Oh My Goodness! 8 months old and an absolute terror! Eric has turned into a stereotypical labrador food thief. He is so quiet and quick. He would make a good ninja! He is also deaf... when it suits! Usually when other dogs or people (or feathers, leaves, rubbish, pebbles, dust) are around. He LOVES everyone and everything and as much as he tries not to jump, sometimes his body takes over and he goes for it :/ He is learning that not everyone likes it and that no matter how much I apologise he may get shouted at (like the man in the park) He is also learning that not everyone wants to share their picnic (soooo many apologies were given to the unsuspecting couple on Sunday!) He is however still so gorgeous and is totally improving in so many ways. When off the lead he is beginning to sit when another dog comes along (click and treat) On Sunday 2 separate couples (not the picnic couple for obvious reasons) commented on how well behaved he was NEVER in a million years did I think having a puppy could be so stressful and rewarding all at the same time
Eric sounds delightful and a typical bouncy loveable clown of a puppy Yes, they are hard work , but sooooo worth it
I remember that age very well Always apologising, running around trying to get a lead on her and trying to stop her jumping up at everyone! Luckily I got away with food stealing until a few weeks ago (she gobbled my OHs corned beef hash) and she is 2 and a half!!
Oh yes we're at that stage too - not so much the food stealing (although I'm sure he would if he could) but the eager greet and meet people, trying to rush up to other dogs to play, even blackbirds get the Ripple treatment. He's like a whirlwind in the house, towels and mats are all disappearing again, cats scattered, drawers opened and contents removed. The return of biting has got me down, especially the snapping at my face which frightens me, but @Molllie has given me hope and advice, although it's not always easy to keep calm when he's like this. School this week was a nightmare again, Ripple would do each exercise but get bored really quickly and start trouble with all the other labs, clowning around and trying to play bitey games. But he knows so much and can do loads of stuff when he's in the mood. He's still not a cuddly boy but I'm hoping that will come in time. At least it's not picnic weather here but Eric sounds a great character, it's so difficult you want them to grow out of it but don't really want them to stop being puppies .
I have that to look forward to as no picnics happening here at the moment. Eric sounds lovely. They are a lot of hard repetitive work but sooooo worth it.
We're in the northeast of England so definitely not picnic weather but it was a dry day up on the moors and lots of walkers. God help us in the summer
The cuddly dog will come. My female midge never liked cuddles and was never an affectionate dog. Secretly it turned out after she went through her difficult teenage years that she loved me deeply and needed me more than both the other dogs. She is a very soft and lovely dog but likes to keep it very quiet
I lived in County Durham for a few years, it was very rarely picnic weather in the summer let alone January . @sdegg I do miss cuddles, my last boy was a real soppy mummy's boy, I do so hope you're right.
Keep the faith and keep at the training, jools and steffi, you will both get there. It's a difficult phase while you are going through it, but it does pass. Continued training is absolutely imperative though; it is not a coincidence that so many young dogs of this age get put up for adoption because people think they will just evolve naturally into calm gentle labradors. Regarding the cuddling - Poppy is not a great cuddler in comparison to my two previous dogs. She loves me dearly, and likes to sit next to me just touching, but she doesn't climb all over me like the old boys used to!
Benson was always quite a distant puppy, and I thought he would never be a cuddly boy. Adolescence I can say was truly a nightmare. I will always remember bringing him to his first agility session, in a vain attempt to develop any sort of bond. Standing there feeling awkward amongst very experienced handlers. One woman actually recognised Benson and called him the "disobedient one" and " haha the dog that never comes back!" I was mortified. That was about 10 months ago. He is very, very close to me, never strays, would rather stay with me than other dogs. He has nailed agility too! He has his moments though...but I love that about him, he is fun and I swear has a sense of humour! So don't worry, adolescence can be a truly challenging time, but all those hours of training, really do pay off in the end. and oh..I do have a cuddly boy now, I am off work with shingles, very painful and he has got very clingy, .snoring happily on the sofa with his big brown head resting my legs
Eric sounds lovely, the picnic made me smile. Last August when Mabel was 8 months old we took her to a "party in the park" there was a guy sunbathing but for some reason her had put his hotdog and can of Coke next to him on the grass. Luckily he rescued it with seconds to spare.
He's turned into a typical teenager. Lol Don't worry too much, keep up the training, be consistent, have lots of patience and sooner or later he'll turn into a lovely, cuddly, well behaved adult.
