8 month old is becoming unmanageable what do I do?

[benhur41]

@philipe I'm in the same boat with my 8 month old! Everyone says it's normal at this stage so I'm just trying to work through it as best I can but it's definitely frustrating. I've taken to crating her when she's in the bedroom and putting her in her playpen when she's in the living room, which seems to have gotten her back on track using her pee pads; she'd been having accidents daily after not having them for ~1 month prior to 8 months. Hang in there!

 

[sunbelt]

@philipe Youuu have a teenager. Welcome to the crazy club. Endure, it'll pass!

 

[spaceycabbage]

@philipe Regression is normal and to be expected at this age. Don’t worry, it will pass! Just continue to be consistent with your training and you will have a lovely, well-adjusted doggo in no time.

 

[abraham123]

@philipe Terrible teens wait it out if you can

 

[teachmaster]

@philipe I just wanna also add the 3-3-3 rule - you've just passed the third mark of 3 months before a bond is formed. Your pup trusts you and is starting to get comfortable and be a rebellious teen. They were probably too nervous before or unsure if you'd send them back before then. Take it as a good sign that they're comfortable and settling in, and read up on adolescence

 

[mindfulb]

@philipe What kind of a puppy is it? It definitely sounds like adolescence; this is essentially the "teenage" phase for dogs, where their baby brain is rewiring itself into an adult brain. They seem like they forget every piece of training that you've ever given them, but it's not that they've forgotten — their brains are just refocusing right now. They're learning independence, learning to make their OWN decisions instead of relying on yours, and unfortunately some of those decisions are BAD.

 

[eront]

@mindfulb Do know breed-specific training for many breeds will bring up things that are against the rules of this sub. Could you edit that for me please?

 

[mindfulb]

@eront Oh — sorry; I'm not sure which part was not ideal so I just removed the whole part about looking up the breed; is this OK?

 

[eront]

@mindfulb Perfect, thanks.

 

[philipe]

@mindfulb Unfortunately we’re not 100% sure on her breed but we’re pretty sure she has some pittie and staffie in her

 

[eront]

@philipe You don't need to seek breed-specific advice, it's actually best if you don't.

Especially if you think the dog is a pitty/staffy, people tend to be very mean to these dogs and recommend harmful things.

 

[stephen215]

@philipe The teenager phase

 

[onceawaretwiceempowered]

@philipe It’s probably adolescence. Keep training, and keep training treats on hand to reward being good whenever it happens.

 

[oldwatchman]

@philipe Think of her being in her early teenage years right now. She’s at that age where if you don’t set boundaries and maintain them she’s going to test you and every time she gets away with something the harder it’s going to be to train that out of her.

That may sound intimidating but it’s the reality of the situation especially if she’s of a certain working breed like a terrier or shepherd.

I’m not sure at what age your family got her at but separating puppies from their mother/litter at too young an age can also be linked to certain behavioural issues that only start manifesting as they get older. Especially if it’s taken her a while to learn how to act around other dogs, that’s typically something that the parent and siblings teach them.

If getting a trainer is out of your budget then I’d try crate training her. I don’t know the whole situation but it sounds like she needs more structure. Start off slow and short time intervals (start with 15 minutes then go up to 45mins, I wouldn’t exceed 1hr) also always provide the dog with enrichment, something they can’t choke on. Don’t let her sleep on your bed. Feed her at the same time everyday (+/- 30mins). Get her more exercise and look up some videos on how to train a dog to walk on a leash. That is extremely important. Also get a harness if you don’t already have one. A gentle lead is great for training too. There’s a ton of videos online to help teach you about creating boundaries and structure for your dog.

It’s going to be a lot of work and maybe finding her a home that can suit her needs is the best idea. There’s no shame in that. You can also speak with your local shelters and they can do a courtesy post for you.

 

[familywilhelmsson]

@philipe She’s hitting adolescence. Unfortunately the surge of hormones needs you need to really keep on top of training and not let them become a teen who wants their own way!

 

[iordanis]

@philipe Bring to a reliable trainer

 

[cwall]

@philipe It's temporary.

 

[essarkay]

@philipe I would up the treat ante for training and walks. Cooked chicken, string cheese, some peanut butter in a ziplock bag. And yeah back to basics with training - such a pain but it'll pay off.

 

[rockybalboa]

@philipe We went through this with our puppy who is 16 months now.

He was a hard puppy anyway, but just when we started getting somewhere, he hit the teenage phase and had regression (plus attitude). It was super frustrating but we’re coming out the other side now. Just stick with it, there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

 

[abc_writer]

@philipe There is a light at the end of the tunnel! Recommend looking through this subreddit to remind you of this. That’s what i did when one or both of our 1+ year old puppies acted out. So much better now! They have their days but so much better!

We just celebrated their one year adoption anniversary.

The teenage phase is the struggle but like many, it is temporary. We all have our days including puppies!