Teenage Stage at 4 Months???

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Okay, just wanted to ask around...Peri is exactly 4 months old. At 3 months, she started sleeping all night, having no accidents, etc....
This week she has become somewhat of a nightmare! Now that we can take her anywhere, I walk her at least 30 minutes in the morning, 20-30 minutes at lunch and again for 30 minutes at night. Why isn't she wearing out? She still gets crazy zoomies, barks for attention, gets into EVERYTHING now (indoor plants, you name it). It is like she is regressing. I have heard about the "teenage" stage for pups. Is she entering into that already? It is like nothing wears her down. We have her in obedience, which is helping. She does listen to us, which is good.
Any thoughts are appreciated - she is a mini goldendoodle. We love her bunches and know this will pass. I am just wondering about this phase of her life...she is testing us constantly :) LOL

[Sandy]

You just described Toby to a "t". We still walk him three times a day, most days, and he will be one next week. Evenings have gotten a lot better - most evenings we get to relax from nine o'clock on. Toby seemed to have a long teenage stage, and I think he's not completely out of it yet. My only advice is to know that some day, eventually this will pass. Even now, when he gets out of control, I give him a five minute time out in his crate, which seems to "reset" his brain, and he understands that his behaviour had become unacceptable.

And now I see he's just found a sock to steal, so I'd better go deal with it!

[Christine + Ellie]

Lol, this sounds like Ellie. Her barking is driving me insane! I think my neighbors will probably start banging on the walls to get me to shut her up!

I take her for long walks twice a day (morning and night) since I don't go home at lunch anymore. Is Peri still in her crate at lunch? Ellie gated in my bathroom so she has room to walk around and play but I'm almost positive she sleeps the entire time because there aren't usually any accidents for the 8 hrs I leave her at home.

What I notice wears Ellie does is playing with kids or other dogs. We have a huge space in our building that our Super has allowed Ellie to run like a mad dog. I'm going to take her to a puppy play group next week and hope that helps as well.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Yep, it is very clear that Peri and Ellie are sisters :) I wish they could meet one day. Ours look the most alike out of the entire litter! They are the cutest in my opinion. Maybe they are kindred spirits aka troublemakers. HA!

[Chris & Boys]

Well, I don't think it started at 4 month, for Fozzy it started at 6 months with the barking. I would say that Peri is a "tween" true "teens" is far worse than you describe because they get into EVERYTHING. I got home last night and the toilet paper rolls in each bathroom had been shredded right off the roll. A box of babywipes, which I use to wipe off his paws when he comes in from the yard, had been open and shredded. A brand new Steeler's Nerf football had been shredded and he managed to tip over the garbage can so he could get the lid off. He managed to shred all of the feminine hygiene products that were in there along with dixies cups and q-tips and scatter them all over the bathroom and bedroom! Now, remember Allyson, that is just while I was at work YESTERDAY. LOL - no one ever said being a mom would be easy, right?

[Adina P]

The official "teenage" period is supposed to be around 6+ months. And I think that has more to do with challenging YOU or ignoring things she's been taught. BUT...I don't think it really matters. Basically puppies are challenging and get random spurts of naughtiness.... All you can do is continue obedience, be consistent in your response, give exercise regularly, give her rest periods in her crate to chill out and she'll come around =)

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Good tips...I am going to try the "time out" in the crate when she gets like this.
Peri is still in her crate while we are at work, but she gets a 1-2 hour break midday. I cannot trust her to even leave her in the kitchen...she would chew on the cabinets and molding! I have caught her doing it while I am at home. She likes her crate, HOWEVER, I have been nervous about using it as a "time out" place even for 5 minutes. I feel like a bad mom since she is in it during the day. Maybe we should do it to try to teach her to calm down when she is out of control.
I love her, knew having a puppy would be hard, but I love her to death! She is too funny for words and sometimes I think she is so smart and that is why she is a challenge. Which is a good thing.
Thanks to all - I still welcome other similar stories and possible remedies!

[Adina P]

Think of time out as "You seem exhausted and stressed, let's take a break" rather than "Bad girl, go to time out!" Big difference in attitude, right? She might not like it any more than a child likes being put down for nap time or bed time...but it's hardly punishment or a horrible negative thing...just like kids they'd rather do what they'd rather do. Maybe give her a stuffed Kong or a special treat/toy in there for those times. Keep it simple and calm and she'll do fine I think =)

Rosco was crated probably more often than recommended to keep me sane. He had lots of play time, lots of potty breaks and even semi-supervised time running around where I was. But when the wrestling (with our other doodle) started to drive me insane, he'd go right to his crate. Not because he was bad, but because I had had enough of wrestling in the house or I needed to focus on something else.

[Sandy]

I agree wtih Adina - look on it as putting a toddler in a play pen. Sometimes Toby just can't seem to settle himself down. He seems too wound up to settle down. 9 times out of 10 when I crate him for a couple of minutes and then let him out, he goes and flops in the hall.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Great tips...I will try this weekend and let you know! I will give her a kong to make it enjoyable for her - will make it a break time and keep upbeat when taking her there.
Thanks for the help!

[Tammy & Gracie]

This is when Gracie began going to doggie daycare. Doggie daycare, swimming and long visits to the dogpark are the only things that tired her out enough! When she was about 6 or 7 months old, i sent her to daycare 5 days a week. Now, at 1 1/2 years she goes to daycare 2 x weekly, dogpark on evenings when she has not been to daycare, agility 1x weekly, agility practice in the backyard for a few minutes daily and swimming on one weekend morning. So in short, she gets some exercise daily. I also practice obedience with her each day but in tiny spurts, like a couple of downs while I am cooking, etc. I happen to be a little more fit too! I do walk her some in between but not every day. But relax, she will grow up before you know it. Gracie was known as many expletive names in that first year....Also Gracie is still not left alone in the house without supervision. Now though, she is fairly calm and not destructive every day!! Don't get me wrong, Like you, I love her to death. I don't mind all these exercises with her at all. In fact I like nothing more than spending time with her.

On another note, I may visit the mid TN romp in Oct. We may have one here in mid Oct as well. You are welcome to visit that so we can meet and compare notes on our mini (brats) uh, doods! We're about 3 hours apart....

[Yvonne N]

I'm feeling your "pain"...and here I just thought Astro was losing his hearing. Smile.