# almost 9 month old - new behaviors



## AthenaClimbs (Aug 19, 2011)

Hello, 
I haven't written here in a while because, well, I thought things were going smoothly. Little did I know not to hold my breath just yet. 

She's almost nine months old now and some new bad behaviors are coming up and some old ones too. Firstly, on walks she's suddenly obsessed with smelling everything, she just starts pulling to every patch of grass and smells it forever. I make her come to a heel then she starts sniffing the pavement. The pavement!! What's going on?

She's also constantly in need of attention from us. We give her a bone to play with but then she gets bored with it and starts nibbling us to engage us. Which is fine but sometimes we want some time by ourselves, when this happens we put her in her crate to get some peace time.

She's also starting to become bezerk again on walks, jumping up and biting my feet. She stopped this a while ago but now she does it again when she feels we're going home. We're still training and exercising her like always. Is this a puppy thing? Will she ever become the GSD everyone claims to love!??


----------



## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Sounds like a teenager puppy!


----------



## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

She is absolutely normal for a bored bored bored intelligent GSD.

You need to up her exercise, miles more off leash activities. If her obedience classes aren't challenging enough for the 2 of you, think of adding agility or flyball or................

Do NOT just get more rigid and boring with corrections. She needs more exercise and stimulation, not a narrowing of her world. Tons of fun play and praise and 'good dog' management. She should be excited and prancing and loving to be with you. Not shutting down cause you are sucking the fun out of life!

How is the 'engagement' training going? Click this --> http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...ime-owner/162230-engagement-key-training.html

SNIFFING IS NORMAL! It's also a 'calming signal' when our dogs are trying to calm US and calm themselves. So something you are getting stressed and correcting for may actually make her want to calm you more (sniff more) which is stressing you more causing her to try to calm you more (sniff more) and is a vicious cycle cause YOU may be missing her 'doggy cues' cause you are a human and don't know what she's doing!

GREAT DVD to purchase to learn to 'read dog' is Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas [ame]http://www.amazon.com/Calming-Signals-What-Your-Tells/dp/B000PGTF32/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329924384&sr=8-1[/ame]


----------



## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

I think you have an awesome dog!

She's making sure she's keeping you on your toes


----------



## shaner (Oct 17, 2010)

The only issue is the jumping and biting on leashed walks. That's not okay and should be corrected through training and perhaps a prong collar.

Smelling on walks is absolutely normal. The walk is for the dog correct? Why not let the dog smell? Smelling during walks is mentally stimulating and is a good thing, not sure why so many people are against it. The walk should be for the dog, not for you. 

Looking to you for attention means the dog is bored and locking it in its crate isn't a solution! You need to do more with your dog. GSD's can't just lay around all day, they are too smart and athletic for that. If you do want some quiet time, rather than use the crate, put the leash on the dog, put the dog in a down right beside you, and step on the leash close to the collar so that the dog can't go anywhere. Ignore the dog and don't praise or reward. It's a leadership exercise as much as it is training. Eventually the dog will learn that at certain times of the day, it's to lie down beside you and be quiet. 

But you can't abuse that. GSD's need exercise and mental stimulation! Go for long off leash hikes, hide treats around the house, play fetch, go swimming, enroll in dog sports such as agility, take obedience classes, even if you've already done them, get mentally stimulating toys from the pet store, etc. Your dog is bored and is trying to get you to entertain it.


----------

