I was warned about adolescence but H O L Y

[keepwalking]

I can't tell what's worse, the lunging/jumping biting that seems to be the new way to act when overexcited or the sheer ignorance when I call his name. It's so frustrating that we taught a perfect "leave it" and "no" but these words have just completely lost all meaning now. He's just this puppy brain in a MUCH bigger body now and doesn't realise he's misbehaving, that's the annoying part.

He's almost 5 months so I'm hoping when the teething ends the biting of the humans will too.

 

[puerazaelis]

@keepwalking Your pup is just teething, not in adolescence yet, sorry! That's more around 8-13 months. It's likely just normal regression that happens sometimes, exacerbated by the fact that he is constantly uncomfortable because of his gum pain.

 

[celtish]

@puerazaelis More like 7 to 23 months … we’re only at 20 months and she still has meltdowns on walks that send her rocketing around me, leaping up and grabbing the leash, and generally just being impossible. I do my best to ignore the shenanigans but intervene when she’s either too close to street or if she really gets wild. Then we spend a few minutes sitting quietly and being petted gently. AND THEN SHE JUST STARTS UP ALL OVER AGAIN!!!! ARGHHHHHH!!!! lol

 

[oojeanetteoo]

@celtish 23 months? So I have 12 months left of this?? Lol cool

 

[celtish]

@oojeanetteoo Breed-dependent, but the puppy and adolescent stages can last until 2 years old or even 2.5.

 

[bandolier]

@celtish Do you have a larger dog? Bigger breeds tend to go through adolescence longer

 

[celtish]

@bandolier Nope. Husky mix. She doesn’t sing the songs of her people but she’s got bananas-level energy

 

[keepwalking]

@puerazaelis Oh for real? I thought it started around 6 months and ended around 18, I must've mis-read something. Well then this teething phase can't end quick enough >_>

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@keepwalking Lolol my lab turns 2 on January 22nd and we still haven’t 100% exited adolescence. I’d say we are 90% out of the woods. Depends on your breed, but buckle up! Adolescence didn’t start for us until 10-11 months.

Edit: biting lasted until he was about 1.5 but it transitioned to a mouthing bite around 1. One of his last bad habits to break was biting. He’d bite for attention or out of frustration; never hard to draw blood or anything, but enough to be problematic and annoying.

 

[keepwalking]

@imagebeastmarkbeast He's also a lab.... *gulp*

Edit: Also bites out of frustration when told off and for attention. Also doesn't break the skin often, but it still hurts like a mother.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@keepwalking Hahahahaha oh no. Oh I’m so sorry If it’s any consolation, my lab now sleeps more than not and listens 95% of the time. His biggest bad habit is biting the corner of an area rug when he needs to poop instead of going to the door like he used to. He’s been a lot more fun to take care of lately and has been super snuggly and sweet. He’s finally turned into the dog I always wanted...mostly lol we’re almost there. Looking back, the time went sooo fast even though it was frustrating as hell for months on end. Labs are the best

 

[keepwalking]

@imagebeastmarkbeast That's really comforting to read. I'm not giving my boy enough credit in this post since it's a vent. He's super intelligent, does amazing in training and it very good on walks. When there are no other dogs or people around he goes off leash and always comes when called immediately. On the whole he's good, but I have to enforce naps on his ass regularly. I think it's just getting to me recently because I have him constantly through WFH, it's just quite intense at the moment. Once he settles down I know he'll be the perfect dog.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@keepwalking Oh yes I enforced naps like crazy WFH. It got to me too! He sounds like an awesome lab though!! It’s hard to focus on the positives more than the negatives. Better days aren’t far away! I’m still WFH and my boy finally puts himself down for naps. I have to occasionally guide him to his crate for a little time out where I sit with him and give him some pets and then he follows me out and puts himself to sleep lol it’s quite sweet but bizarre. I swear he has fomo even when I’m not doing anything exciting. He’s finally realizing sleep > watching mom

 

[keepwalking]

@imagebeastmarkbeast That's exactly where we wanna be. He absolutely will not take himself off to his crate. He'll either pass out on the floor or the sofa and we'll politely tell him to go into his bed (50/50 whether he obliges or I have to pick him up, chonky boi). I'd love for him to settle and play on his own while I work but I realise that expecting a 5 month old puppy to do that is just setting us both up for failure.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

My lab turned one in September and I just came here to say

September 2022 cannot come faster

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

My lab is 11 years old.

Adolescence ended around... 9 years old.

 

[fillipos]

@imagebeastmarkbeast Currently dealing with a mouthy puppy that’s just over 1yo. What did you find worked with your labs mouthiness?

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@fillipos Whenever he got mouthy, any verbal redirection would excite the hell out of him and make it worse. The only thing I could and would do was silently and calmly remove myself from him (sometimes frantically if he was zoomin) and close myself in another room for 30-60 seconds. He HATES being ignored and the quick isolation sent the message. Whenever I went back out to him, I’d make him do a few commands to burn off some energy and then give him pets and grab a toy to play with him. It took a few months of being really consistent in my approach and we got there!

 

[godsdaughter]

@imagebeastmarkbeast I have an issue where when my lab (8 months) gets mouthy, I stand up and turn my back to him. Now he's learned that I can't ignore it when he bites me on the ass. Jerk. Gonna have to start locking him out of the bathroom instead lol

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@godsdaughter Hahah. That’s exactly what mine did when I tried that method! He’s so big he can knock me over with the butt bite jumps so leaving is best. Yelping never worked, redirecting only works half the time, and leaving always works.