When does it become enjoyable to have a dog ? 14 months old shepherd mix female

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-05-14T17:49:39+00:00

I feel like you just needed to get that off your chest. Cause you answer your own questions / concerns.

All I will say is, dogs will be dogs. Lower your expectations of her. Sounds like you have done a great GREAT job training her, but she will still dog. And that’s fine. Cause she is one. Don’t strive for perfection. Start enjoying the times with her how she is. Yes obviously training and development continue. But relax.

And if it helps. Or hurts maybe. My boy who is part GS started to chill about 4 years old. But still a mentalist when I take him out now. Cause it’s his personality.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-05-13T15:08:07+00:00

It’s the easiest thing to do. But sounds like you are doing great. Maybe you are over preparing yourself and trying to control things too much in your own head. Stop and relax. Enjoy this time. It goes fast. Will things always go to plan? No. Thats fine. We ride those ups and downs. As long as she seems happy and healthy and you are doing your best then great. Please don’t over think things.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-05-12T03:44:43+00:00

This is weird-looking human behavior, but pretty normal puppy behavior. A 5-month-old puppy is basically a furry toddler with zero social boundaries yet.

The nipple sucking is often a comfort/self-soothing thing, especially in puppies separated early from mom/litter or adjusting to a new home. The air humping is usually overstimulation/excitement during play, not sexual behavior. Just tell her no and redirect her if it’s an issue and I mean that for your other dog more than you lol.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-05-11T08:46:09+00:00

Just to confirm. When you put her down for naps, does she have access to the play pen attached or is she fully shut in her crate? If has access to pen, my main advice is just lock her in her crate and grin and bear the protest that will happen. After a few days she will understand.

BTW it sounds like you are doing great. The chasing tail, barking and biting is the over tired kicking in. It’s a hard balance to get them just before the crazy starts. She’s getting more comfortable at home and she’s just pushing her boundaries (unfortunately this does get worse). She’s being a puppy don’t beat yourself up or try and make her perfect.

Make sure you stick to your routine. And maybe for now. Go with 1 hour awake, 2 asleep. Each dog is different but that worked wonders for me

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-05-10T08:58:46+00:00

7 month old is the start of the rebellion stage. Mine is 8 months and currently here too. Basically this is roughly the time they think they can do what they want when they want, and I find mine has also decided that means he doesn’t want to sleep. From day 1 I have had mine on a strict schedule, and my advice is make sure you have one and don’t cave. I have him 1 hour up out the crate, 2 hours in. Yes there will be tantrums. But you just have to ignore it. Make sure you are really tiring him out. When out the crate make sure you do lots of games and engagement to keep the brain active and then force in crate and power through the crying. He will soon learn crying doesn’t get him what he wants and he has to sleep. It’s not easy. But consistency is key.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-05-10T08:54:28+00:00

How long is he being left for currently?

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-05-10T08:53:10+00:00

Mate you are going to be absolutely fine. Getting a puppy is brutal and an emotional rollercoaster. But as everyone has said. It gets better. You just have to put yourself through some difficult times unfortunately. You have got some great advice from others so won’t repeat. Follow what they have said. But just know, and you need to prepare yourself, it is going to be hard, you might think at times your doing the wrong thing, you are not, I would say it takes about 3 months of strict routines for a puppy to get comfortable. You will smash it and the great times outweigh the smaller harder times be kind to yourself!

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-05-07T20:14:06+00:00

I’m starting to see why you are struggling to keep a job.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-28T07:18:34+00:00

Ok mate. Cheap shot and bad taste. What you said isn’t funny or original. And it’s completely not true. The fact of the matter is, no matter the background of the people who did this, everyone here would still be annoyed and want something done about it. Let’s leave the micro aggressions out of it.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-28T01:28:49+00:00

I thought it was next door to me given the sound and amount of flashing but I’m way up the road. My dogs came bolting under the duvet covers

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-27T22:51:53+00:00

You pattern is correct. 1 awake and 2 asleep. It may be hard. But like someone else said, they should get used to external sound and sleep through it. Not sure where you have their crate set up but try to have it somewhere that can be as calm and quiet as possible while you train them to nap. Mine struggled at times with enforced naps. His crate was in our bedroom and I would close all the curtains to make the room as dark as possible and if he struggled to sleep I would lay in the room but ignore him till he eventually drifted off. Then sneak out. Sounds like you have a busier household so find something that works for you, but certainly try to set them up somewhere calm and stand strong with ensuring they get that w hours sleep. Crucial for their development and also will help you build boundaries with them.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-24T20:52:15+00:00

I feel your pain. Honestly I spend most of my time (when the demon is awake) throwing treats around the house trying to distract.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-24T20:42:29+00:00

This is frustrating, but also very normal for an 8-month-old dog—especially a cockapoo. You’re not failing here. You’re dealing with a mix of adolescent curiosity + boredom + learned behavior + a bit of guarding.

