German Shepherds Forum banner

age at which teenager behavior shows up...

4K views 12 replies 9 participants last post by  Liffey 
#1 · (Edited)
I only had two GSds, the first that passed at 11 years old and the current one who is 2 years and 3 months. I read about the teenager stage they go around two years old. It happened with my first one (show bloodline). It is going on now with the second one (working bloodlines) he is not following commands as he was and kind of getting his way with some rules . Some say that it can happen until three years old with some dogs... I just want to be sure about it because I see that in here some GSD owners talk about their dogs going thru this stage at a younger age like 11 months.
This is an article I read on this topic.
Puppy Development
Maybe I'm confused about the teenager stage and dogs trying to become the Alpha.
Thanks for helping me to understand and be more clear about it
 
#2 ·
Interested to see what people have to say on this one. I'm in a similar spot, my boy is approaching 1.5 years and while he hasn't changed much at home (other than being really pushy about chasing the cat) he's a different dog in public. In a fenced area, he's low man on the totem pole, won't say boo to a goose. Generally doesn't enjoy the dog park so we avoid it. On the leash, walking with me and my older golden retriever, he's fine with people, a little perplexed by bikes and strollers, but if a leashed dog approaches, he loses his mind. In obedience class? Perfect. Calm, quiet, the demonstration dog many times. I wish I had more insight...for now, I'm all ears.
 
#3 ·
From my observations of my two dogs and a few club dogs, you can expect changes in behavior from 6 months to three years and then some. My she-pup went through what looked like a 2nd fear phase around 9 months. She is still working her way out of a few training mistakes I made with her then. My boy got a bit pig-headed around 18 months old but at age three he is calm, cool and confident. Perhaps too confident because when we are out with him, if we call him to pay attention to us, he sometimes ignores us. Having to work through this issue with him now. It takes some compulsion to show him that I expect him to look up and pay attention (not yank and crank. more like "we aren't going anywhere or doing anything until you are in position and I see those eyes up here on me").
As far as the Alpha thing, it isn't that either dog is trying to be the big boss. They basically just want to do something and try to get away with it. But as the human, we have to be the Benevolent Dictator. You want to have a long and happy life, follow my rules. You want to go sniff that tree? Give me attention first. You want to cross the road? You have to stand quietly by my side and wait first. You want to get a treat in the kitchen? You had better be waiting in the special treat spot.
 
#4 ·
Jack started going through this nonsense at 10 months. The best I can describe it is a sudden emergence of pigheadedness, purposefully ignoring commands because--look a squirrel!, and getting a little pushy, rude, and demanding. He has good days and bad days. We tightened up the rules that we realized had gotten lax, and started making him perform commands for just about everything he decides he wants (NILIF). If he complies, he gets what he wants, and that concept of having to work for what he wants is really sinking in.

He's not in any way trying to be alpha. He's just trying to figure out the loopholes in the rules. I swear sometimes it's like he's trying to be a lawyer...
 
#6 ·
He's not in any way trying to be alpha. He's just trying to figure out the loopholes in the rules. I swear sometimes it's like he's trying to be a lawyer...
That's what we get for choosing smart dogs. Remember, if they get away with it one time that means they think they can get away with it any time...or so someone wise once told me.
 
#8 ·
I found the change starting at around 8 - 9 months and when they hit the 2 year mark, one to the day!, they suddenly seem to have remembered everything I tried to install in them. With WD I even remember where I was when I realized that. Same when my teenage sons (both at 17 years old) told me "Mom, you are right."
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top