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Well, the dreaded teenage stage is here and it’s awful. My Aussie/hound puppy is 8 months old and oh my god she is chewing everything, not listening, being soooo sassy, and just trying to do what she wants.

I love my puppy, she’s so good and well trained but with this stage it’s like everything has gone out the window and she requires even more attention than she did at 11 weeks old! I am constantly taking her out to play, walk, or making chews and buying them to help with mental stimulation but this girl is crazy.

How does one survive the teenage stage and when on earth does it end 😭

I wanted to share a little frustration and need advice. I brought my now 11-week-old puppy home when he was 9 weeks old. He had received his first round of shots, deworming, and a health check at the breeder’s around seven weeks, which felt like a great start!

The real hiccup happened when I took him to my new vet to establish care and get his second set of vaccines. They informed me that they wouldn't honor the breeder's vaccine statement. They insisted on following their own three-round protocol. Essentially, this means my little guy will receive four shots in total, with that crucial first one not counting towards his immunity timeline.

I know, in hindsight, it's not a huge deal—the more protection, the better, especially against dangerous illnesses like Parvovirus. But the timing has thrown a wrench in my plans! I was really looking forward to safely taking him out and about by Christmas, imagining walks on the beach or play time in a grassy field. Now, his freedom date is being pushed back into the New Year.

He's going stir-crazy, and honestly, I am too! We both desperately need that outdoor play and exploration. The big question I’m grappling with is: Do I follow the strict protocol and wait until 16 weeks, or can I compromise a little by Christmas (which would be fully covered per the breeders vac scheudle)?

I will absolutely complete the vet's full three-round vaccine protocol, but what are your thoughts?

Thanks for letting me vent! Every puppy parent knows this struggle between safety and socialization.

I have a four and a half month old puppy. Cages are illegal in my country, so I have been using the leash technique, he is close to me all the time and so far the accidents have been greatly reduced, in addition to the fact that it is outside in less than ten minutes, we go out every three hours. However if he has access to the floor of the house (he's usually in my bed with me) he'll more than likely do it inside anyway.

I'm not sure when I can trust him to walk freely around the room again, I've read that eventually they understand that being outside brings good things, but how do I know he already understands if I can't give him access to the floor to avoid accidents? When do you know it's time to give him some freedom to walk around the house? I've tried picking him up and getting him out when it's inside, but I usually can't get him out fast enough.

I’m sure it varies dog to dog, but when do I switch my dog over to adult food? He will be 1 years old in a couple weeks. We’ve had no problems with his puppy food but he’s recently seems uninterested in eating it? So it got me thinking maybe he’s ready for new food! Any help is appreciated

Hey friends! Just looking for some advice on how to get my puppy walking again with his collar along with his harness. We’ve been using a harness since he was big enough to fit in one (he’s a labsky) we got his collar a couple days ago and we knew his behaviour was going to be different while he gets used to it. He’s mainly just moping around/ just sad in general and laying down when he was all energetic before we put it on him. Anyways. He still likes to go outside but when I put the harness and collar on him and start walking with him he will absolutely not go and if I manage to get him a couple houses down he will use all his strength to pull towards home. Treats HAVENT been working

I have a 3yr old husky mix, last vet visit he was 47lbs and he may weigh 50lbs now but not much more. He does AWFUL in the car. He’s very reactive to anything outside the car. I have a seatbelt and harness for him and he pulls so hard he has gotten out of the seat belt and the harness. I’ve tried a hammock in the back and he just chewed right through it. I don’t crate him in general, but I feel that a crate in the car may be my best bet so I can start getting him out on trails and things more, and also that he and I are safe because half the time I’m holding him by the harness while driving with one hand. He also nips at me when I try to keep him in one place/not hitting the gear shifter/not getting out of his harness.

My stipulation is I currently drive a VW Jetta (4 door sedan) and have no idea what would fit. I would want a plastic/metal crate and not a collapsable one because he would probably just chew through it. I plan on measuring my back seat and looking around (and I plan on hopefully getting an SUV soon) but any ideas on what could fit?? I also have no idea how to get him more comfortable in the car, he’s already anxious in general and he’s fine until we start moving. I don’t really have anyone else to help me train him in the car.

Just curious.

Mine is location. I also look at the health metrics but I often don’t find them accurate.