# Adolescent issues?



## Barneyboy (Apr 5, 2015)

Barney is now 7mths old and I would appreciate some advice on various issues we are having:

1. Still peeing in house despite having been taken outside ever since he came home at 8 wks. Never barks/whines to be let out (barks at pretty much everything else!) Sometimes will pee within 30mins of going outside or return from walk. If we catch him in the act we just clap hands, shout No! & immediately take him outside. Doesn't seem to sniff floor just stops dead & pees - different locations. Always clean laminate floor immediately with odour removing spray. He is dry in crate overnight 11pm - 7am, and in day when at work. 4 days a week someone home with him. Other days he is walked 30 mins am - crate 10.30 -12.30. Walked 20min lunchtime. Crate 13.20 - 15.00. Walked in evening usually 45mins. Pees lots on walks and usually let him out at least every 90 mins as don't trust him if left too long. Always use same command 'outside wee wee'. Poo's & wee's in garden without issue. 

2. Barking. Barks for attention constantly. Barks when playing in garden when chasing ball even though I make him sit before I throw. Barks at sound of cars and things we can't see/hear. Tried water spray, shaking bottle of stones, all just hype him up & he barks more. We do hiding treats, wait & recall games but never seems to be enough until about 8:30 at night 
when he finally lays down & crashes.

3. Was a very nippy mouthy young pup. Have always redirected with toys and gave small yelp to stop him. On several occasions recently when playing with hubby Barney has given him a nip/growls - hard to stop, possibly over excited? Also, tries to nip at my ankles occasionally during walks. Otherwise very friendly with people/dogs. Recently taken to lying down at sight of another dog, then happy to go sniff. More recently he lies down when nothing to be seen/heard and refuses to move, but has never had negative on lead experience that we can think of. Any ideas as to why? Dog trainer said body language doesn't suggest fear?

Has been enrolled in basic & advanced handling puppy classes since 4 mths and learns commands very quickly - highly food orientated! 

As a part time working mum with 2 boys and a heart condition Barney is leaving me exhausted.. is this just a phase as he doesn't seem content to settle. That with the barking & peeing are getting me down and spoiling my enjoyment of dog ownership. Had a Jack Russell as a teenager and my parents agree he was an Angel dog compared to Barney who us gorgeous but much harder work than anticipated! 

Am I doing something wrong or is this normal for this age? Planning to have him neutered soon. Thanks


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

Oh my - Barneyboy 
I don't think that any of us gets it right 100% of the time!
Not sure normal and cockapoo should ever be put together 
Dot is two, mad as a box of frogs and I would not have her anyother way - actually that is possibly not strictly true, but it is what I tell myself!
At 2 she can be very obedient - a consistent star at dog club, great recall when we are out walking - and has largely given up eating and rolling on disgusting things.
However she still does an incredibly good impression of a demented yoyo and has to be reminded to sit and wait before food, before putting on her lead or starting a training session. I doubt this will ever stop - she just cannot contain her excitement. However as already said her obedience is actually very good if I tell her to sit and wait and refuse to sort out her food or attach her lead until she does, she is fine.
Same with lead walking - to begin with she is mad, but a couple of reminders that i won't move if there is any tension on the lead and she quickly remembers how to walk nicely - this is different to heel work, when actually she is great.
Dot is demanding she loves to be busy and given the chance would dictate when things happen - however if I don't make eye contact with her as she barks at me when I'm at the pc or watching tv, she huffs and then goes and settles. She knows it doesn't work - but that doesn't stop her trying!

For you and Barneyboy - remember he is very, very bright - you may well be teaching him things by your reactions when you don't mean too.

