Quote: kori bigge

 Quote: robbinmann

Levi is a couple days shy of 14 months old. Actually, Christmas Eve will be his 14 month B-day! Just curious why you asked..

I just wondered b/c I've seen a few posts on dog "adolescence", and was just wondering what age he was (don't know if this has anything to do with Levi's behavior or not), mainly b/c I have a pup who will be at that stage at some point. Just wondered when I should brace myself. LOL!

P.S. Is that Levi in the sig picture? Whoever he is, he's absolutely gorgeous!

Thank you Kori, yes the sig pic is my boy, Levi.

I'm curious what things are considered norm for an adolescent gsd...do tell.

The exercise thing has always been there, up until about 3 weeks ago and then our routine slipped big time. We have started back up again but now it doesn't seem to be enough, no matter how hard we exercise.

It's called teenage puppy...

I'd probably give him plenty of training, exercise and structure and kennel him when I couldn't supervise. My 3 y/o Border Collie is still kenneled when he can't be supervised as he would find plenty to do to entertain himself. I've found with my BCs that they are always ready to go and there is very little that will truly tire them out (and even when they are tired they just need a 15 minute nap to recharge or so it seems).
So they just need to learn how to "chill out" at times.

Kenneling is not a bad thing, and not just for puppies. It will help keep him from forming bad habits while trying to entertain himself. And it may help save your sanity while going through the "teenage puppy" stage!

ETA, How much "mental work" does Levi get? Like training and going through obedience routines, even tricks, etc? Mental exercise can go a looong way to tiring a dog out.

Robbin - You are asking the wrong person for an answer on that! LOL! If someone else can list some things that are considered "the norm" for dog adolescence, it would be great for me, too. The one thing I've heard repeatedly (and I've heard this for other breeds, too), is that they (the males, especially, from what I've heard), get kind of snotty and aloof, like they could care less about their "person" all of a sudden, even if they were all over you like white on rice before adolescence. That's the only thing I've heard of re: behavioral changes during adolescence. The exercise thing is news to me. Man, and I thought Kodee was energetic now....

 Quote: RobbinMann

T Ran the tar out of him, he came home tongue on the ground, got a drink and proceeded to continue where he left off with tearing up my back yard.

Does he usually tear up the backyard? If so, I would have him on a long line and a prong so that he can be corrected for unwanted behavior.

 Quote: RobbinMann

What should I be doing with him?

If you know he is tired, I would crate him when you are done or get home and let him have some quiet time to decompress. I would not allow him freedom after a good exercise, play or work session.

 Quote: RobbinMann

Constantly, play with me, tug with me, work with me, fight with me!! Non stop!!! Never, never, never does he seem to be content anymore. The dog doesnt seem to sleep anymore, either. At bedtime he will sit there and stare at me for an hour. Then he will plop his sloppy, wet tug on the bed next to my face! LOL!!

Robbin, Robbin, Robbin.....you may be allowing this behavior and he is taking full on advantage of it. When he bugs you to play, do you give in and do it? If so, I would stop. You need to be the one initiating the game and stopping the game with Levi. No exceptions, ever, as he is now in a stage where he is (from what it sounds like) testing his perimeters and winning a bit.

 Quote: RobbinMann

We literally worked about an hour between chasing the balls, going on the slides, under the poles, through the tunnels, and back again at the park. Used his chuckit, played tug with his orbee, did some obedience...you get the picture.

Then you get home and crate him, right? I would say that you need to work on pack leadership with him and be very diligent about it. Like was stated before, he is in adolescence now and is basically a teenager that is trying to see what he can get away with.

 Quote: RobbinMann

I even suspect him of stealing off the counters

One word for you.....can you guess what it is??????......I will give you a hint.......top, bottom, three sides with a door....

 Quote: RobbinMann

Am I going to have to start kenneling this guy again? I thought we were through all that stuff!

I never stop crating dogs. They need that time. My hound is 7 and still gets crated.

I am not trying to be hard on you, I am trying to help you. You may think that crating him will make him worse, and it may until he gets used to it again, but it really should be part of your training, workout and handling process.

Oh wow. Good catch carol, I totally missed that. I'll stop crating my dogs when they're dead. This goes hand in hand with never trusting them, ever. They can demonstrate reliability with this or that a thousand times and I still won't count on them not to succumb to their darker desires.

No kiddin? You never trust them? Ever?

Hmmm...wow!

