# Adolescence… such EXCELLENT advice!



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I think I am going to print this out and put it in all my puppy people’s take-home packets…. Though I hope they REMEMBER it when Adolescence hits them in the face!

*No Monkey Business Dog Training*
May 19 at 6:01 PM · 
I need you to listen to this. Really listen. Soak it in.
No matter how much socialization you do, no matter how much work and training, no matter how much time and effort you put in, your dog is going to struggle through adolescence.
NO MATTER WHAT. Please accept it. It will make your journey together so much better.
Reactivity, hyperarousal, destructive behavior, failure to remember even the simplest cues, easily distracted, the list goes on. You’re going to experience at least one of those, probably most or all, after your dog hits 5 months of age but ESPECIALLY around the 7-8 month mark it will all start imploding and you’ll think you’ve done something wrong.
You haven’t. This is normal. This is adolescence and you can’t give up now. It’s going to go on like this for up to 3 years of age.
Aslan is soon to reach the 6 month old milestone. His teeth are all falling out and his new ones coming in. His adult coat is beginning to change. He is changing as much on the inside as he is on the outside, and he’s having amazing moments but also horrific ones too. Barking at people, intense arousal, forgetting how to sit, I swear I threatened today to skin him alive if he barked one more time at a noise. But, deep down, I know this is 100% normal. I haven’t failed, he’s not broken, he’s a shepherd, and my life is going to suck on and off for a bit while he figures out things and we will take every day at a time.
I tell people time and time again this is normal, and often they are so blinded by the fact that they don’t remember this with their last dog they struggle to accept it. But I promise you; even their last dog did it too, it’s just love fogs our memories sometimes (just like with kids) and we are such impatient creatures it’s hard in the moment.
You aren’t failing. Your dog isn’t broken. Focus on management. Focus on exercising the brain and body in ways that keep your dog enriched and entertained and you sane. Go back to basics. Go back to fun. Ride the waves and try to not focus on all the bad but a lot of the good. You’ll both get there, I promise.
Sincerely,
Mom of a Belgian shepherd who barks at everything and forgot how to sit but then also has learned to swim and loves to fetch sticks!


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

That is very good, Karen. Such reassuring information for people with puppies growing up to be adults.


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

What do you do if you have a 7 y.o. Havanese teenager? (who shall go nameless)  😁


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## Mando's Mommy (Dec 8, 2020)

Thank you for this! 😊


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## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

I love that so much Karen! I knew nothing about adolescence, everything for new puppy parents is about the initial new puppy and potty training stages. Really grateful for the forum for that one! Once I started learning I read a lot of people described their puppies as settling down and around 2 years old. Mine did, but I was pleasantly surprised when he continued to settle down even more, for another year or so. I do think even with warnings I might have forgotten (like the 1 year potty training relapse). Maybe with my next puppy I’ll set up reminders in my phone to go off around 6 months, haha. “You’re not imagining it or going crazy. Your puppy is entering adolescence.”


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> What do you do if you have a 7 y.o. Havanese teenager? (who shall go nameless)  😁


Smile and love them TO DEATH!!! ❤❤❤


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

Wise Words and Right On. I thought Patti would NEVER learn to Come but I just Kept-On-Keeping-On. 

* Come Patti!* Most of the time she gets a treat. 

The other day she ran out of the fenced yard and was sniffing all around. Never Chase! It's then Game On and no way you'll catch her.

Daughter went back into the house and just the sound of the Treat Bag crackling brought Patti back into the yard. LOL!

This is Three Year Old Patti Cake Sweets.


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

Mikki said:


> Wise Words and Right On. I thought Patti would NEVER learn to Come but I just Kept-On-Keeping-On.
> 
> * Come Patti!* Most of the time she gets a treat.
> 
> The other day she ran out of the fenced yard and was sniffing all around. Never Chase! It's then Game On and no way you'll catch her.


