4Paws

Thank you all for your advice. I've been implementing a new "I'm the boss" technique since last night. He simply has to sit or down for anything. He can't do anything without my permission, and boy is he NOT liking it. I've let him get away with too much, and jfm is right, he is no longer that cute lil baby I brought home. He's starting to test his boundaries, and discovered *holes* in them, I should say.
I had him do a down for his dinner and he lost it. He flipped out, barking and running all over the place, protesting my new rules. He also isn't allowed on the couch now unless I say "Up." He can't have his toys without a sit.
I can tell from how he is reacting to his new rules that this is what he needs. Feel free to make suggestions. I feel that making him wait, have manners and remain calm will help reinforce that I'm the boss and he must wait for things to be OK with me first.

PaddleAddict

Keep it up, it will be hard. Don't give in when he's frustrating you. Jäger was a very bratty teenager, even though I had been implementing NILIF since I brought him home. I can't imagine how naughty he would have been without the structure.

I would suggest a few more things. When he's bratty and getting wound up and out of control, leash him for a time out next to you until he's calm. No more chasing games in the house. That probably riles him up and is not something you should be doing is you are reestablishing that you are in charge. Third, you said something about not knowing how much he can learn at 7 months old... A LOT! He might be mentally bored if you haven't been training him. I would combine a training class and also using clicker training to teach fun tricks at home. Finally, don't rush to neuter him if you want to wait until he's mature. I think it's more his age that's causing the behavior.

JE-UK

Just don't forget why you have a dog ... find fun things to do together as well. I always strive for the steady, sunny demeanor of the (increasingly rare!) parents with amazingly well-behaved kids ... they set fair rules, stick to them, then hardly ever have to enforce them.

I ask my dog to work for things as well (it's hilarious how fast he can drop to the floor when dinner is on the way), but also do lots and lots of training, both serious training and trick training, as well as games.

Fun on your terms is still fun for the dog, and poodles love games like hide & seek or find-the-toy.

4Paws

Is it possible we've been having too much fun? LOL! That might be part of the problem. It's mostly fun and games and hasn't been that much about rules. Some rules, yes, but the more demanding he gets the more I can see I need a few more rules.
After a day of not being able to get on the couch or into my space without my permission, he finally understood. It seemed to click yesterday evening, and he gave up. He didn't nip or growl at me. He laid peacefully on the floor and when he needed to go out he just looked at me and I figured it out. He was well-behaved for company (which he usually is, no complaints) and stayed on the flour.
We were actually practicing Stay on the front porch when company came over, so it was nice "real-life" practice and he did well.
I feel encouraged by all your posts and advice. We aren't having as many issues as we could be, and for that I'm thankful. He's still happy and upbeat, but now he's understanding he needs to be calm and he will get rewarded. I think it's already working, so I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing. I really really don't want to have him fixed before he's a year old, and he doesn't mark in the house (well.. unless it's thundering out, but that's just peeing and my fault for not taking him out before the rain started).
I've also started to teach him "play dead" to get him to lie on his side on command, and it's so darn cute! We're still working on it, and also "other paw" but that is challenging him a little. I'm going to get him into another obedience class in a few weeks, too so that will help tremendously with the mental boredom.

You know, my bf watches Polo during the day while I'm working. He said he's usually amusing himself all day long until I get home. Polo may associate me with play, training and walks (not that bf doesn't do any of that, but me perhaps more rigidly). So that may be why he takes my things and tries to get my attention. I can't really blame him. I'll be dedicating much more of my time to him and training and walking him. I think adding another early morning walk will help as well. He certainly could use a little more exercise. There is a club nearby that has fenced in property that my mom and I are thinking of joining so we can let all three dogs run together. I know nothing can replace pack play and chase so I'm looking into that as well. Sorry for the lengthy post, I've just been thinking about this non-stop for a few days now.. thank you again.

fjm

Sounds like you are both heading in the right direction - plenty of fun and play, but with clear boundaries against rude behaviour. Congratulations!

__________________

To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,
where doing nothing was not boring- it was peace.

~ Milan Kundera

mom24doggies

My puppy is going through the same stage,(he's the same age as yours) although he doesn't nip/bite me. He just decides that he's NOT going to walk nicely on the leash, or come when he's called, or sit when I ask him to. I just keep being firm, reminding him that I'm "mom" and he's "the kid" and don't let him get away with anything. I also make sure he gets lots of exercise; we do 2-3 mile walks most days of the week, plus he plays for hrs with my other dogs and me. I find that I get little resistance from him behavior-wise if he's well exercised. NILIF is great too, we do that a lot.