Adolescent stage has started OY

[AthenaClimbs]

So Athena is fast approaching 8 months soon and boy she acting out. A lot of her old behaviors are coming back. She's again jumping up and biting on walks, going into the trash, barking at other dogs, still pulling on leash, and overall becoming super more defiant. We've taking training up a whole notch but can someone reassure me that these dogs DO INDEED get better?

We brought a personal trainer/behaviorist in. She made a few points to get her better. One was that from now on, she ONLY eats out of a kong or food today. No more bowl. She'll have to work for her food. We tried this but she got lost all interest in her kong, got frustrated and was whining because she was so hungry.

Also, whenever Athena takes a treat from my hand, she uses her teeth and I feel it! The trainer said at this age, it's a chance we wont get her to a soft mouth but I've been trying ow and taking my hand away. She's still a mouthy puppy in general. Any thoughts on this too?

[SteveRogers86]

my female pup Bella is 10 months and she does the same thing. Does very little of the behavoir with me but does it more to my girlfriend. If out on walks so times she will jump up and try to grab your hand, your ankle or try and cut you off. Inside if your on the couch she will jump on you and mouth your hands, your feet, you name it. She will also bark if you say No and then when you get up she will run around the table making us look stupid trying to get her . I usually put her in timeout for 10 mins. Sometimes she will come out doing it again which then she goes back in, sometimes she will come out better and leave us alone.. She gets a lot of attention but she expects attention 24 hours a day almost and she just needs to learn you can be on the floor playing all the time.

What i bought to help keep her busy is the kong wobbler. Its a big toy that you put treats in and it wobbles when she hits it trying to get the treats out. She lost interest in her regular king but loves this thing. She spend up to 30 mins on it trying to get the food out. Its quite expensive as it cost over 20 bucks but its worth it. When i feed her I usually with hold a 1/8th of a cup and put it in that kong wobbler.

I had a topic in this section a week ago about the same problem and most ppl said make sure she getting attention and rewarded for being good and she will grow out of it. My vet said the same thing when she was still a baby. They will be animals when there young, then all thehard work you spend starts to kick in then once they hit there teenage stage, they start challenging you again and you have to start that hard work all over again so you stay the pack leader.

[AthenaClimbs]

Steve,
I think Bella and Athena are the same dog. Athena is EXACTLY the same way which shines some hope on my situation. I've been trying to keep her busy and stimulated with a marrow bone, freezing treats in there. Everything from pumpkin to lamb sausage to cottage cheese and you name it. But you're right. She expects attention from us ALL THE TIME.

[Anthony8858]

Oh boy. Sounds as if you have your hands full.... again.

Kira gets a little coo-coo, and I find that I snap her right out of it, by putting her into training mode.
I would run her through her full menu of tricks, and evaluate her state of mind. I'm always guaranteed a different dog, after training.

As far as the hand biting for food. .. Have you taught her "touch"? I found it very easy to teach Kira to touch an extended hand on command. From there, I put a small treat in the palm of my hand, told her "touch". She would sniff my hand, then take the treat gently. Touch also gets Kira out of bite mode.

I'm sure there's another trick to gentle feeding, but that's how I managed to get around it.

Kira no longer bites, and IMO, I'm surprised that you're still going through it. I would take a few steps back, and go back to basics. When she bites, replace it with her toy or bone.

It sounds as if Athena simply needs more stimulation.

[lorihd@comcast.net]

gee are you talkin about your dog or my 7 mo old puppy? i have mine in obedience classes and she is still a pain in the ass! i do put her in time outs about 2x a day( when she gets too crazy) i certainly dont feel guilty, enough is enough. i try to have her on a schedule so she doesnt take up my entire day. (although she takes up my entire day)! sound familiar? oy vey

[GSDMUM]

Mine bites my fingers too so Instead of giving her treats with them in my fingers to her mouth, I put them in the palm of my hand, make a fist, let her sniff and then open my palm up and then she softly licks the treat up.

[GSDMUM]

Originally Posted by lorihd@comcast.net

gee are you talkin about your dog or my 7 mo old puppy? i have mine in obedience classes and she is still a pain in the ass! i do put her in time outs about 2x a day( when she gets too crazy) i certainly dont feel guilty, enough is enough. i try to have her on a schedule so she doesnt take up my entire day. (although she takes up my entire day)! sound familiar? oy vey

LOL! your post made me laugh. Mine is another pain in the ass at 6 months. Some days she bounce off the walls, dives on us on the sofa, back on the floor, back on us, round and round, then bites my belly, then my boob, anything that projects forward, LOL!