5 Month Old Puppy -- Blues have hit...
I have had dogs my entire life, but I haven't had a puppy in 12 years, so I've probably forgotten a lot of the puppy phase. I also haven't had an airedale ever, but I have had small terriers. This airedale has been rough, and I would really benefit from some help. Please be kind. I'm super sleep deprived.
I haven't had a full nights sleep in almost two months. He will go from 10 - 4 a.m, that's the longest stretch with a 10 - 3 a.m. thrown in here and there. So, I'm getting less and less patient by the day. (Yes, I've read every training manual and watched every youtube video on how to stretch this out.)
I'm really hating the way the vet and group training class leader looked at me and said, "oh, you got an airedale, gave me a dirty look, and acted like it was the end of the world. Why? Is it that awful? But, the result/effect was it made me scared of my dog.
The dog BITES and it HURTS and this morning I just sat and cried. I've done the Oww, that hurts for weeks. I stop play, but he bites and comes at me harder when I say owww or as I'm stopping play...so what I'm doing is NOT working.
Is it going to get better? Or, is this just the way it is? I love dogs. I've had goldens, labs, and mini schnauzers, and a doberman. So, I'm not a complete novice, but right now I feel like one.
I've also read through this sub and it scares me that people joke it gets better in five years. I don't think that is doable for me if true. I don't need a big dog aggressively biting me for the next five years. Please give me "truth" without joking around. What does the next year look like with this airedale?