# Help! Adolescence



## Henry_ACP (Aug 22, 2016)

Hi everyone,
Hoping someone can offer some advice.
In the last week or two Henry appears to have been stolen without my knowledge and an imposter is currently living under my roof. Honestly he looks identical, but it's deffo not him!
Since bringing him home he's never been the cuddliest pup in the world, but he loves playing and being close. Proper little shadow... but recently (just hit 8 months) and he's certainly going through changes! Today he's been mega cuddly for half the day, but the rest of the day totally obnoxious!
I'm fine with the whole teenager thing. I get that they all go through it, but I'm having just one real problem that I want to make sure I'm reacting in the appropriate way.
He has started to get seriously mouthy/bitey when trying to put on and off his harness. I totally bribe him with treats to make sure it's as rewarding as possible, but without fail, every time we go through the routine it feels like he would rather remove your hand from the end of your arm than let you manoeuvre his harness on/off! Don't get me wrong, he's never drawn blood, but he does mouth pretty hard along with growls and snarls (if he's especially grumpy). When he's particularly bad I give him an immediate time-out, but that can be awkward if he's half in/out of his harness as I don't want him to strangle himself! Other times I turn away and ignore, other times I'm just really stern saying very clearly NO! etc.
So, I guess my question is, what is the correct reaction I should really be showing him consistently? I'd hate to get this wrong as, at least at the moment, he's giving a warning of "I'm not happy" before attaching his mouth to my hand!
Up until now he's almost been the model pup. No house peeing (that's jinxed it), been amazing at puppy classes, such a fast learner, I swear he's more intelligent that I am! I'm just getting pretty worried now and don't want to undo all the good work so far with him!...


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## sugerlump (Oct 6, 2012)

i think all puppy's go through that ,,i know ginger did, so what i did is what i was told by a trainer and that is every time your pup nips at you a little hard is to yell very loud ,and see if he stops and get frighted, and that is what you want. when he plays with his brothers and sisters and they play to hard they yeeep and the other will strop ,try it see if it works .i hope it does..and if it don't you will have to ask some other person on here what they do..i know it worked with ginger ,


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Teenagers are hard work in pups and humans and you do need to just stick with it - go back to basics and work through it.

With the harness though I would listen to what he is telling you and make some changes. Can you get a different type of harness and teach him to wear it as a training exercise - so let him sniff it first and investigate and reward for that. Then ask for a sit and to put his head through - as soon as head is through lift it off again and reward until he can stay sitting while you put it over head with no problem. Only when you have got to that stage fasten the harness and again then remove and reward. 

Molly wears this type http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hurtta-Outdoors-Padded-Harness-Juniper-35-120cm-/331947758721?var=&hash=item4d49a0d481:m:mp5JrgSuc6vkPzPRJz7FOZA it is ideal as it has a large head hole and just one strap to do up so no lifting of legs to worry about which is often what worries dogs


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## LolaCockerpoo (Feb 1, 2016)

Might I suggest switching to a collar for a few weeks while reintroducing the harness slowly using this kikopup YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7edMjwEY1c

This video is excellent. Can't rate it highly enough. Worked wonders with my pup when she became worried about her harness.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.


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## Henry_ACP (Aug 22, 2016)

Thanks everyone. Will give the training a go from that YouTube video. Henry's usually really good at picking things up fast so will try that to start.
Might just get one of those harnesses as well that you recommend from eBay. Definitely looks a bit easier to put on!... plus it might be a good fresh start to do that training with...
Amazingly he didn't go mad at me this evening, but I did feed him his body weight in treats!!!!
Will let you know how it goes! Thanks


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## Henry_ACP (Aug 22, 2016)

Just to say, that training is really helping. He's still a bit grumpy, but we've definitely made an improvement! I've been doing the same thing with his little rain coat (not been out in it, but hopefully doing the same routine with that means he's now associating it all with something good).
Thanks again everyone


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## Robbie (Oct 13, 2016)

Also for any dogs out there that have an issue with something over their heads a quick fastening chest harness with a velcrose fastener and plastic clip can help.


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## lindsay.carnihan (Oct 17, 2016)

Henry_ACP said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> Hoping someone can offer some advice.
> 
> ...




Hi, we had this same problem. Once we got the collar on he would then chew through his lead. 
I taught him to sit and wait and only when he had calmed I would put his collar on. Then he would sit and wait at the door and I would walk out the door and call him to put his lead on. 
He picked it up really quickly and it became easier to put his collar & lead on. 
Now 6months later it's not an issue I can put his collar & lead on without out any chewing. He's got that good I had forgotten about it until I saw your post 

Good luck 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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