. He mutilated my daughters poor Skipper doll (he must have something against brunettes), chewed both arms right off and then proceeded to chew the arms into tiny little bits and spread them all over the hallway upstairs. I caught him dragging my poor little 10lb Shih-poo across the floor by his ear yesterday. He's high-tailed it over to the neighbors yard twice this week when we go outside without any regard for me screaming at the top of my lungs for him to stop. Don't even get me started on the incessant barking that pierces right through my ears!!!!!!!!! He's been acting like an entirely different dood the past couple weeks, loud, rambunctious and obnoxious.

Ay caramba!!!

[Leslie & Axl Sacks]

Is he getting enough exercise/play time?  I notice that Axl gets a rather kooky on days where he wasn't walked very long or able to run around the yard because it was raining. He'll be 2 in early January, so maybe it's a teenager thing?

[Diane, Baker & Oskar]

I've heard this is about the age when people tend to relinquish their dogs (labs in particular) because they are so nuts!  We had 2 labs & I can understand if a person is on their last nerve why that could happen.  It gets better :)

[Amy & Cosmo]

Finn looks a lot like my Cosmo and they are about the same age. Cosmo has calmed down a lot, but he can get crazy without exercise. I have to keep bully sticks to calm his chewing urge, but they are so expensive. This dog is causing us to go broke!

[John and Finn]

My Finn is 9 Months and he acts the same way but now he his much bigger, stronger, louder, and with stronger jaws.  What would take him 30 minutes to destroy he can destroy in seconds.  We can't let him out of our sight or off the leash, and when he is on leash he pulls like a sled dog (sometimes even with the pinch collar I just got).  Everything is a game until he wants something then he is a genius and obeys your every command to a T.  I hear after a year they get better.

[Anne G.]

I think this is typical "teenage" behavior. It's a rough period but he will grow out of it. As others have said, a lot of exercise will help a lot! My pup will be 2 in February and she is now such a good dog. With training and time, Finn will be too.

[Meghan & Buster]

Buster is just 9 months.  A couple months ago he got into a stage to chew up shoes. I went thru 5 pairs of flip flops and a brand new pair of not cheap running shoes.  Since then...all the soft plush squeaky toys are demolished and shredded, he chews up anything he pleases.  He got to a pillow case today!  I swear...hopefully he outgrows it when he gets older...that its only a puppy stage.  I hope it doesn't continue thru teenage years!

[Jennifer]

Thanks all. Glad to hear I'm not the only one living with a naughty puppy. :-) :-)

John, I loved your description of your Finn as a sled dog. Made me laugh. I had to stop walking Finn (he was pretty much walking me) until I was able to get a better harness to deal with his strength.

Meghan, sorry to hear about your shoes, we have a lot of shoes with little teeth marks all over them. One was a brand new pair of flip flops that I had just brought home.

Some days I just look at Finn and think, you're lucky your so dang cute Mr.

:-) :-)

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Welcome to the teen age years!  Our Libby did the exact same thing with our family room furniture at that age.  She completely destroyed it and anything else she could get her paws on.  Our vet said both labs and poodles love to chew and with Doodles you get the both of the best worlds, or should I say worst.  Libby is now eighteen months old and hardly ever picks something to chew on that isn't hers, well with the exception of some of our plants outside.  Our Vet said hang in there and it will slow down and eventually stop.  He was right:)  We tried to give her other things to chew on and NOPE, did not interest her.  It was a long and very hard time, but they are just so darn cute and they are babies when they are doing it.  That's another thing!  We never saw when she chewed most of it up.  When we are gone, she is crated and it is usually not longer then an hour or two.  She also gets lots of exercise and I guess it is just the progression of the toddler years!  It will pass:)