9-12 month old puppy boys

2GoodDogs

2GoodDogs

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I am seeing a fairly dramatic change the last two weeks. He is lifting his leg, mounting his housemate and nearly marked inside the pet store last night. Luckily he got a verbal correction and did not hose down the corner display in the store, but it is an indication of 'his' self and the hormone surge.

Ideally, this is when I would neuter, but I promised to wait until the growth plates close, or the behavior becomes obnoxious...

Any help for the owner-trainer of the adolescent young punk? We are continuing with obedience classes and I am seeing some subtle changes/challenges there too...

If nothing else, a kind word will be appreciated for this too shall pass, right?
 
treat him as if he is a blank slate learning for the first time. it can be discouraging for us when we know that they used to be better behaved, but i have found treating my teenager as if he were a young baby puppy is most effective for his training and self esteem.
 
Nothing in life is free (NILIF) program is great for adolescents, teaches focus, manners and self control. I used it for Tully (who was a naughty adolescent) and she now has such lovely manners as an adult. Wish I had used it with Deska though - he was a good boy as a puppy and adolescent so I didn't worry too much, but as an adult he can often be a bit of a ratbag, definately not the level of self control Tully has.
 
Thanks, I'll add patience to the "gently insist" and give him some training time before his meals. :). In a couple months, I hope we will be over the punk stage...
 
This stage I go back to watching them like a hawk in the house just like they were a baby pup. If the foot so much as comes up off the floor they get a verbal correction and are ushed outside and then praised for going outside. Justice took 1 verbal correction and didn't even lift his leg until 3 yrs. With Jaime a belly band worked great. Peed on himself once and that was enough.

The humping, if they are excessive,ie won't leave the other dog alone. We tell them "not now" and redirect them into some other behavior and reward. Of course, we would like our young males to be future stud dogs so we don't want to discourage that behavior all together just make it approipate. The girls help out too as they love to give snarky face to pushy boys without risk of doing to much damage to the face. Since your dog doesn't have such goals you can stop it or let the other dogs "stop it"

NILIF is a good program for young boys too. That should get you to your neuter date. Intact boys seem to go though this again around 2-2.5 yrs. Then their brain settles.:lol:
 
He is 9 months old tomorrow and I'm seeing glimpses of the beautiful dog he will become. :) The punk stuff is only showing up occassionally, and he's totally found my heart strings.
 
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