The teenage stage has begun

[Clover's Mom]

My sweet, innocent baby has decided it's now time to second guess whatever it is that mommy is telling her to do...and she has also decided potty training 101 is in order again. If it wasn't for her smushy face, I'd probably be extremly mad.

For example (all this just happened this week) - Clover thought it would be a great idea to drag a flower pot from the deck into the dinning room and dig out the dirt and flowers, and spread then all over the house. She also thought ripping the heads, arms, legs, and ears off all her stuffed animals, and then proceeding to arrange the stuffing all over the house, would be a nice decorative touch. Her kennel is now a BAD place once again, you think she was dying by being put in there, every morning it's a battle. Clover thinks the toliet is now her personal water bowl. My shoes are her personal possesions, even if they are on my feet. She no longer likes her food. And my personal favorite, she spends countless hours violating her sea otter, and showing it who is boss. Clover thought it would make mommy so very happy that after months of not having a single accident in the house to start having one daily right in front of the open door on her favorite rug. Clover has also forgotten what, sit, stay, leave it, down, time out, paw, roll-over, treat, food...and ever other command.

Awww - I just love my little puppy....

 

[ljnash]

This too shall pass!! Just remain consistent with your training, and she will eventually get back to her normal self!

 

[WYearta]

How old is Clover? I ask b/c we're going through the exact same thing! :( Boomer is 9 months old, and instead of the live flower pot thing, it was a silk flower arrangement (that I did myself and was very proud of, BTW) that was all over the house, and instead of a sea otter, it's a moose :eek: I spent last night vaccuuming up a very nice basket that must have said something awfully ugly to him if the way it was torn into little bitty pieces was any indication/shampooing yet another spot on the carpet b/c DH just can't understand "why is he doing this?" and can't grasp the concept that he can't be left out and alone right now. But, I know, from this winderful site, that this is a phase and he will grow out of it (PLEASE!). I do know that DH says he wishes I'd forgive him as quickly as I do Boomer. But who could look at those "I didn't reeeaaalllly mean to, Mom. Honest" eyes and not just forgive and forget. NOT ME! (Well, maybe not the forget part )

 

[ladyluck_t]

Gotta think of it this way: A dog is only a teenager for a year max! A human is a teenager for close to 10 yrs!

I thank God that they didnt occur at the same time in my life, because i would have had to pack the two of them off somewhere till they got better!

But seriously, you just have to remember to be consistent and firm they will get the message. And dont forget to smile, think how boring your house would be if it was decorated the same way EVERY day! Change is good!

 

[kody's mom]

Kody is 8 months old and going through the same thing!! He will be outside digging up a plant so I will bring him inside to punish him and he'll dig the indoor flower when I turn my back. He will hop onto the couch without being incited and the other day I found him in the bathtub ligking my shampoo bottle!! Ugh!! ha!
This too will pass! It is all worth it at the end of the day when we have them to snuggle up with. (and listen to their little snores, ha)
good luck, just remember, you arent alone!!!!

 

[ctbrehm]

My teen is never growing up

Rocky is almost 18 mos and he had a great time the other day with my daughter's 4 foot cookie monster. It was cute at first when he cuddled with it, then the devil took over. We were all watching tv and noticed Rocky wasn't around. We went to the living room and there it was, it looked like it snowed indoors. He ripped up cookie monster and all the little pellets were stuck to everything. The pellets had static so they were clinging to the walls up to the ceiling. It took my daughter 2 hours to clean it up. After she cleaned it up, she threw the bags onto to the deck and then forgot about them. Well Rocky didn't and proceeded to decorate the entire backyard. It took a shop vac and a lawn mower to clean up that mess. Oh well, so much for cookie monster!

 

[sandk]

I am certainly glad to hear I'm not the only one who is frustrated! Sable peed in her crate last week as I was getting ready to let her out...then Vick peed in his on Tuesday. Yesterday I got home from work and nothing had happened so I felt lucky but then after they've been outside for play time Sable comes in the house and poops right in front of the door on her favorite rug. I yelled at her because I just don't understand why she did that but it seems to me like they are in a teenager stage because they don't want to listen and like others have said they have forgotten all their manners. I also want to think its because my husband just started work again (he's a high school teacher) and he coaches football and I think they miss him. I'm just tired of going home after a hard day and still having to work for another 2 hours to clean up the crate/house and bathe a dog. Please tell me it ends sometime or any suggestions to survive. I agree though that after all that work its completely worth having them lay in bed with me while the dh is coaching and feeling so loved.

 

[Mya's_Mom]

Mya is almost 14 months are we are getting all that too. She peed in the house last weekend, is chewing shoes, ripping out all the shrubs and landscaping lights in the garden and the worst is just constantly barking at us. We ignore her but she just keeps going and going. I miss my cuddly puppy who would climb on the couch and play with a toy while we watched tv. DH had to sit on the floor with her last night it was so bad! Just like when we first brought her home!

 

[Lola's mum]

she has also decided potty training 101 is in order again. ....

What is this 101 stuff? I've seen it mentioned on here when you lot talk about training. Educate me please, Lol

 

[WV*Boxer]

I just posted a thread on this not too long ago called "Terrible Twos". We are going through the same thing. (Thank goodness she hasn't started peeing in the house again, though!!) Tess is just being a nuissance these days, which is so odd because she was the perfect pup. Never chewed anything...until now. Yesterday, while DH and I were out doing yardwork, we left her inside for a bit. (Never a big deal, she roams the house when we are home). Anyhow, when we came inside, Tessa acted so weird. Usually we get slobbers and jumps, but she hid from us. We went to the bedroom and she had a pile of shoes in our room. One pair of mine chewed up!!!! I sure hope this passes soon, or mommy is going to go nuts!! I want my sweet, loving, GOOD dog to come back!