@Puji:
Hello all,
We are having a rough few weeks with our Charlie. He is almost 7 months old now. He is nipping again a lot - jumping up and grabbing/biting whatever body part he can get a hold of - and it hurts! He has about 5-10 episodes a day. He had done this as a younger pup, but learned not to once we introduced him to the water bottle. Now the water bottle is less 'persuasive'. We continue to use the other anti-nipping techniques you all have talked about in other threads. But Charlie is a persistent little bugger!!!
Another issue is that he'll tolerate being left alone when he's napping, but if we leave him when he's more awake, he will break open or climb over the baby gate that keeps him in his puppy-proofed room. Then we see him looking at us through the patio door - so we go back in, put him back in his room, tighten the baby gate, and head out again. Last week, we had to do this one evening, and came home to him sitting in a pile of fluff and foam that was once his doggy bed. He hasn't been destructive with our furniture, but I'm beginning to worry about his 'potential'. We're starting to crate train him.
Overall, it feels like he has more energy than we can handle. It's just the two of us (DH and me) - I'm home most of the day, but can't entertain him 24/7. We walk him for about an hour a day. We play with him and train him at home. But he doesn't have regular access to other dogs - just the doggy park once a week.
I guess my question is: Will he get calmer and less demanding as he gets older? If so, when do pups typically start to mellow out? Or does he need a more stimulating environment, with more people (playmates) around, and possibly other dogs?
Thanks…
Because Keoki also has issues with being left during the day, we now put his crate inside a small ex-pen with a top. There's no way he can get out.
And we replace his night-time dog bed w/paper towels.
He's almost a year old, and for the last few weeks when we lock him up during the day he has not been screaming when we walk away, and the paper towels in his crate have been flattened, not torn to tiny pieces.
I think it's a matter of time and maturity, and realizing that he won't die if we're not home.
If you can't use an ex-pen, maybe a taller gate or one gate on top of the other for those times. And do remove his bed and replace it with cheap paper towels during those time when he's likely to flip out.
:rolleyes: I think in my gallery I have a photo or two of what was left of Gypsy's bed when Keoki got a hold of the corner of it through the ex-pen.
And once I tried setting his and Jazzy's night time beds on top of the ex-pen, and the little booger shredded them through the little squares of the pen-top. I learned to keep all things shreddable very clear of the pen! 
As far as nipping, Keoki does that a bit w/the kids esp. when he wants to play. He'll jump up and grab at their clothes. It can be intimidating when he can stand and put his paws on your shoulder! The kids are learning to defend themselves now rather than yell for me or run :rolleyes: . Now they will stop and stand as tall as they can and say, "NO", then turn around. Sometimes they have to push him down. Sometimes he'll jump on their back once they turn, so they again will say, "NO", turn and take a step away.
It's a slow process with him, but he's so much better now.
Patience in all things, especially when you least feel it!
Good luck. They can exhaust you sometimes, but they are worth it!
