# Puppy making me crazy & wondering about breed



## Cooper33 (Dec 21, 2013)

I googled, "Is it normal to hate your puppy everyday?" Ok, so maybe Hate is a strong word, because I do love him too, but there are days when I feel like I'm going to lose my mind. He's almost 6 months old now, so it's fun to see him progress & learn things, but he's bitey and energetic. I just need to know I'm not alone, and it will get better. Also, any guesses on his breed?


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

search "crazy" on the forum. or "puppy won't stop biting". or "is this normal?" Trust me, you are not alone, and it will get better.

That looks like your standard lab x pit cross. I love his little white feet.

If you look in the training section, at the top, we have a sticky on puppy biting. All puppies bite, and labs are especially mouthy, but you can train him with patience, time and consistency. As for energetic, well, puppies are energetic, labs are energetic, pit bulls are very energetic, so I suggest lots of exercise and training. That might- might- slow him down a little.


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## Brooklynsmom (Mar 19, 2014)

YOU ARE NOT ALONE! I have an almost 6 month old puppy who I love to pieces but half of the time she makes me crazy. I knew raising a puppy would be a lot of work and it is such a rewarding process but frustrating as hell. She tears around our house finding things to chew on that I didn't know we even had. When she is bored (which is all the time if we aren't on a constant walk or at the park) she chews on our furniture, our clothes, anything and barks at us. 

Things that have helped: 
1. Chewies- stuffed kongs, antlers, BULLY STICKS, stuffed shin bones. 
2. Lots of exercise- walks, romps in the park, off leash dog parks are the best
3. Her crate- she can't flip her own off switch so I do it for her if I know she is over stimulated and needs a break. 
4. Training- not too long of sessions because she gets frustrated. 

Honestly, I feel like when I am not at work I am constantly catering to her but I think that's just how it goes while they are young. Also- I live in an apartment with no yard and little space with a high energy shepherd/boxer/lab mix. I am insane. 

So while I can't tell you when it gets better, I know it does and I am here (and many others) for moral support. Try to make puppy friends. Let them play. Your pup will be sleepy for the rest of the day. Happy owner. 

He's cute! How big?


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## Kayla_Nicole (Dec 19, 2012)

I cried a few times when Alannah was a puppy from being frustraited and tired. So much puppy biting and such unending energy. 

And now, at almost two, she is the most wonderful dog in the world. 

The good thing is, you will get selective amnesia once he is older, and you will forget how crazy having a puppy makes you. lol. There is a reason why they are so cute


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## pinksand (Dec 11, 2013)

I can absolutely relate! Charlie just turned 8 months so we've still got some time to put in from what I've heard  I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who's life revolves around puppy outside of work. I see it as an investment and hopefully it turns out that way!


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## kdawnk (Mar 26, 2014)

Everyone else has already given you some pretty stellar advice.

I'm just commenting for some more moral support. I haven't been reduced to tears _yet_, but some days she really tests me and I have to just take 5 on my own before retrying anything with her. When I get angry she seems to act out more and more and it makes me more and more frustrated. So I find it's beneficial for us _both_ to just be separated for a few minutes. Take a bike ride alone, or have a bath with some tunes to just de-stress.

I'm not much for puppyhood. I never thought I'd be very good at it because I'm not the most patient person in the world. I think all in all I'm doing pretty good. She's learning at a slow and steady pace.
My parents have been fairly supportive in all of this, although their training methods are mainly dominance/authoritative based and we clash in that instance a lot. They're trying my way, so long weekends I'll drop the puppy off at my parents' house for a day so I can have some down time on my own and get things done without worrying about her. They joke and call her their Grandbaby, and refer to themselves as grandparents.


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## Cooper33 (Dec 21, 2013)

Thank you all for your support! It really makes me feel better. Cooper is 6 months old now, and 44 lbs. He's a mystery mutt, so I don't know how much bigger he'll get. The rescue told me he was lab/shepherd, so I'm trying not to let the pitbull part freak me out....his best friends at home are a mini poodle & a cat that grooms him.


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## doggiepop (Feb 27, 2014)

i don't know the breed of your dog but i do know eveything gets better with training
and socializing. so, are you training or complaining?


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## Arya of House Stark (Jan 14, 2014)

It's normal to be frustrated. I love Zoe but there are days where she drives me up a wall. Her teething phase was awful.

Kongs are a lifesaver for me, and she really calmed down after we got her a dog trainer. She goes on walks 4x a day, we train, and she gets tons of playtime at night. What I found that really knocks her out and you can see if your pup likes the game too, is to hide pieces of a broken-up treat and have them find it. I do that before our night time walk and she's out like a light by the time I'm ready to go to bed.

Good luck! It does get better, and your pup is adorable--looks like some sort of lab/put or lab/boxer mix.  If it makes you feel better, my boyfriend's lab/pit mix was an absolute terror as a puppy but calmed down at around 8 months, so here's hoping your dog will follow Damien's example!


