What do you consider the most "difficult" time period in doodle puppyhood/adolescence?

[jenn D]

I apologize in advance if I am asking too many questions lately, maybe I'm bored or just want to get everyone's creative juices following for when Adina starts putting together her book. Honestly, I'm really curious about this one too:

As a doodle owner or rescue advocate, what do you consider the most trying or difficult times you've experience with your doodle regarding puppyhood and adolescence?
For me, I think the 8-11 months are the hardest. For all 3 of my boys, at that age they started acting like they had forgotten every command they ever learned and because a little defiant. Trying to counter surf because they hit a tall growth spurt, selective hearing and and excessive non stop romping. They also had a that point lost most of their puppiness look and their energy levels skyrocketed. I'm not surprised that we rescued Jake at 8 months. He had all of these qualities, in spades. And very bouncy, extra bouncy then-probably because he has so much poodle in him. We considered renaming him Tigger at that time!

I think I am reminded of it because pickles is around 8 months and this behavior is starting to show. It's something I deal with and know its a passing faze but gheesh! Tiring! I love my dogs but I really dislike this part of the growing and training process. There I said it: I don't like late puppyhood/onset adolescence! I know some people have difficulty with the beginning months where pup whimpers, you are potty training etc. but for me, 8-11 months is the difficult part. "I don't know how to sit!", "You mean that chicken breast on the counter wasn't for me?", "wanna see how many times I can run around the house at a breakneck speed?", "I bet you think I can't get my brothers to revert to their puppyhood state. Watch this!!". Thanks, Pickles. You are such a cute, lovely adorable pup of 55 LBS at 8 months old !!!
It makes me curious what ages DRC sees most of their rescues. I'll bet some of it correlates to growing/development behavior.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It would be an interesting project to look at the ages of the doodles who are relinquished to DRC and get some statistics. Sadly, doodles of all ages are relinquished, (We've had 11 week old puppies and 10 year old seniors, and everything in between) but the reasons are different. It's probably true that a good percentage of those who are relinquished between 6 and 18 months lose their homes because of the kinds of adolescent behaviors you mention here. 

[jenn D]

I figured that mixed with families of young kids. Alex, my 5 year old, got lambasted by Pickles the other day when Pickles had one of his energy bursts. You have at 55 lb doodle running full speed and a 40 lb boy just standing in the way even though I said "get to the couch buddy!". You can guess who won that crash.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, I'd say the majority of younger doodles who are relinquished by their owners come from families with multiple young children. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Like this?  We had only had Clancy a couple of months when this zomie accident happened. It never happened again, so I guess both dogs learned where NOT to be in space and time in relation to the other.

We got Ned at 3 1/2 months and housebreaking him was pretty easy.  He got into a few things and chewed up a few things. But overall he was easy.  We got Clancy as a two-year old rescue and the hardest part of adding Clancy to our dog family was that he and Gordie (our Springer) butted heads over their places in the hierarchy.  We picked up all high value toys and separated them when we were gone - just in case.   Our difficult times were with our Springer - he chewed up everything - couches, chairs, molding, doors etc - but only when we were gone.  We now know he had (and still has) separation anxiety.  He could not be confined and climbed over and could actually move heavy furniture to get out of blocked doorways.  I think if I hadn't loved and wanted him so much, he would have been a serious candidate for re-homing.  He was wild and overly active; ate our hands and on and on.  I don't think I enjoyed him for about two years!

[jenn D]

Nancy, yes like that but Alex was thrown up in the air and his legs were higher than his arms and head. Then he fell on his back. The picture you posted are exactly how my doodles play. They get rough and you'd best get out of their way or at least bend your knees when you are standing near their romp or they will take you down!

[Breanna]

I think the younger mine was, the harder things were. It has mostly become easier as she has grown older. I got her when she was 13 weeks so she wasn't a tiny puppy. For me, house training is the worst part of puppyhood frustrations and Crush was almost fully house trained when I got her. The hard part was keeping her under my watch at all times because she did chew things a lot. It took her awhile to teach her what her toys were versus mine. She knew the "come here" command but tested my boyfriend and I for a long time. It took a lot of diligent training for her to stop playing cat-and-mouse with us in the yard. I remember a few weeks before Christmas (she was 8 months old) it snowed a lot so I took her in the yard to play. She didn't want to go inside and kept dodging me as I tried to catch her. I was slipping and falling down in the snow for a long time before I got the neighbor to help me.

