Adolescent behavior or a problem ?

[Katherine]

I’ve got my hands full with Snap, who at 10 mos has been in full-blown adolescence for 2 months. I’m hoping that this is only a phase and not a behavioral thing, but I am a little concerned about it. Two examples come to mind. 1) He had a reliable (off lead) recall this Fall on the trails in a quiet county park. He would run up ahead and when I called him, he would immediately turn around and return to me. However, last month he took off after a jogger at the beach. Should have seen me jogging after the two of them, running into a 20 knot wind, screaming and trying to get Snap’s attention ! 2) I’ve got him in two classes a week now: agility (flatwork) and obedience. He is so interested in (distracted by) other dogs that it is hard to keep him focused on me and what we are doing. He (barks,)lunges and spins to get at the other dogs and it is very difficult to settle him. Frankly, it’s embarrassing…. It looks as though my dog is a) unsocialized and b) out of control.

Does any of this sound like familiar adolescent behavior … or should I be concerned ?

I’ve got an appt with a professional trainer at the end of this month for Snap and me to discuss how to proceed. He was neutered early this month and I am hoping that this will help settle him.

 

[BarbV]

Yep, I've got three of them (2 Shelties, and 1 human) - male adolescents! Blech!

Just stay on the training regime. He'll come around eventually!

 

[romeosangiovese]

Katherine - I FEEL YOUR PAIN!! I'm going through the same thing with Romeo who will be 10 mths in a few days. The "ooh-everything-is-more-interesting-than-mummy" and "mummy-can-wait" attitude is really hard to work with! I have to work hard to get his attention when he's found something interesting.

I've got a few books in my To Read list which are supposed to teach me how to distract-proof my pup. Now I've been doing alot of self-control games with Romeo because that's one of the things I find that has gone right out the window. Alot of sitting and making him watch me.

Romeo's not neutered yet so that's another thing I have to worry about - all that raging testosterone!

Please share with us what your trainer advises you to do! It'll be great if there was some sort of "solution" to tide us over (and help keep the boys under some control!) until they hit 2 years of age!

 

[Ania]

Right there with you with Chinook, who is almost 8 months now. Up to two weeks ago, he came when called and everything. Now, nope. I almost lost him to a jogger last week too when walking on the frozen river!!!!! The jogger didn't slow down or turn around. Both, Maia and Chinook ran after him, but Maia, the 3.5 month old, came back. Chinook, not. I thought I lost him for good, as I could not catch up to him in all my snow gear. Luckly for me, there was a guy walking his three dogs and Chinook is more interested in dogs than people and this guy knew that he belonged to me, so her started walking back to me and that is how I got Chinook back. I started clicker training class tonight. It is back to square one with him for now and using a long lead (like some of the members here suggested under the ' a stubborn little dog' thread. I hope this is just adolescence too

 

[Katherine]

Thanks, Romeosangiovese and Ania --- It helps to know I'm not alone in this.

("My" jogger that Snap chased didn't stop either ! It was a little infuriating, but then I suppose I wouldn't stop if a dog were chasing me ... ). Here's hoping this behavior ends sooner rather than later.