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## Greater Swiss (Jun 7, 2011)

Definitely not alone! Caeda had me in tears several times, I was SO exhausted from her "puppyness". Take a deep breath and try to enjoy the good stuff, that is one thing that helped me a ton, she helped me loosen up a bunch too. Depending on your home, and the challenges you are facing you can probably find a bunch of management solutions to at least give you a little bit of down time every now and then. We had some "tether spots" in each room (just a hook on the wall for connecting a leash, so if I needed a moment for doing dishes, or cooking, I could tether her nearby (give her a kong or something to keep her busy), and do my thing but still be able to see her, the crate can come in handy. Spend some time every day doing some training, not only does it help get your pooch trained, but when you start seeing progress, or even some of the cute and funny things your dog will do, it'll help lighten the mood a bit. A long line and a nice open safe area can help too. Just chill in the grass and watch your puppy explore.


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## Brooklynsmom (Mar 19, 2014)

Greater Swiss- when did caeda start to settle down? I know it's different for every dog but I'm curious. I've heard some dogs start to settle down a bit as early as 8 months- depending of course. My mom's chocolate lab didn't start calming down until about 3.5 years old.


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## fourdogs (Feb 3, 2014)

I feel you! My PWD didn't calm down till she turned 4, and now she's pretty decent to live with, but will still steal anything with a flavor and eat it. My 13 month old poodle puppy is not nearly as intense as my PWD was, but he probably cured me of wanting another puppy! I promise myself I will NOT get selective memory and I will remember how awful crate training started out, and potty training, and still working on his 'scared of everything' problem. 

The dogs I enjoy most are my bichon (12) and my chihuahua (7) because they are calm and quiet and well behaved. The other 2 can be hyper, way too busy, way to noisy. Ugh. 
Today is one of those days for me! LOL. 

But yeah, it gets better


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## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

The words 'pit bull' should not freak you out. They are not scary dogs, they are fantastic family-oriented dogs who just happen to be in the media's spotlight right now. People aren't just attacked by pits.. labs do it, shepherds do it, aussies do it, other bully breeds do it, how many chihuahuas do you know that are downright mean but are given the pass because they're little and have "small dog" syndrome and often times people even encourage the behavior because they think it's funny! 
Pits are just dogs, just like the rest of them, and they all have their limits for what they will and will not tolerate. 

Anyway - no guesses on breed, but relax, you're totally not alone. I called my Mom bawling my eyes out when Toby was little, I was pregnant when we got him so the extra rush of hormones probably didn't help LOL!


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

When I got my puppy, I think I cried daily for the next few months. It was so frustrating. Here was this ridiculously adorable little animal who was seemingly made entirely out of teeth and pee. As an adult dog, he's super sweet and cuddly, mostly mellow, doesn't bite, never pees on the floor! It's like an entirely different dog than when he was a puppy. What helped us a lot when he was younger was taking him to lots of classes and playgroups. He was most tolerable when he was asleep, and classes and playgroups exhausted him!


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## Cooper33 (Dec 21, 2013)

Hambonez- Thank you! I definitely had a case of the "puppy blues" right away, and there have been many tears shed. I know things will get better. Just last night, things seemed really good. Then this morning, he was practicing his doggy paddle in his water bowl. Ahhhhhhh! But yes, we've graduated from puppy class & obedience level 1. Gonna get him signed up for one day a week at doggy day care, so mama can stay sane


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## Sarah~ (Oct 12, 2013)

I wouldn't say they are totally calmed down but I really noticed a difference around 1 year with both of my dogs. Eko is 2 and is really starting to mature. 

Xena made me cry a couple of times over housebreaking, I never thought she'd get it because of her health issues but between 7-9 months old she did much better. We still have accidents every once in a while but it's not her fault. She's also very nippy and stubborn, but she's made lots of progress. Keep it up and one day you'll forget what monsters puppies are and want another one lol.


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## Chichan (Apr 1, 2014)

Looks like a pit mix to me  .

My puppy is still young but housetraining and issues with my resident cat frustrated me to the point of crying.
Taking him for a walk whenever he gets into one of his crazy energetic moods has saved my sanity also my ex-pen (thank you inventor of the ex-pen).


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

You want a Pit in the mix to calm down the evil terror that is a Lab puppy  As wonderful as an adult Lab is, a Lab puppy is the spawn of the devil, a needle-toothed vampire, and fuzzy landshark, that is intelligent, energetic, and indestructible... and always hungry. If you hit a Lab (or a Pit), he might bite you, b/c he thinks you like to play roughly. If you shake your finger at a Pit and say "bad doggie" then you'll hurt his feelings and he'll melt. On the other hand, the Lab may look contrite ... and then bite your finger to play tug of war ... and he intends to win!

I think that a Pit calms down at 6 mos to a year, but a Lab can take until he's about 3 yo to mellow. But, about that time you may realize the amazing intelligence and ability to adapt .... which makes Lab owners so loyal to the breed... 

