Any tips for teenaged puppy behaviors? Is regression normal?

[Shari Becker]

Hi there,

I'm just wondering if anyone else's dog had some regression around the 8-9 month mark.

Lexi has been such a handful lately (a real teenager). Despite having a trainer here last month and following her instructions daily, Lexi continues to leap up and try to steal food off counters, tables and right out of the kids' hands. We have taken to tethering her whenever she is in the kitchen or near people snacking AND locking her out of the kitchen in between meals. It just feels like we will never get this kitchen behavior under control, and like she really doesn't care that she's not supposed to do it. She's so much more defiant than she was two months ago.

Another regression, is that she is now having accidents in the house again about once a week. We took her for a walk this week, and she was out for 30 minutes and didn't pee. We got home and 20 minutes later she peed on the floor. It was raining, but she's never had an issue in the rain before. Another time, she was playing a very energetic game of catch with my daughter, she just stopped mid-run, peed on the floor and took off again. I would say she was almost completely trained back in November. I'm a little blind-sided by the new accidents. We picked up a set of bells, but she seems a little afraid of them. Are we missing something? 

Thanks,

Shari

[Susan and Bentley]

we've been having some regression issues as well.  Bentley started them around 10 months old.  He was defiant, stubborn, not listening at all and started chewing things up again - shoes, clothes, etc.  He bounced back at 11 months old - he's listening again but he's still chewing on our shoes - we have to make sure everything is put away.  We still crate him when we go out and at night.  Hopefully he will stop this soon!

[Lois Ehrenfeld de Buren]

We have problems wih Rajah who was neutered a fortnight ago being hyper active. Rajah will get a lot more excercise now that he is fully recovered from his op. However he's like a monkey running iff with underwaear, shoes,mtowels anything at all - last night it was my cell phone, and he destroyed a pair of glasses etc., etc.. We cannot leave anything within reach, & he has to be crated whenever we go out. Rajah will be 10 months old on 4/11, & he can become
unfocused & disobedient. However he is the most loveable of dogs & is wonderful all through the night & of course when he's napping! Like Bentley & Lexi he has his moments to say the least but he's worth it. About Lexi's going in the house that is difficult, perhaps she gets too focused on playing, & needs a time out? Thank goodness Rajah has been great about bathroom habits, but boy can he be a handful especially in the evning! It is a relief to know that we are not alone with our puppy problems.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Tara is 5 years old now but she did regress quite badly around 8 months. She was such a sweet, easy to train, willing to please puppy and she became defiant and behaved as though she new nothing about obedience. She even started snapping at me when I gave her a command. It was horrible. I just continue to repeat and repeat her training. Went back to basics.

We have had recent discussions about the counter-surfing issue with some ideas on how to end that behavior.

Here's one from this group but I know there are others as well that you can find with a search.

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/trainingmindsets/forum/topics/the...

Does she know down/stay? When you are in the kitchen with her could you put her in a down stay  on a bed or rug? That way she can learn what is expected of her and you can be proactive before she gets into problems. If she breaks her stay just keep returning her to the bed. Keeping a leash on her will help you get control faster.

As far as the house training regression, it sounds like she just gets too busy and distracted to care about going out. Again, you probably need to go backward with her training and not wait for her to tell you. Take her outside regularly and make sure she goes before coming back inside. Tara doesn't like to pee on her walks so when we get home we always make sure she goes before coming inside. Lexi will get it with time-she is still very young and is still learning to live in the human world. I know it is frustrating when you're going though it but she will learn with perseverance and patience on your part. Good luck!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Oh yes, I remember this age well.....I found it to be the most challenging.  It's like they finally develop a strong mind of their own....and when training and consistency is so important.  Preventing the "food stealing" will be critical...because each time she is successful it reinforces the behavior.  I would definitely keep her out of the kitchen when you can't watch her....or else remove all food from the counters.  I'd also create her if the kids are walking around with food unless you're going to be right there to correct her if she tries to take it.  The accidents may just relate to her getting overly excited.  Even at five years old, my mini Doodle will have accidental pee accidents if the grandkids are here and playing with him....he gets so excited that he "forgets".

[Shari Becker]

Thanks everyone. We have been hardcore about the tethering in the kitchen and keeping the gate locked, and that seems to be helping things. I think I've been underfeeding her a a little unintentionally. So a few bigger meals seem to have made her less restless in the kitchen, too. We are working hard with the potty bells, too. She hasn't figured it out yet, but she isn't vocal at all about needing to go, so I'm hoping this will help for those times we inadvertently wait too long.

Lois, nighttime is definitely the biggest challenge sometimes. If she hasn't walked a lot during the day, we need to spend a good 30 minutes playing fairly intensely with her. So much energy to burn! But then she just turns into the sweetest snuggler after a good play, so I really can't complain. Thanks for all your input!