She didn't really go through the "teenager stage" at 8-11 months, and she is 14 months now. The other hard part has been chewing. She does it when we leave because she gets anxious being left alone. I had her to where she was free roam of a portion of the house while we were at work, but she started destroying things again. She went back to the crate and we are now starting over with transitioning to free roam a little bit at a time.

NONE of the struggles would ever drive me to give her up. There are pretty simple solutions to the common dog problems and I have dealt with them accordingly. One of my favorite (sarcasm) reasons for giving up a dog is "he keeps digging out of the backyard." Then don't leave him in the backyard all day by himself! 

[Stephanie and Ragley]

Ragley is now 9 months old and I totally agree with you, Jenn. This has definitely been the most frustrating part of her training. Although she is a complete angel 90% of the time still, there are two distinct new "looks" I get from her now:

1. the "you're not the boss of me!" look

2. the "what does that word mean?" look

I'd say this started at about 7 months old. I have been trying to stay even more on top of her basic commands during this time, but it is tough! Fortunately, she is a couch potato so I don't have to worry about the energy problems.

[Julie and Max]

Max at ten months had boundless energy and I am not joking. I love it, and I do not mind all the walking, playing and friskiness he has but I can't imagine him being with someone that had children and other responsibilities. If I did not walk him as much much as I do I can't imagine the trouble he'd get up to. We call it his up to no good face here, and usually when I see it I take him for a walk but the odd time I haven't been able to, he really does look for trouble. He'll start stealing things, chasing the cats, just generally making a nuisance of himself. Thankfully I have the time to devote to him to smooth out the rough spots, but he is much more high maintenance than the dog I had when my kids are young. I love that doodle energy and intelligence, and it was one of the reasons I wanted a doodle, but whenever someone says these are great family dogs well I just think that isn't really true, at least not for the general public. I know there are lots of people on here with kids and doodles who are awesome, but I also know they dedicate a lot of time to making it work and I don't feel like the general population would be willing to do that. Max is the dog of my heart, my best friend, my companion, and I am thankful every single day that he came to me, and maybe part of his neediness is me I don't know, but I feel like with someone less devoted dogs like Max would not be as wanted and I agree that the adolescent time is more trying. 

[Jen W]

The first three months I had Dory (so from 2 -5 months) were the worst for me.  I tell everyone those were the worst months of my life and I'm not kidding.  The housetraining, the chewing, the separation anxiety, it was all enough to drive me crazy.  I was expecting another bout of terror when she hit adolescence, but I never saw it.  

[Lynda Kamrath]

I think the most difficult time is at any age when they have to be left at home while you are away at work (or at other endeavors).  We were lucky in that we got our first doodle when my husband retired so there has been little time that they were left alone at home.  Potty training is sometimes challenging, but not any more so than with a child.  Chewing and jumping?  Yep, puppies will do that.  Destructive?  They can be that also.  You just learn to put everything away, and that isn't so bad, is it?  Barking?  Yes, they are dogs, and that is the way they communicate that something is not right in their world.  They do require a lot of time, and I think when you do not have the time to spend with them, that is when the doodles and their people have their most trying times.  Also traveling can be a challenge.  They love to go anywhere, but sometimes it is just not reasonable to be taking them.  Then it is someone staying at home or getting a sitter for your dog(s).  We have done it all.  But worth it?  Definitely.

[Jaime + Oliver]

Oliver is 1 now and harder to deal with than at 6 months.  Every month is different, but now we've hit a challenging combination of a high energy, confident, independent and defiant pup.  I think 2-4 months was tough just because of potty training, sleeping through the night etc.  With the early months despite the exhaustion of sleepless nights, there was always light at the end of the tunnel because you know a lot of the challenges were because of being a baby.  It seemed that 5-11 months were easy, but 11+ months has been hard hard hard because he's choosing not to obey.  That's a lot different than just not knowing and needing to be taught.  Even through the tears and frustration I would never consider giving up this innocent fuzzball that I've committed to loving to the end of his days.  That's not only because I love this dog, but also because I committed to the responsibility of loving and teaching this dog how to behave within the confines of human rules.  All of that said, I'd never try and raise a puppy and young kids at the same time - I've got serious praise for those that can, but I know that I wouldn't be able to find enough time to do both and remain sane.  Having that self awareness saved us from getting a puppy at the wrong time in our lives and having to face a tough situation.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I wish that every person who is considering getting a doodle, especially those who are parents, would read this post beforehand. Amen.