Adolescent stage

[AthenaClimbs]

Just want to rant that her stage is slowing coming in. She's going to be 6 months on the 9th and I'm already seeing signs. She's starting to be a real brat on walks and jumps up and bites my arms. She no longer wants to go in her crate when I say in. I hear the "protests" during training.

No questions, just felt like shedding a few tears for what I know will last for a few months.

Oh, and she has a cold so her vet said not to be around dogs for two weeks. TWO WEEKS!? That means no dog parks for her to run and burn off energy. I think I'm going to lock myself in the crate instead

[Gretchen]

I wish you good luck and a whole lot of patience pretty soon. When our girl got to be about 10-11months, it was a hard realization the sweet puppy stage was over. But at about 18 months things really changed for the better. You might just want to take a break from training until she is more receptive and less naughty.

One of our mail carriers really loves GSD's and when she saw mine sitting in my car, she had to say hello. She also commented about how hard the adolescent stage could be and at this time owners will frequently give their GSDs up to shelters thinking it will never get better.

Hope the cold gets better soon.

[AthenaClimbs]

I've heard that quite a bit as well. I guess most people don't have this forum to turn too, but her behavior is getting so bratty. Sometimes I feel at a loss, I play with her indoors then put her in a crate where she'll whine which feels like forever. I don't know how people have the patience with it for months.
We're all prepared for it and no way we're giving her up.

[MaggieRoseLee]

The reason that many many many many of us start up with the puppy/dog classes at about 6 months is because we are then getting the exact skills WE need as owners/handlers when our pups are getting the independence and energy to start testing their boundaries.

Much less anger from us when we are in classes realizing that the sooner WE learn what we need to do our pups become the 'rocket scientists' we knew they could be!