1- peeing inside. Restrict his access to areas of the house and consider having a house line attatched to your waist with him on the other end if he is moving around the house with you. Do not assume he will pee if you send him out in the garden on his own, take him out every time until he does pee. When you take him out for a lead walk do not allow him to sniff every lamp post, street corner etc - walk with purpose to a particular spot and then say go pee and stand there until he does. I've only had one boy dog and this was how Hooch and I came to an agreement about walking...
I would also up his exercise at 7 months this boy thinks he is all grown up and he does need plenty of opportunity for using up his energy. No jumping (like agility) til he is one, but certainly he would be up for a good hour off lead with time to charge with some doggy friends - if you can manage an hour walk, plus a 30 min walk plus a 20 min with most time off lead that would be fabulous! I am not a fan of lead walks - unless they are to somewhere where your dog can be off lead for more time than on lead. If you have to walk on lead - do it through town centers and busy places where your dog is being visually stimulated and his other senses are being bombarded rather than just boring suburban walks. Not my advice for young puppies but thug adolescent pups need to be taken out of their comfort zone!!!
2 - use a long line in the garden, if he barks bring him in immediately. Restrict his access to places he sits in the house that give him a view of outside. Do not use water spray or tin rattles - they will up his stress levels. If it is noisy - like at the moment because of high wind blowing stuff around outside and thunder, you need to understand that he is barking because he is unsettled. You being irritated will make him worse!! (Easily said) Try distraction - nice yummy (yucky) tripe stick, fresh raw rib bone, pizzle for him. Bottle of wine for you! can also try introducing a sound signal that you have a tasty treat - I squeak - I always have treats to hand - if I squeak the dogs come running and I give them a treat.
Barking for attention is dull. As already said - Dot does this. Ignoring is the only thing that works - any attention he wins! However you might need to think 'actually he hasn't had much attention/exercise I will go and play with him in the garden for 10 minutes - or get the kids and go to the wood for an hour. However don't do either of these until he has gone quiet or you are reinforcing the bark...
3 - I suspect he is trying another way of taking control - biting didn't work, lying down is working great for getting your attention. If you are in a safe place drop the lead and keep walking (only if you 100% trust his recall in case he tanks off towards home) I suspect he will immediately run to catch up with you - at which point give him a happy hello pick up the lead and keep going.
Generally we are bad about ignoring our dogs when we walk them on lead - often we might even have our headphones in and see dog walking as 'my time' it is not. Chat to him - vary the speed you walk - try skipping or suddenly backing up and praise him as soon as he responds to your change of direction or speed. Keep him focused on you. I would work at keeping his attention on you and not let him lie down and eyeball incoming dogs when he is on lead - the next stage might be lunging at other dogs. Not good. 
Change where you walk - new walks always buzz your dog up and keep him thinking. Don't be boring or predictable!

I also used to have a JRT and often walk my friends terriers for her. I would much rather have a dotty Dot - JRs can be dog reactive - mad hunters - hard biters and very independent. Mine was perfect of course


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## bearthecockapoo (Mar 17, 2015)

Great suggestions by Marzi! I agree, giving any attention to barking (even if it's negative attention) may make the barking problem worse. Ignoring is likely a good way to help solve the barking issue. Peeing issue will likely become better once he is neutered. He may be marking inside the house, as he feels it is his territory. Don't worry, Bear was still having the occasional indoor accident at 6 months old and I didn't know what I was doing wrong, but turns out it was just those pesky adolescent hormones. Now at 9 months, all the indoor peeing has gone away. Just keep up with all the positive reinforcement and scheduling for feeding/walks, and hopefully once he is neutered it should ease up.


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## Barneyboy (Apr 5, 2015)

Thanks for the advice. At the moment I have a long 15ft line that we use in the park so we can throw balls for him to chase etc. I still don't feel 100% confident that he'll come back when called and not all dogs/ dog owners are as pleased at his exuberance. We just drop the line but it gives me some control if required, which on several occasions it has been. 

I guess I am fearful of Barney getting hurt or hurting another dog although he has never growled or shown aggression towards other dogs, even at puppy classes he would usually be in the thick of things but just excited to play. Most days he probably gets around 30 mins off lead, but perhaps we need to try and increase this.

The peeing is a pain - will be interesting to see if neutering improves this. Interesting to think the laying down may be him trying to exert control when out lead walking, although he won't budge for treats which is unlike him as he is a treat-tastic pup!

I do try and ignore the barking and will move to a different room, but he follows unless I put him on a houseline. Trouble is my husband works nights so I am always worried if it goes on too long that it'll wake him. Barney's only view is of our back garden, but we have open plan with bi fold doors across back of house so hard to restrict his views and at the front of house he barks at traffic noise or passing people. I do play with him quite a lot because of his barking but I'm spending so much time on Barney I'm not getting anything else done. 

He just loves to play but I can't spend all my time on him but feel guilty when he keeps dropping his toys at my feet. Guess I need to toughen up .. they didn't call them puppy eyes for nothing - they win me over every time :love-eyes


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## alfiemorton (Mar 28, 2015)

Oh Barney , there's nothing you can do that Alfie can't do better!
What is it with these pups? Alfie has been full throttle since we collected him at 8 weeks. If you look back through the threads I have started, you will get a good idea about the issues I have faced with him. I'm sorry that I have no easy answers. I just wanted to let you know that I feel your pain..... Barney is not red, is he? I have a theory about these redheads!! By the way, Alfie was castrated, as my vet so quaintly puts it, 10 days ago. I have not noticed that it has quietened him down. If anything he has reverted more to being a mad and crazy pup!! Good luck. I'm told it all passes and we are left with lovely, snuggly dogs... Christine x


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