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  1. #1
    Real Retriever Zookeepermom247's Avatar
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    When are the teen age years?

    HI.... Sophie will be 6 months old on June 2. She is very determined to do things like: walking by the coffee table and snatching something that does not belong to her like part of my dinner... jumping on the couch to annoy and pester me when it is quiet time in the evening.. I find that if she does not get enough play time she is over tired. She loves to get my attention by mouthing me.. (STILL) so I can get up and play outside with her. I do.. but we have had flooding rains in the last two days and she has been not able to run.. but our yard is now a lake.. so she loves that. Trying to jump on us.. of which we say no and push her down. She is soo rebellious.. cute... loving.. and we just love her! Is this the start of the teen years?

    Thanks,
    Sophie's mom

  2. #2
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    I think she's still in her puppy phase. Lilly does the same thing and she'll be 7 months old. I think maybe when they hit 1-1/2 the teenage years come in play? I think at 3 years they are considered an adult. Well it was like that with my other dogs.

    KAZ

  3. #3
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    LOL, unfortunately for you I agree with the above. Which means for you it's going to get worse before it gets better. Honestly, I think we had more threads pre board crash on 9 month old shenanigans than any other age.

    But I see some things you should change because the teen years live on in perpetuity if you don't do something. For instance you reward her with a play when she mouths you.
    She loves to get my attention by mouthing me.. (STILL) so I can get up and play outside with her. I do
    DO NOT reward her. Play is good but try to separate it from the mouthing. Even better try to be the instigator yourself so it becomes your idea, not hers. Personally I do not allow any kind of mouth on me when the dog is a pup, that's up till about 2 years old.

    Trying to jump on us.. of which we say no and push her down
    NO is not a good word, it can mean too many different things. Teach her a specific action or position she should be in instead and be firm about it. For most of us that's SIT. Get your command in BEFORE she jumps, reward with a non jumping play and you've thwarted the jump. And pushing can be a reward, Labs are pretty physical dogs and many enjoy lots of body contact. Watch how they play with each other, pushing is often part of the game.

    Are you taking classes with her? They will sap her mental energy and her physical energy at the same time and really help both of you.

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  5. #4
    House Broken mcstak's Avatar
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    Sophie and Chester should get together to tire each other out! Chester sounds just like Sophie (he will be 6 months on June 11). I posted another thread where he has "decided" he won't go into his crate anymore. NO amount of treats, bribing, call it what you will can get this dog to budge. I have never dealt with a lab that could ignore treats! Don't know if I will have the strength for those teenage years
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    Chester : Born December 11, 2013



  6. #5
    House Broken
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    Snowshoe's nailed it.

    For us, our pup was the hardest at 4-6 months, because that was when we were laying down the law. He was a "teen" around 9 months, but we just had to remind him of the earlier rules.

    There is a training theory called NILF, which stands for Nothing in Life is Free. The pup must earn everything. Time to eat? Make them sit. They want to play? Make them do some tricks first. Etc, etc. It teaches them that they earn their privileges. We used it, and it helped. When he was 9-12 months, we just went back to NILF to keep him in line.

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  8. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sophie's mom View Post
    HI.... Sophie will be 6 months old on June 2. She is very determined to do things like: walking by the coffee table and snatching something that does not belong to her like part of my dinner... jumping on the couch to annoy and pester me when it is quiet time in the evening.. I find that if she does not get enough play time she is over tired. She loves to get my attention by mouthing me.. (STILL) so I can get up and play outside with her. I do.. but we have had flooding rains in the last two days and she has been not able to run.. but our yard is now a lake.. so she loves that. Trying to jump on us.. of which we say no and push her down. She is soo rebellious.. cute... loving.. and we just love her! Is this the start of the teen years?

    Thanks,
    Sophie's mom
    I really had to laugh, as your Sophie seems to be the yellow version of my Sophie!!!! My Sophie hit the obstinant teenage phase at about 6-7 months, and at 2 and a half, she's just about over it. Just keep working on the training. There were two things I did, that I'd wished I had done a lot sooner, and that was going to training classes, and e-collar conditioning. Both have helped me make a lot of progress. Good luck!!!

  9. #7
    Puppy kcrady's Avatar
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    Your Sophie is one day older than my Bailey, and they sound exactly alike! Bailey can't walk past something on the floor without picking it up, and she snatches things off the coffee table every chance she gets! She's still fairly mouthy, but at least has learned a gentle mouth. And just lately she's gotten very bossy, telling us (barking) when her food bowl is empty, or she wants to go out or simply wants attention... Love my silly goofy yellow girl!

  10. #8
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    Jagger's 6 months and doesn't know his name anymore. And he likes to jump up on you.

  11. #9
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    If you take her out when she paws at you - she has you trained. ignore ignore ignore. and then take her out when she's being good.

    Also, you can't skip two days of exercise at that age and NOT expect them to be a terror. They NEEEEED exercise. daily. rain or no rain. If you have to lower the physical exericse, at leaset up the MENTAL exercise. more training, more indoor games.

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  13. #10
    Real Retriever Murphy030813's Avatar
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    Murphy was at his worst around 9-10 months. I think I posted on here then crying for help. Now he is one week shy of 15 months, we are enjoying agility training together. I am amazed on walks how little he pulls anymore (unless he sees a squirrel). It's amazing watching the transformation into such an amazing dog. Hang in there, it may get worse before it gets better, but once it gets better it is so wonderful!!!

 



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