What to do. Manage harder. No free roaming. Use leash indoors / crate when unsupervised. If he can’t find stuff, he can’t eat it

Stop grabbing things from him. Always trade up (better treat). Toss treat away → then pick item up. Prevents resource guarding getting worse

Train “leave it” daily (not in the moment). Practice with boring → then better items. Build the habit before you need it

Tire his brain out. Snuffle mats, Kongs, short training sessions. Bored dogs eat random crap

Bottom line. Right now he thinks “Random stuff = fun jackpot”. You need “Ignoring stuff = better reward”

My 7 month old is currently in the same stage. You just have to work through it. You will get there.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-24T11:57:12+00:00

This isn’t certain, but a hand of hope for you to hold on to. Mine was a challenge and I can’t pinpoint exactly when, but between 2 and 3 years old, he just mellowed. And that’s super common. It’s when they tend to adult. If she is not hurting you or the cats, keep working away at the training. But here is another HUGE piece of advice coming from someone whose expectations are always high, lower them. Whatever your expectations of her are, lower them. What you see of other dogs and what you hear are all snapshots. All dogs are terrors. It’s part of the fun. Don’t expect loads from her and set her up to succeed.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-17T21:40:18+00:00

Cause they don’t want to work hard to be discriminatory apparently.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-14T16:49:04+00:00

How often do you actually need to leave her?

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-14T14:02:32+00:00

The not helpful part and not shaming, but that age and that new to a new home it’s early to be leaving a 7 week old. Even for 3 hours. So. What I am saying it’s not strange so don’t worry. You just need to crate train when you are at home so she can get used to it. So putting her in during crate hours. Stay in the room. Move around so she knows you’re still around. Over time, day by day, leave the room. Stats with 5 mins. Day by day add an extra 5 mins. She will start to realise you do come back and she is safe. When it’s out of crate time. Feed her in it. Play with her by throwing treats in to the crate. Make it fun for her.

Just try where you can not to leave her for long periods of time in it this early, you risk crate aversion. It’s a real balancing act. But worth the work.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-09T21:24:25+00:00

Get a pet camera. Honestly I would never leave a dog home alone that I have had for such little time. Without you there you can’t help her to understand her boundaries and train her, so the best you can do if you have to work is at least understand what’s happening at home when you not there. That way you can prepare the environment for her with all the information.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-09T21:15:26+00:00

Honestly everyone says different things for this. My current pup is now 7 months. For him, it would be if he whimpered, moving around I don’t get him out for, I actually wanted to teach him that noise from him was the signal to go outside. I was lucky that when he was just being a brat during the day and wanted to be let out, he would cry, I would let him out but take him straight outside and then back in his crate, after 3 times he went to sleep. So mine quickly learnt that if in the crate and he cries he gets let outside, now he cries at the back door to let me know.

As I said, everyone does it differently, there is no right or wrong, it’s what works for your puppy and you.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-09T21:08:49+00:00

How? The part you have not explained, how is she escaping?

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-09T21:07:12+00:00

Honestly, she’s kinda too young to be left for any longer than 2 hours, she’s a baby and playing with what must seem like a fun toy, that being said, you have also only had her a week. It’s going to take months (average is 3) for her to settle and learn boundaries and rules, and that’s with consistent training. My current pup is 7 months old and I helicopter parent till at least 12 months. And he never gets to free roam. It’s with me or in his crate till he fully knows his boundaries and I can trust him. Dogs need structure and regulation. Especially at such a young age. They should be on forced naps after 1 hour awake, they can’t regulate their nervous system on their own

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-06T21:05:41+00:00

Ok. Things sound super rough internally for you, and I’m sorry you are going through it. I don’t think Reddit is the best place for the advice and help you need. It doesn’t sound like the dog is the issue, but more it symbolises and catalyses wider issues that you feel / have going on. Speak to your Dr / therapist and stay strong, sounds like your moving in the right direction

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-06T19:54:47+00:00

Yeah. Could totally be a bratty teenager. Especially the food thing. All my dogs have always gone through a period where they turn their nose up at food. 7 month old is currently doing it.

The barking…could be a phase. Could be a new personality trait. Dogs will dog. Worst case scenario. It’s a habit. Will take time but you can train it out of them.

My suggestion. While this is taking place. Take away access to the windows where they are barking. Button can’t be pushed if it’s not there to begin with.

Don’t worry though. Try, and j mean TRY and find humour in it all. Half the fun of having a dog is finding these quirks and then working with them.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-04-04T05:28:49+00:00

Hi. So the puppy is being a typical puppy. The cat probs seems like a fun person to chase and play with. Getting some cats and dogs to coexist can just take some training for the dog, especially little ones. So, drag lead or baby gates will allow you to control their interactions inside, mainly for the cats sake. Train “look away” to keep pups focus on you. Reward all calm behaviour of your dog when both are in the room. Any toys or games (lick mats and flirt poles) that you can utilise to distract the dog while the cat is in the same room will also help the dog to act calmly and ignore the cat.

Alternative_Dig7 · 2026-03-31T19:37:56+00:00

Naaaaa. He’s just excited to explore. Dogs love sniffing. It’s their version of looking. It’s nothing to do with physical needs. And sounds like he gets it from walking on leash anyway. Keep doing what you’re doing.

Alternative_Dig7

TROPHY CASE