My sister has an invisible fence and a big yard. In the past some of her dogs were NOT happy about being called in so wouldn't listen... but shaking the treat jar always worked


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

Melissa Brill said:


> My sister has an invisible fence and a big yard. In the past some of her dogs were NOT happy about being called in so wouldn't listen... but shaking the treat jar always worked


For many years we had an invisible fence that surrounded our home for a poodle and schnauzer. Invisible fences invariably stop working once in a while. The dogs collar battery gets low. The electricity goes off. The fence has a hiccup. And, while the dogs learn to stay away from the fence line, they also quickly figure out when it's not working. Once the schnauzer wandered away and was gone for days, fortunately finding her way back but was sicker-than-a-dog. It keeps dogs in but doesn't keep other critters out. However, I never had a problem with other critters.

My next door neighbor has a large dog and installed an invisible fence and likes it. I had a friend who put one inside their house to keep their pets 🐶out of certain rooms. 

At our more mature age, with our Havanese we decided to install a fence around our backyard. I doubt I'd ever use an invisible fence again but they do work.


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## She (Jul 19, 2021)

Minnie is 6 ½ months and is exhibiting some of the behaviors mentioned above. What is really driving me crazy is that she goes in her crate at night and sleeps for 2-4 hours and then wants to play and eat. I can’t ignore her because she sits there staring at me and barking and would wake up the family living above me. Anyone else experienced this?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

She said:


> Minnie is 6 ½ months and is exhibiting some of the behaviors mentioned above. What is really driving me crazy is that she goes in her crate at night and sleeps for 2-4 hours and then wants to play and eat. I can’t ignore her because she sits there staring at me and barking and would wake up the family living above me. Anyone else experienced this?


Cover her crate so she can’t see you. And never EVER reward such behavior with play or food.


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## She (Jul 19, 2021)

krandall said:


> Cover her crate so she can’t see you. And never EVER reward such behavior with play or food.


The problem is that I cannot let her bark during the night because she wakes up my family who live in the apartment above us. I am thinking perhaps that we can work on the “quiet” command during the daytime and perhaps that will help these nocturnal events.


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

She said:


> The problem is that I cannot let her bark during the night because she wakes up my family who live in the apartment above us. I am thinking perhaps that we can work on the “quiet” command during the daytime and perhaps that will help these nocturnal events.


It won't take long but you're going to have to ignore and let the baby cry it out. It'll probably take two-nights. And, consider moving her crate into another room area that is quiet and has no activity. What about your bedroom closet? 

Persistence and Patience ... Works.


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

She said:


> The problem is that I cannot let her bark during the night because she wakes up my family who live in the apartment above us. I am thinking perhaps that we can work on the “quiet” command during the daytime and perhaps that will help these nocturnal events.


Perhaps do it over the weekend - and take a note (and a fruit basket or similar  ) to the neighbors in advance as an apology. Then maybe stack some blankets on top (and maybe sides - just leave enough ventilation on 2 sides) of the crate (noise deadening) and try to ignore it. Hopefully, as Mikki says, it won't take too many days.


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## Mama Mills (Jul 5, 2020)

This is so nice to read 💜 Ernie has been a handful over the past few months, to say the very least!


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## She (Jul 19, 2021)

Melissa Brill said:


> Perhaps do it over the weekend - and take a note (and a fruit basket or similar  ) to the neighbors in advance as an apology. Then maybe stack some blankets on top (and maybe sides - just leave enough ventilation on 2 sides) of the crate (noise deadening) and try to ignore it. Hopefully, as Mikki says, it won't take too many days.


I guess I could offer them hotel reservations 😀


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

She said:


> The problem is that I cannot let her bark during the night because she wakes up my family who live in the apartment above us. I am thinking perhaps that we can work on the “quiet” command during the daytime and perhaps that will help these nocturnal events.





Mikki said:


> It won't take long but you're going to have to ignore and let the baby cry it out. It'll probably take two-nights. And, consider moving her crate into another room area that is quiet and has no activity. What about your bedroom closet?
> 
> Persistence and Patience ... Works.


I had a similar situation when my now 3.5 year old was about 6.5 months old and we moved to a condo for the summer with next door neighbors and thin walls. I moved Patti's crate into a small room, about 8-feet next to our bedroom and covered her crate.

Patti had learned when she cried (barked) I came running to let her out of the crate to potty. When she was younger she slept through the night for the most part. I was afraid to let her cry it out, not only because we had neighbors but I was worried she might potty in her the crate. I'd take her out. She pottied on her tray. I put her back. She waited a little while and cried again. By the fourth or fifth night I was exhausted and desperate because she learned if she barked I came running.

