Is this the terrible teenage phase

My perfect puppy has become a nightmare to say the least.

She was a beautiful, well behaved, 100% recall, ball obsessed, friendly dog until a month or so ago.

She got attacked by this horrible dog a few times (which also may have something to do with it). Has got very domineering towards smaller dogs and puppies.

She weed on my bed the other day so is now banned from upstairs.

She has started nipping again and jumping up in a crazy kind of manner, luckily she doesn't nip my son, just licks his face off.

When off the lead, recall needs a couple of calls and a sterner voice before she comes back, she steals from the bin and is chewing all kinds of things she shouldn't.

All behaviours had stopped by around 9 months and I don't like them re-appearing. apart from going back to basics, what else can I do. I am so worried about the reaction to other dogs  

Definitely sounds like a teenager to me, as you said back to basics, regarding the other dogs like us they don't like everyone they meet, slow easy intros with calm dogs may help her with reacting to other dogs.

Yeah I think it's just back to basics with the training really, be firm and consistent, you'll get back on track  

she's fine with big, calm dogs its just the dogs that run up to her and are all in her face, which I cant blame her for. Just don't want her reacting that's all, don't expect her to like them all, she normally just did her own thing.

If she does growl or pin down another dog what should I do. In the past ive just pulled her off and told her no. My partner reckons I should call her off but my reaction is immediately to pull her off.

thanks for any advice, back to basics

Jules

Sounds like it! Soon you will smell smoke from her room and hear death metal at all hours

julespercules wrote:If she does growl or pin down another dog what should I do.  In the past ive just pulled her off and told her no.  My partner reckons I should call her off but my reaction is immediately to pull her off.
Jules

If you can call her off then that's great, but calling her & her not listening isn't good! I, personally, would tell her "No" or "Leave" and pull her away - then give her a bit of simple training to calm her down a bit.

Thanks everyone will give it a go, she doesn't necessarily seek out trouble, indeed will ignore any dog if possible, its the ones that their owners seem to think its okay to let them come up to her even when she's on the lead or playing ball that I get worried with. I always put her on the lead if I see dogs coming especially since the attacks (each time she got attacked she was on the lead and couldn't get away). so can understand why she maybe a little more fearful on the lead.

julespercules wrote:its the ones that their owners seem to think its okay to let them come up to her even when she's on the lead or playing ball

That drives me nuts! Dempsey is predictably unpredictable but people will let their dogs come charging up to him! 

I know, that's what worries me, especially when they look at you when she does snap as if you are the worst owner in the world and its their dog who they didn't even try and control.

jules

They are very trying at times especially the cheeky teenager stage.
She will try and challenge to see how far she can go, but as everyone has said back to basics and persistent and you will be back on track. 

Defo sounds like some teenage stuff going on, so continue with your training, if her recall has lapsed I would invest in a long recall training lead (it's a 10 metre long lead you should get for around a tenner) and keep her on this for now, it will still give her some freedom but also allow you to practice recall in distracting environments while being able to prevent her from running away if she decides she doesn't want to listen to you, you don't want to give her any opportunity to ignore you! And use some really high value rewards for recall training, eg her fav food or toy.

As regards her reacting to other dogs that run up to her, she definitely would have been affected by the other dog that attacked her when on lead, one of my pet hates is people that let their dogs run around out of control and up to other dogs faces! And then if your dog reacts to this which is often appropriate if the other dog is a little s**t, it's you and your dog that gets grief!! .
For now try to manage the situation, which you are doing already by putting her on lead and moving her away, also don't be afraid to ask other owners to call their dogs and put them on lead..and tell them your girl is nervous of other dogs running up to her.. of course a lot of people will ignore you or not be able to get their dogs back so that means you need to make a hasty exit.
You can also do some practical work to help her be more comfortable being around other dogs when she is on lead, first teach her a solid 'look' or 'watch me' cue, then every-time she sees another dog ask her to look at you and reward her...she will eventually look back to you when she sees another dog without having to be cued, however sometimes your best bet will be to retreat, especially if he other dog is running up to her out of control!

thank you, the look at me is one trick we've never done much with to be honest, she did get it but was too excited out and about but may have to do exhaustive training to get her to do it out and about now that she is that little bit older, thanks

With the 'look' start off doing it in low distraction places, like the house, back garden, front garden, and gradually up the difficulty level to outside places, but again start off with outside places that are quiet and build up to working her around busier enviroments

julespercules wrote:My perfect puppy has become a nightmare to say the least.

She was a beautiful, well behaved, 100% recall, ball obsessed, friendly dog until a month or so ago.

She got attacked by this horrible dog a few times (which also may have something to do with it).  Has got very domineering towards smaller dogs and puppies.  

She weed on my bed the other day so is now banned from upstairs.

She has started nipping again and jumping up in a crazy kind of manner, luckily she doesn't nip my son, just licks his face off.

When off the lead, recall needs a couple of calls and a sterner voice before she comes back, she steals from the bin and is chewing all kinds of things she shouldn't.

All behaviours had stopped by around 9 months and I don't like them re-appearing.  apart from going back to basics, what else can I do.  I am so worried about the reaction to other dogs  

I have highlighted in bold but OMG this post is exactly what I'm going through just now too!  

Laika is 17 months, has been great for the last 6 months and has been almost angelic (give or take eating the odd bit of paper and generally causing mischief)

But she's also doing the dominating thing with smaller dogs, pinning them to the ground and growling really horribly at them.  Again, she's only ever been attacked by Jack Russels so there's something going on in her head when it comes to anything smaller and more submissive than her.

She's also doing the leaping up and grabbing my arm thing when she wants to play - we had stopped all biting but it all seems to be coming back again just now! Her recall is fine but the dominant thing with other dogs is stressing me out as I'm a dog groomer!!