Alright then, time to reevaluate things around here. I guess I'm on the right track because tonight I brought down ALL of the dogs kennels from out of my room (this has been the only place to store them where they don't get in the way of the home 'decor') and said screw the 'decor', time for some serious rules, boundaries and limitations! Now I have three kennels all shoved into any available corner in my downstairs family room. When I left for the girls piano recitals tonight ALL THREE dogs were kenneled!! By gosh!!!

I just got through telling the hubby that I don't have the time to go to the gym AND exercise the dog, so I'm going to merge the two. I will be trying to find a nice backpack for him to carry water for us, get some dog mace and a nice collapsable billy stick (anyone know where I can find one?) for our walk/runs and our eventual confrontations w/other dogs. (Heaven help me!) ONe of the reason I have avoided walking him because of his dog aggression and the multiple morons in our hood that don't properly supervise their dogs! Guess I'm going to have to get over it and just be prepared to kick some dog and possibly some owner butt!

This Thursday my trainer is going to start teaching me how to train for the BH so hopefully that will give the little poop some mental stimulation! I guess I better buy some warm clothes too because the only time I have to work w/him is at the crack of dawn when it is still dark, before I have to get the kids ready for school at 6:00 a.m., which is not something I'm too keen on right now Also, I have to use treats instead of balls because my trainer said he is much too ball driven to listen to training exercises when I use them, anyone have any ideas on a really good but inexpensive treat that a picky, not too keen on treats, only wants a ball, kind of dog would like?

I have to say, one of the best things about being a dog owner is the fun you have learning. Flexibility is a must because they can adjust to your ways quite easily. Well, time for a switch Mr. Levi! Get ready, little man cuz I'm bringing it on!

Carole, I love ya! Thanks for your kick in the keester! All words true and lovingly spoken! XX's OO's

Everyone's help is always much appreciated!

sheesh, just the effort made to say all that wore me out, pray for me people!!!

A nice table cloth that matches you decor in each room and thrown over the crate with a decorative piece (that cannot be broken, made out of styrofoam preferrably and do not let the dogs eat it) set on top may work to help you with the big Square things in your living room....

 Quote: robbinmann

No kiddin? You never trust them? Ever?

I trust my dogs, but they are just that......dogs. When my dogs are out I want them lying quietly in their place. If they follow me to a room and lay down, that is fine.
Not much playing goes on in the house....Ember...yes....the older dogs know.

An example, even Ember cleared off my coffee table on all of its contents last night when she decided to run and jump on there.....I missed the lead coming undone from my belt loop......ooops. So a 55lb Jesea running amuck is NOT allowed.

There is time "out of the crate" but it really should be mellow, lying around time and not "come on, come on, come on" time. That is for outside when I want to do it.

 Quote: robbinmann

No kiddin? You never trust them? Ever?

They graduate to new levels of freedom, but no...I wouldn't leave a dog uncrated in my home if I were gone, for instance.

I trust them when I can see them, but I only trust them not to do what I can see them not doing. I fully expect my dogs to pick up every piece of chicken that I leave on the table if I turn my back. If they don't, that doesn't mean that next week I'll give them another chance to cave in to their desires...does that make sense? Setting them up to be "good dogs" means only giving them what I know they can handle, and watching them at all times. It becomes second nature, though as I write this it, it sounds pretty...intensive.

I think Carol nailed it. If they're in the room with me, it's all good. But when they decide to go to the bedroom, I get up and follow them, or call them back. Maybe they heard a noise, or just want to sniff. Maybe they're eating $100 worth of shoes. No matter how many times they walk by $100 worth of shoes and don't eat them, I will never trust that they are 100% over eating shoes. Does that sound reasonable? Hehe. It all makes sense in my head :p

 Quote: Carol Boche

A nice table cloth that matches you decor in each room and thrown over the crate with a decorative piece (that cannot be broken, made out of styrofoam preferrably and do not let the dogs eat it) set on top may work to help you with the big Square things in your living room....

When I was a kid, growing up, my mother was like Ray Barone's mom on Raymond. I wasn't allowed to sit on the couches w/o plastic, everything was antiseptic..etc. I swore that I would never force my kids to live like that. I did keep my promise but I do like having a nice, clean fashionably decorated home. Somehow, 3 dog crates just never seemed to factor into that! Guess, I'm over that one too now! Hehehe.

Note to self: Keep my eye out for nice tablecloths and styrofoam nic nacs.