What do you call the stage between 12- 18 months, besides frustrating?

[Judith and Addie]

My girl, Addie, turned 1 year Dec 2104. We have already gone through the juvenile period,  the juvenile delinquent, and the adolescence period. Now we seem to be in a new phase., the "I am gong to do things I know I shouldn't, just because" stage. Anyone else in this stage?

This stage seems to be marked by the following behaviors:

- Addie used to go from the house into the crate on the back of my SUV, no problems. Now I need the leash on her or she dashes away.

- She looks for things in my bedroom, find the stray sock or whatever, picks it up, shows me she has it, and once she has my attention, she runs away.

- She growls and lunges after people and especially other dogs. I am working with a trainer on this. The growl is not threatening, as she also growls when she plays, but others don't know that.

- She has started jumping onto my lap uninvited for cuddling.

- Her very good "Here" is now wishy-washy.

-Her "stay" is sometimes, maybe she will and maybe she won't.

She believes she should have treats for obeying all commands, not just praise. She doesn't get treats for all commands.

For some reason, she reminds me of a teenager being a contrarian, testing the limits, again.

BTW, almost half of her food is fed by hand through-out the day while I do periods of 5 minutes or less training - sit, place (a rug about 5' from the front door), down, paw, stay, roll over, here, stand, watch me. We also work on loose-leash walking on her walks, as well as control when we pass other people and dogs. I use the high value treats for that.

I figure it is just another stage and I am waiting for this one to pass. Anyone else with me?

[Danni & Jedi]

My dog just turned a year, and suddenly has become a blatant thief! When I remove things from his mouth and walk away he runs up and tries to grab it! His "here" is crap now, and he's become a very picky eater and beggar. You have given me hope just outlining what's going on with your Abby. I've heard time and again on DK that these things are just "terrible teens" issues, and that we should persevere, and that's the advice that I'm giving you now. Hang in there and PERSEVERE! 

[Judith and Addie]

It is nice to know I am not alone.

[Rebecca bratter]

I am having similar issues so I'm curious to see the answers here. My aussiedoodle is about 21 months and she is in a word- defiant. She has forgotten the difference between sit and down, unless there is a treat involved and then she magically knows. When we get into our yard, she won't come in the house, she'll sit in the yard and eat a coconut or something else and just shred it and watch me go into the house. I of course will not leave her in the yard so we get into a test of wills which involves me pushing her butt lightly from behind to get her up. She will blatantly eat poop when we go on night walks and I can't see everything she does. Even at the park at the end of play time after an hour when she's tired, she just lays in the grass and won't walk to the car with me which involves another test of wills to see who will break first. She's become very protective of me and jealous of my time. sometimes when i get phone call she gets all huffy and won't leave me alone, she doesn't do this to my husband. She just wants what she wants and we know that dogs needs discipline but it's tough because I love this little girl and just want to play around and have fun but right now, I am needing use some serious discipline. If anyone can provide an explanation as to whether this is a phase or a permanent behavior unless corrected, that would be helpful.

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

And here I thought Shiloh was being a bad influence. Yarrow knows what's expected of her and she looks me right in the eyes and does the opposite! Shiloh is an incorrigible chewer, which Yarrow wasn't before, and in the past couple of months they have stolen mittens, gloves, socks, slippers, a book, receipts.... I have even caught Shiloh lifting the lid of the laundry basket to help herself. What makes it worse is that they seem to have an eye (or taste) for things handmade or upscale. For instance, the 'slippers' are hand made suede moccasins which used to have shearling trim. They've become such thieves that I've taken to hanging my purse up high, lest they get at my wallet and eat my credit cards and I.D. The girls will be one and a half on March 10, so I figure it's the canine equivalent to the terrible twos. There is an innocence about Shiloh. When caught, her expression says, 'oops, my mistake' but Yarrow looks like, 'Shiloh did it first'... and she tries to run off with the loot. It's frustrating but I know it's a phase. Glad. To hear I'm not alone.

[Rebecca bratter]

This is what I was thinking too, that it's the equivalent of the terrible 2s.  Madiba is out of the chewing and thieving phase but the defiance and stubborness are intentional, she knows what she's doing.  It's hard to deal with because I can't find the root of why she is doing this.  This dog loves me almost as much as I love her, she is my constant companion and always by my side, at my feet, or on my feet.  Or is she's not on me, she's staring at me and watching my every move. She protects me and if she hears any strange noises in the house, she barks and then runs over and sits in front of me.   I know it's not motivated by anger or trying to be mean.  I want to understand what it is about dog behavior that compels them to be so defiant and test us.  Then I can't really get mad at her because she's so cute and loving.  What to do??

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

Madiba sounds adorable. You've just made me think of something. In the past month of so, both of my girls have been in a situation to made me think they were being protective of me. I watched an episode of Ceasar 911 a while back where a woman's dog was being unnecessarily protective. The woman was recovering from a surgery. Ceasar told her that dogs can sense pain. Lately i've been in some pain (rheumatism) while we're out on our walks. Some days it's really bad but we hit the trails anyway. Wonder if it affects how Yarrow & Shiloh perceive me.

Just one of those thoughts that makes me go, hmmmmm. May be totally unrelated to why Madiba is being protective of you but I thought I'd just throw it out there as it came to mind.

[Rebecca bratter]

she is the cutest thing ever and I love her, but she can be baaaaad.  I've also heard about and read about exactly what you're saying.  She is absolutely sensitive to when I dont' feel well or if I hurt myself and will guard me and not leave my side.  She does the same for my husband.  He tripped and hurt himself and was laying on the floor and she came over sat on his hand and licked his face until he got up.  But she does this all the time. she has somehow decided that I need her protection and I don't know why.  I'm not frail nor slight of build, and I'm incredibly active.  But she must be sensing something.  We moved and have been pretty unhappy in our new apartment for the last 9 months, she may sense that and the tension it causes both me and my husband.  Happily we are moving soon to a nicer and better place.  Maybe she'll ease up.  

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

I think you're probably right. These dogs are so very sensitive.

[Tracey & Spike]

Thank you SO much for posting this. I'm going through the same thing! Spike also turned 1 in December.
He's turned into a pulling, mouthy (verbal), cheeky, unhearing, thieving cleptomaniac!
We are in grade four at school. He's an angel there. At home I swear we wouldn't pass puppy kindergarten. He runs at any chance. Doesn't listen worth poop. He waits until he thinks enough time has passed that doing the request would be HIS idea. I'm so lost!!! And frustrated!! My poor dad keeps saying how we wasted hundreds on training for a "box of rocks"!!!!

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

Thanks for the giggle, Tracey! That reminds me of when my children were young. People always commented on 'how well behaved' and 'what nice manners' ... while at home they were hooligans who would listen to me if they felt like it. But I sure appreciated that they knew how to behave when it really mattered to me. So maybe that 'box of rocks' is going to prove a wonderful investment once Spike gets through the defiant phase. I'd like to know just what is up with this apparently normal thieving stage.

[Tracey & Spike]

I just want to know how long it will last!!! Haha. If this is the terrible twos what will the threes be like?! I took Spike to the pet store on the weekend and he stole a tiny tennis ball right off the bottom shelf!! The brat!!! How he managed to even see the balls when he had his nose glued to the ground Hoover style I'll never know!! So much for walking nicely on a leash!!

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

I am so glad there are other people going thought this my dog is 11 months old and just starting to do all of this and I was getting upset with my self thinking I was doing something wrong!