I solved the problem: 🐶 I put a harness and leash on her and put her in bed with my husband and I. Patti slept through the night and has since then. Although, she's now trustworthy and often sleeps in the closet under my hanging clothes or under the bed where it's cooler than the bed. 

I had a number of puppies before but it had been 30+ years since I had one. I either forgot how much work it was to raise a puppy or getting Patti at my older and more particular age made it a Whole New Experience!


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## She (Jul 19, 2021)

Nikki,


Mikki said:


> I had a similar situation when my now 3.5 year old was about 6.5 months old and we moved to a condo for the summer with next door neighbors and thin walls. I moved Patti's crate into a small room, about 8-feet next to our bedroom and covered her crate.
> 
> Patti had learned when she cried (barked) I came running to let her out of the crate to potty. When she was younger she slept through the night for the most part. I was afraid to let her cry it out, not only because we had neighbors but I was worried she might potty in her the crate. I'd take her out. She pottied on her tray. I put her back. She waited a little while and cried again. By the fourth or fifth night I was exhausted and desperate because she learned if she barked I came running.
> 
> ...


OMG, Mikki, I raised my last puppy 40 years ago! Was it because I was so young that it was so much easier? I also had a large suburban property and a 2 year old dog to boot.… was busy with kids….. I thought I was an expert and now am raising a puppy in my 70’s In the City! Veterinary medicine is much different and raising a small breed is way different than my experience with medium to large dogs (Bouviers). So much more to learn.

Thanks for your share!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

She said:


> Nikki,
> 
> OMG, Mikki, I raised my last puppy 40 years ago! Was it because I was so young that it was so much easier? I also had a large suburban property and a 2 year old dog to boot.… was busy with kids….. I thought I was an expert and now am raising a puppy in my 70’s In the City! Veterinary medicine is much different and raising a small breed is way different than my experience with medium to large dogs (Bouviers). So much more to learn.
> 
> Thanks for your share!


And having an older dog to “show the puppy the ropes” is imessurably helpful as well! It completely gets around that long stage where the puppy doesn’t yet seem to be able to TELL you they need to go! They just go in and out when the older dog(s) do! That is what I found hardest/longest about raising my first “only” puppy!


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## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

She said:


> I guess I could offer them hotel reservations 😀


LOL. I know that just an offer/ apology goes a long way with most people (years ago I had friends who lived in an apartment and on the rare occasions they would have a party they would do this - go over the day before, apologize in advance, let them know it was going on / how long... and they never had problems with their neighbors. What always seems to bother people more is the presumption that they don't matter and that you don't care how much whatever you're doing is bothering people - knowing that a person understands that something is disruptive and feels bad about it is often enough to give you some grace and time.

So, maybe a gift/ apology basket with a few pair of earplugs (serious/ joke) in it for them


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Melissa Brill said:


> LOL. I know that just an offer/ apology goes a long way with most people (years ago I had friends who lived in an apartment and on the rare occasions they would have a party they would do this - go over the day before, apologize in advance, let them know it was going on / how long... and they never had problems with their neighbors.
> 
> So, maybe a gift/ apology basket with a few pair of earplugs (serious/ joke) in it for them


True! We always let our neighbors know when our kids were having a bon fire/ late night party on our property (usually with a DJ) ahead of time, and told them that the decibel level would come WAY down at 11PM. They also knew these parties were very infrequent. (graduations, for instance) As their kids got older, they offered us the same courtesy and we have never minded either. And let's face it, if someone had a colicky newborn, it would cry all night for months and no one would say anything. Everyone would know that the new parents were doing everything they could, and the it would pass as soon as possible!


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## Doc Writer (Apr 8, 2021)

krandall said:


> I think I am going to print this out and put it in all my puppy people’s take-home packets…. Though I hope they REMEMBER it when Adolescence hits them in the face!
> 
> *No Monkey Business Dog Training*
> May 19 at 6:01 PM ·
> ...


So glad I ran across this, Karen! It couldn't be more timely! Tim and I have been trying to find a magic formula of exercise/mental stimulation/rest that will lead to more peaceful evening with our 6 mo. old Henry but to no avail. It's wonderful to know this is a phase and is to be expected!!!! Thank you!


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