[dogmama]

Zack is a 15 month old, high drive, neutered male Czech import. We do obedience, agility as well as lots of exercise. He's at the age where he's just naughty sometimes! Grabs shoes & runs, rips up newspaper, rings the "go outside" bell just for attention (think: Pavlov's human - that's me!!).

Is there anything else I should be doing? When do they grow out of this?? I don't want a dog that's a constant-motion-machine, "me-me-me," annoying creature like so many of my friends' pocket pooches.

Help! Or at least reassure me that it gets better! I haven't had a pup in over 15 years, and never such a high drive boy.

 

[Brightelf]

Dogmama, don't worry.

Someone here will have reassurance for you. I myself have my first puppy, so, I am learning, too. My Czech boy is also 15 months... any chance they are related? My dog is a Congo Vikar son.

I think it helps to remember that the crazies are temporary. I think drive and energy level are separate, but, the grabby, wacky behavior is partly age and partly how we respond to it. (eye contact and talking, even angrily, is a HUUUGE reward)

Take deep breaths, up his excersise a little, and hopefully incorperating a bit more training into your daily lives may help give him the boundaries and release he craves.

Hang in there!

 

[CherryCola]

Don't worry they do grow out of it

My girl is 14 months old and she does the same things. She runs off with things, digs lots of holes and barks for attention. GSD's sort of go through a second puppyhood when they get to a year old.
Until he matures a bit, I'd just suggest lots of obedience work. Take him to classes, and practise at home. Make him work for things - get him to sit before he goes through a door, get him to give a paw for his dinner, etc.

It will get easier!!

 

[Clare]

Originally Posted By: dogmama rings the "go outside" bell just for attention (think: Pavlov's human - that's me!!).

My 13 week old male does the SAME thing!

 

[sitstay]

My youngster is 16 months old now, and he is a major pain in the neck at times. He likes to go, go, go and seems to recharge quickly. He has a much higher drive than I expected, or wanted!
But I think they do cool their jets eventually. We just have to work harder with these guys in the early years. I keep looking at my 10 year old foster girl, who was a successful schutzhund dog, and figure that if she can "mature her drive" so can my youngster.
At least, that is my hope and I am sticking to it! Otherwise, I would lose my mind.
Sheilah

 

[EJQ]

Don't worry, they usually grow out of this stage by age 10 years (only kidding).

You do however still have a ways to go. Ara is 23 months old and she can still be a very naugthy girl. When ever she gets a bit goofy I usually increase the walk, exercise, play or training time that we have together. A tired puppy is a good puppy!

think spring !!!

 

[BlackGSD]

Originally Posted By: sit,stay..... I keep looking at my 10 year old foster girl, who was a successful schutzhund dog, and figure that if she can "mature her drive" so can my youngster.
At least, that is my hope and I am sticking to it! Otherwise, I would lose my mind.
Sheilah

Good luck with that!

I would be willing to bet that the female was NEVER as "full of [email protected]" as he is.

Also, to the origional poster, hopefully he will mellow out some, though it very well may be later rather than sooner.

I have had males that acted just as "wound up" and crazy at 5yo as they did at 1yo. Especially those that are neutered before they have a chance to mature. Seems like the ones that are neutered young, are puppies forever. They don't have the hormones that tell them to "grow up and act like an adult!"

 

[WiscTiger]

Well you know that pocket pooches aren't working lines GSD's. That isn't even comparing Apples and Oranges.

Some times for your sake, a crate would make a nice place for some down time, for both of you. Your young dog also could benefit from structure in the home, so a few lessons with him being teethered to you would be helpful. That way he can't just run off and do what he wants.

 

[SunCzarina]

Second the crate - when my girl was young, I had to put her in her crate just so she would actually get some sleep! I also tethered her when working around the yard. I think it's why she's grown up to be a pleasant dog to take for a walk (read NO pulling)

 

[dogmama]

He has a crate & does not have a problem going in it. Maybe I should use it for time outs. My sweet little female shepherd was way past this stage. I can't even let Zack have the run of the house when I'm not here. Last time, he ate the cat's basket.

 

[dogmama]

Originally Posted By: BrightelfDogmama, don't worry.

Someone here will have reassurance for you. I myself have my first puppy, so, I am learning, too. My Czech boy is also 15 months... any chance they are related? My dog is a Congo Vikar son.

His Dad is Bax Z Daskonu & Mom is Danah Vrbovy Proutek. Both were imported from Czech through Sapphire Shepherds in Montana. Gorgeous pictures on http://www.sapphireshepherds.com/.

 

[Susan and Dacota]

What I have to look forward too...AHHH!

 

[SunCzarina]

Originally Posted By: dogmama He has a crate & does not have a problem going in it. Maybe I should use it for time outs. My sweet little female shepherd was way past this stage. I can't even let Zack have the run of the house when I'm not here. Last time, he ate the cat's basket.

The crate should be a happy safe place - his den - don't use it when he's bad. I used to do TO in my mudroom, it's small, no fun and there's nothing to get into.

LOL, when Morgan was that age, we left her in the kitchen for a few hours to see how she'd do. Just great... she ate a box of hostess donuts, made confetti out of sunday paper, chewed up the phone, tried to figure out a cassette deck then strung the tape all over the room, ripped tile off the floor... I forget what she smeared on the walls but we had to repaint the kitchen and replace the floor!