i need some advice please. i have a 7 month lab who up till last week was doing really well. We have been attending  classes, he is house trained and would come back to me off lead especially for rewards.He would also do sit/ stay well.he had to go into kennels for 5 nights this week(unavoidable). when I picked him up the kennel owner said his mother had been training my dog along with her springer., hoped I didn't mind as it gave them both some exercise. he has always been very sociable but knew I was his mistress. I feel he is a bit confused at the moment as when we have had our walks yesterday and today he doesn't seem as resonsive to me as he was. Is this his way of punishing me for leaving him or is it the teenage years creeping in. Any advice on how to get him back to the relationship we had before I had to go away?

Hi,

I expect teenage years and also if someone else has been training him then he may well be confused as to who his master is?? I would do lots of training with him, especially at this difficult age ;)....Dont know if I would be too pleased if someone else trained my dog without my consent though :\ They could use completly different methods to what you use.....

Hi there!

Dogs fortunately don't go through the whole speel of human emotions and consequent vindictiveness - that's why they're "man's best friend" - they love us regardless so he will definitely not be "punishing" you for kennelling him ;)

He's probably as you thought anyway just a little confused because his normal routine throughout the day was changed.  Dogs don't really have much concept of time either but as he's so young his training that you'd already been making good progress with will not have been as deeply ingrained as would be with an older dog.  He's a bit young still for the teenage rebellion stage (it will come though, be sure :P ) and probably just needs a little more time and continuity of routine to get back on track.  Try not to stress over it meantime.  Regards, Teri :) 

I dont think he is too young for this stage whether teenage or just 'different'.... mine went through a awkward stage around this time that lasted for a good while

Ah, now I wish I'd thought to run it by you first but we were typing at the same time :D

Teri ;)