# Behavior regression



## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

Most of my dogs have gone through this stage. I HATE it, but it passes. Double up on training and supervising. No more off leash play (especially when your mom is around). Take a deep breath and continue working with her. Getting frustrated now and fighting with her will turn it into a game to her. Just remember that this too shall pass as they say and stay consistant. She will need to earn her treats and freedomn back. She will, she's just dealing with high spirits and silliness. What she's doing is not personal, she's not fighting you, her head's just taken a mental vacation for now. She knows what to do but she's testing everything and looking for her place. 

If there is a bright side to this, it shows she's normal and healthy and confident. Take comfort in that if you can. 

Hang in there! You'll both survive this if you remain dedicated.


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## Raven's Mom (Mar 18, 2014)

Thank, BorderKelpie, for the encouragement. She is very self confident which is great for class usually, but a mental vacation is the perfect description for how she did tonight!! I left just shaking my head. These last couple weeks have been like she is possessed.

I decided today to go back some 'time puts' in the crate for the wildness in the house around my mother. She will be shocked because I have not been using it while I have been off work this summer. She is being spayed next Friday and I figure that will also be a god time to get back to using the crate for some down time too. 

I had hoped to be a little further along with her after having lots time off with her for summer break, but now school is starting again and she is in this 'crazy' phase.

Teri


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

It always works that way, you think everything's OK and then you really need to get back into real life and the puppy brat monster kicks in. lol 

How is your mom feeling? And bumps and bruises? Poor lady, I hope she's ok.


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## Raven's Mom (Mar 18, 2014)

She had a headache at first but he landed squarely on her bum which she joked was good and padded, so I think she may be stiff tomorrow, but otherwise ok, thankfully. I was in the shower at the time and did not know she was out with Raven or that she had fallen until she came back in and told me. Fun times with puppies, huh


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## kcp1227 (Jan 25, 2013)

Dash is seven months and I believe we are going through the same thing. Unfortunately our advanced puppy class was cancelled this week because our instructor hurt herself. We really could have used that class! Lol


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Sounds like adolescence to me, with all the joys that hormones and brain rewiring bring! Stay calm, stay patient, and work through it - this too shall pass! If you are now back in class, is Raven perhaps getting rather less exercise and attention than he did when you were home all day? An extra hour of walk, work and play before you leave in the morning may make all the difference, tough as the early start might be.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Welcome to teenage times. Thankfully with dogs it doesn't last for years as it does with people. As others have said keep at your training be very patient and persistent. It will pass.


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## Raven's Mom (Mar 18, 2014)

Thanks everyone for the reassurances! I was hoping you all would tell me it was a phase and that she could not e this difficult to work with for long. 

FJM, school starts back to teachers on Monday so my schedule had not yet changed when she started this behavior. I'm relieved to know it is just a passing thing&#55357;&#56880;. So I will just be exhausted a while longer..LOL


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## poolann (Jan 31, 2013)

Welcome to the wonderful world of a teenager. It will pass fairly quickly. Just back up your training to a little bit lower lever & reinforce what she already knows. It will pass 

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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

This is so normal. Behavior regresses. It is not a static thing...always changing. If it didn't regress, that would mean behavior doesn't change and it wouldn't improve either. lol. So yeah...beef up the training. Use treats or whatever your dog LOVES and I mean LOVES. You can use life rewards for certain things too. Watch some videos from Kiko pup. You can brush up on It's yer choice...watch that one. It's all good stuff. When going through obedience skills your dog is learning, and it's very rewarding to her (it must be made rewarding and praise is marginal as a reinforcer) it fills up her mind with really great things to do instead of the "naughty" things. Work on impulse control and focusing exercises. Use a leash. No freedom until you start getting a better recall on her and some attention. 

It always seems to happen...our young puppies are so in tuned and progressing nicely. Then it happens. They come to that adolescence turning point and all hell breaks loose. It's always good if you can anticipate that and head it off at the pass. But short of that, you can get through this with some extra training practice, making it all fun and rewarding. Clicker training is a lot of fun and very effective. It does not rely on force, punishment, responding mainly to unwanted behavior, but rather builds on wanted behavior which leaves no room or time for the undesirable behaviors. The list of what not to do is longer than the list of what_ to _do. So it's much easier imo.


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