# 10 months old and still not calm (crazier!)



## mrudderman24 (Sep 5, 2011)

Let me preface this by saying this is my first GSD. This was a MUCH bigger challenege than expected, but I do not give up. My dog is 10 months and is a male (well, was a male until he was neutered). I've had him since he was 8wks old, and did my best to socialize him. He was in puppy classes at an early age. He is currently in daycare 3 days a week, but does not get along with smaller dogs. He plays very rough, so he is only allowed near big dogs. I'm hoping one day he will be ok around small animals.

Since his neutering in July, he seems to have gotten crazier. When we are on walks, he is now very exicted around kids and pulls to get to them. If they come by on bikes, he lunges. Its the same when he sees other dogs. If he sees a cat, he goes ape$hlt! He also is jumping up on people more when he sees them.

And for the first time ever last week, he growled at someone during a walk. This man was walking with his family on the other side of the street. He lunged and started growling. He didn't come within 6ft of the guy, but it still worried me. But some people can come right up to him and pet him and he doesn't mind. I don't get it....maybe these people really are aholes and he can tell better than me. 

He normally gets walked for 45minutes on the days he is not in daycare. I have started to walk him for 20 minutes on the days he is in daycare anyway. He does at least 15 min of obedience a night. On weekends, he gets two 45min walks and two 20min obedient sessions WITH 30min of playtime. The additional excerise has REALLY helped. He doesn't pull nearly as much on the leash and "snapping him out of it" when he goes nuts, is much easier when he's tired. I normally give him the Caesar Milan foot tap when he starts acting up, or I give a quick tug of the leash.

Is this all I need to keep doing? Will he eventually "grow out of this?" I am thinking about having my trainer do a home visit. When do these monsters calm down?


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## Germanshepherdlova (Apr 16, 2011)

GSD's have a long puppyhood. He should calm down a little by two or three years old.

I am not sure why, but I had my dog neutered at 2 yrs old, and he also got crazier-especially during the first 2 months after his neutering, he is starting to calm down a bit now that he is 2 1/2.

Lots of energy=mischief (as you know) exercise him as much as possible.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

I'd say MORE exercise. A walk is just that, a walk. He needs to burn off energy. Even with being neutered, he is just hitting his teenage years! Get him someplace fenced where he can run and fetch and REALLY burn off the energy. 
Increase training, get his brain tired out. Even if it's just a few minutes, do some obedience every day. Once a week, do a long obedience session, get back in another class if you can. (I know you're already doing this part)

Mostly, it sounds like a teenage boy with too much energy to burn.

ETA: at least 2 years old before he is mature, some lines take a bit longer than that. Until he is "calm"? Well, Rayden is 8 and really didn't get calm and mellow/less energy to burn until he was about 5 or 6


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