Fleury hit the butthead stage
 

Fleury just hit his 6 month mark this past week and we had been doing so well! He had been causing regular puppy mischief, but nothing we hadn't gotten used to handling. But now, I fear that hormones are rewiring his brain and somewhere the nerve ending that connects his ears to his brain turned off the switch that listened to mom.

He has been sassing for the past month of so - just sort of whining and huffing when we tell him to do stuff he doesn't want to - but he still did it. Now, it seems to really depend on his mood...some days he's back to his normal self - other days he seems to be a crazy dog in my puppy's body. He started to sort of bunch up his bed in what seems to be a pre-hump maneuver - although my husband and I both just take away the bed when he does that - humping is definitely not allowed here. Gross.

He's also getting bolder and more curious. And guarding more - alerting me to anything that's not how it's supposed to be.

I know, like the landshark phase, that this too will pass and we'll get back the nice, well behaved, loving dog we had a month ago if we just keep up with training/socializing but, like the landshark phase, the tough part is getting through it. I keep repeating this to myself each day.....

Delgado started at 7 months, by the time he hit eight I was threatening him almost daily with "I'm calling the vet" ;)

It does pass, lots of exercise and patience :)

We threaten him with a snip too. We tell him when he's misbehaving "You better behave - you can only keep 'em so long as you are good!" If only he understood english...

Just wondering, you didn't name him after Marc-Andre Fleury did you?

Good luck with the little trouble maker :D

Yep, I did lol. We are from Pittsburgh originally, so HUGE Penguins fans and Fleury is my favorite - plus he's a white GSD so it sounds like flurry (as in snow flurries) so it fits :) You're not a Flyers fan are you?

Jaeger is a bit past nine 1/2 months and we've seen a change already from the obstinate butthead phase to a sweeter dog. Plus he suddenly got a big dog bark and the inclination to keep an eye on everyone and everything.

One of the sweetest things he does . . .it gets me choked up, actually . . .is that he watches over my oldest dog, Peanut. She goes out to go potty after the other three because she is smallest and somewhat fragile and she just wants to go out with no jostling, do her business, and get back inside. Jaeger stands at the door and watches over her and won't walk away until she is safely back inside. And he's really careful not to bump her or get rough with her because it makes her cry (arthritis). Peanut is a really special dog and I'm just really glad that Jaeger is sweet to her. The big lug towers over her, now.

Anyway, hang in there! The ornery phase will be gone before you know it.

NOOOOOO, I HATE the Penguins! The only worse names in the world would have been Crosby or Malkin.

Yes, I'm a Flyers fan :D The dog in my avatar was my parents shep, but I named him Beezer for Vanbiesbrouck when he played for the Flyers.

p.s. big game tonight :D

haha...his best buddy is a shepherd named Sydney - not named for the player and just a coincidence, but it's one I love!

We are living out of Pgh now, so we have Center Ice and luckily we get the game tonight vs. your Filthadelphia Flyers. ;-) Although I question your choice of team, it's always nice to "meet" someone passionate about the game.

Aw, that's such a sweet story. It's so nice when you see these big, "scary" dogs being so nurturing towards beings smaller than them.

I'm glad it won't last long. Keeping him tired enough to be well behaved makes me tired lol. This weekend we took a hike up in the mountains - 1,000 ft altitude change - thought it would whoop him. He napped for two hours then sat by the back door, like "And did you forget? We still haven't played ball today..."

I'm getting "my" first GSD next year, I think I'll name him Giroux :D

By the way, I got to meet Max Talbot this past weekend, remember him? haha I changed my avatar to a pic of him wearing a Flyers jersey posing with my kids for ya :)