Shep is a 13 yo Lab/GSD mix, and I rarely have to cue him ... he learned long ago by observing, adapting to my habits.


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## Eenypup (Mar 21, 2014)

Please don't let the possibility of your cutie being a pit mix freak you out! They're one of the goofiest most loving types of dogs out there! They aren't one breed of dog, but the 'pit bull type' is pretty common with shelter dogs.


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## doggiepop (Feb 27, 2014)

leave the Shepherd's out of this.



BostonBullMama said:


> The words 'pit bull' should not freak you out. They are not scary dogs, they are fantastic family-oriented dogs who just happen to be in the media's spotlight right now. People aren't just attacked by pits.. labs do it,
> 
> >>>>> shepherds do it,<<<<<<
> 
> ...


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

Totally normal, I "hated " (used loosely of course ) all my puppies to varying degrees so you are not alone, puppies test even the most patient, experienced person.


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## minireb123 (Apr 17, 2014)

Cooper33 said:


> The rescue told me he was lab/shepherd, so I'm trying not to let the pitbull part freak me out....his best friends at home are a mini poodle & a cat that grooms him.


Haha the rescue told us Ruby was a beagle/corgi mix as a puppy and she ended up being 50-60 lbs and definitely some sort of Shepherd mix. It's extremely difficult for them to identify breeds at puppy age but your dog definitely seems like a pit cross to me too! Don't worry though, pits are very human friendly and can be great dogs  Also, the puppy hating is pretty normal at least for me it was. That's why I'm sworn off puppies forever now though haha.


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## Donna88 (Nov 4, 2013)

I agree on what most people on here are saying,

1-that you are not alone in hating your puppy (yes maybe hate is a strong word.... as I'm typing this mine is giving me his sad eyes.... I think he knows what I'm saying haha) my partner in particular has trouble with our puppy and gets really wound up by him... but I know he loves him really, he tells me he does anyway. I love our little guy, but I completely agree with my partner when he says he's an asshole

2-Don't worry about the pit mix thing, pits are great dogs and can be so love-able, they just get a bad press.


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## BostonBullMama (Apr 20, 2013)

doggiepop said:


> leave the Shepherd's out of this.


It's true though, I'm not going to lie to someone. I even called out my own breed. Chill.


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## Eenypup (Mar 21, 2014)

BostonBullMama said:


> It's true though, I'm not going to lie to someone. I even called out my own breed. Chill.


Yeah that was a strange reaction. I don't see a problem with pointing out that literally any dog breed can bite. It's just a fact!


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

You're in Colorado? Denver and maybe some other cities have breed specific legislation (BSL) so I see NOTHING other than a Lab/Boxer mix. With a rescue dog, there is NO reliable way to tell breed, not even the commercially available DNA tests. 

And oh yeah, the puppy crazy gets better. I think around 9-12 months old the crazy really drops off and by 2 years old, dogs are much more "adults" mentally. The bonus is that when the dog is over a year old or so, you can start adding a LOT more exercise and burning energy is great for creating a dog you can live with and stay sane


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## Robbi (Nov 19, 2013)

Sonic still drives me nuts sometimes, i love him to the moon and back but he drives me crazy. 

I would try to do more complex training. More then just the standard sit, down, stay. A lot of energy can be burned in a training session since they require so much focus. Teach your dog to do some fun tricks. Sonic knows how to whisper (barking soft), and he can wipe his paws. he can sit, down, stay, roll over, spin, jump up, give paw, do a variety of agility exercises (these you can do without any equipment and a lot of them require thinking. i just taught sonic how to do sends from about 10 feet away around an overturned bucket. however with a puppy i'd avoid doing things like jumps. his little joints are still working but you can do "agility" exercises to improve his confidence, like tunnels), and he's currently working on his lefts and rights. You can burn up tons of energy with training sessions, it'll give your dog better manners too.


Although with a puppy you're probably not going to get more than 5-10 minutes out of them at a time tops, which is fine.


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## TheOtherCorgi (Sep 18, 2013)

I gotta be honest...I don't see lab, boxer or shepherd...

IMHO he's a pitbull, and maybe not a mix. 

Alot of times shelters will label a dog as anything they can that is not a pitbull just so the dog is more adoptable. I'm not saying that is what happened here, but it is a possibility. 

If you are in a town where there's BSL, just tell anyone who asks what the shelter told you he was. That's all you have to go off of really, other then some opinions on the internet. 

For some people, puppies are a joy and for others, puppies are a chore. Kind of like kids. Pitties are slow to mentally mature and stay puppyish for a long time, so my suggestion is to try to give him an outlet and just learn to love it. 

Maybe a flirt pole could help you channel some of that drive and exhuberance. 

Also, as a note of well intentioned advice... please consider doing some research on pitbulls. You'll find alot of stereotypes are just that, stereotypes, but you'll learn alot in the process and in that respect you'll be able to be a better advocate for your dog in the future.


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

FWIW I have seen some shelter dogs labeled some pretty Bazaar breed guesses lol


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