Developmental Phases?

[SpotTheDog]

Is there a developmental phase that can happen around the 14 month mark?

Because, well...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Having recovered from his bout of gastro last week, Gus has been a complete arse all week this week. He has reverted to behaving towards the cats the way he did when he was about eight months old (bouncing at them). Any command he's given, if he obeys it at all, is held for a lightning flash. (You've never seen a dog's backside skim the floor so fleetingly in response to 'sit'.) Any behaviour I try to distract him from, he won't be distracted by anything, including positive rewards, and persists unless physically removed from the distraction.

He's also become more territorial around the house and yard over the last few weeks, but this week in particular he's started barking. (Shock horror, a dog, barking, who knew?) But seriously - Gus has never barked. He discovered his voice last week and is beginning to use it.

This evening I'm on the sofa, there are liver treats on the coffee table beside me, and the big boofa is tethered to a tether-ring in the skirting board for the first time in about three months.

I've a stinking headcold and have been off work for the last two days. It's like my normally sunny and masterful disposition disappeared in a haze of snot and when my vision cleared, taking advantage of the lapse in leadership, out sprung HELLDOG!!

[chevorne]

Is there a developmental phase that can happen around the 14 month mark?

Because, well...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Having recovered from his bout of gastro last week, Gus has been a complete arse all week this week. He has reverted to behaving towards the cats the way he did when he was about eight months old (bouncing at them). Any command he's given, if he obeys it at all, is held for a lightning flash. (You've never seen a dog's backside skim the floor so fleetingly in response to 'sit'.) Any behaviour I try to distract him from, he won't be distracted by anything, including positive rewards, and persists unless physically removed from the distraction.

He's also become more territorial around the house and yard over the last few weeks, but this week in particular he's started barking. (Shock horror, a dog, barking, who knew?) But seriously - Gus has never barked. He discovered his voice last week and is beginning to use it.

This evening I'm on the sofa, there are liver treats on the coffee table beside me, and the big boofa is tethered to a tether-ring in the skirting board for the first time in about three months.

I've a stinking headcold and have been off work for the last two days. It's like my normally sunny and masterful disposition disappeared in a haze of snot and when my vision cleared, taking advantage of the lapse in leadership, out sprung HELLDOG!!

HELLDOG is only like this because you are sick. You are less inclined to spend time with him and he is not really as naughty as you think, as you are sick everything seems worse! Is he missing his walks?

Mine do the same. More barking more fighting more jumping all over me.

[Oskar & Zsa Zsa]

Awww.... it just sounds like you are both having a bit of a time with your health and are just in different phases.

Puppy is in .........Jesus!!! I feel fantastic again...phase......which also includes...screw you I'm feeling great!!!

You however, are in ......I feel miserable.....my head hurts......i am unhappy............puppy has no right to be so boisterous and disobedient while I am feeling so sick...........you'd think they'd know wouldn't you!!!

How does that sound????

Cheer up, things will get better and so will you :) Till then, I wish you all the best!

[Brennan's Mum]

K9 Pro has written an article on Developmental stages which may be helpful LINK

I hope you feel better soon

[Agility Dogs]

K9 Pro has written an article on Developmental stages which may be helpful LINK

I hope you feel better soon

I was going to suggest his article as well.

I've got a 14 month BC who is the sweetest little thing (for a feral drivey dog) and is coming along amazingly well (if I do say so myself ;) ) BUT in the last week or so she has started to suffer selective hearing loss . Nothing too serious and it corrects itself very quickly when she is reminded of what we are doing , but it is interesting that the pups are about the same age.

[SpotTheDog]

Thanks all.

Yeah I can see Gus is in his second fear period at the moment - that might explain the bluster and fuss every so often out the front windows, or around the back yard - a bluster and fuss that he can be called out of. I don't mind having a reasonably territorial dog - he's not a resource guarder and is extremely friendly to visitors to the house so a bit of bluster at the fencelines doesn't worry me in the slightest.

It's definitely not just me being sick though - and by that, I mean that it's not me feeling poorly and making more out of stock standard behaviour than I normally would. He's most definitely upped the ante this week - the problem is I haven't dealt with it at all well because I've been feeling poorly.

A return to basics has helped of course, as it always does - treats for good behaviour, tethered for being a pest (the tether ring is excellent - it means he lies on the floor at the foot of the couch where he would normally lie in the course of an evening, with company and the normal sights and sounds, but it prevents him from taking off up or down the open-plan house when bored and either bailing up, or being bailied up by, one of the cats.)

There's a pre-meeting for the local agility classes on Sunday, to be attended sans dog. I've been put off all week by feeling poorly but think I need to drag myself to it. Agility may be an answer for us...