I grew up with Shepherds, amongst other assorted mix breed rescues, so I do know a reasonable amount about them. And now have a working breed dog.
You could well have a very good point. She's a teenager and LOL we all know teenagers love to test the boundaries, it's their way of learning to become adults and dogs are no different. Plus they always have an excess of energy to burn.
A 9 months old Sheppie needs heaps of exercise both physical and MENTAL. In fact, mental stimulation is VERY important to these dogs as they are working dogs.
You can find many ways of mentally stimulating your girl. There are various products designed just for that purpose, but they can be expensive depending on where you live. But you can also devise loads of 'games' for her to play, such as hide and go seek - just hide tasty treats (LOL she won't keep her eyes shut so make sure she cannot see where you hide the treats) around the house. Keep it fairly easy at first and then it's up to you to judge how smart she is and extend the hiding places. Another mental stimulation, and also helps with the physical side, is teaching her tricks, especially those which require her to use her own brain - i.e. shaping is one very good way to make her use her brain. We all know that studying is more tiring than dancing all night, dogs are no different.
Exercise is also vital a good, fast paced hours walk is necessary, along with if possible, a good time off leash in a safe area. Her skeletal develop will hold up, there are those who say 12 months but I've always found with Sheppies that it doesn't hurt to give them a decent walk from around 8/9 months old, never had any damage to their bones/muscles etc.
She may also like Agility work. This gives a physical and mental work out, though most clubs do have an age standard of 12 months and please make sure they do not over stretch a newbie, or push too hard. In fact at the Doggy School my girl attends they have a miniture Agility course, suitable for very small dogs and puppies, purely to keep/get the dog's brain working and thinking, and believe me Leaf is tuckered out after an hour at Doggy School:-).
Canine Freestyle is a very good physical and mental exercise and fun too if you're into dance. No age limit just your dog does need to be good at recall and not get into mischief with other dogs as that can be very disruptive to a class.
But these are not to be substituted for a good, interesting walk. Vary where you walk her, don't always take the same route, have a few different routes and take her out just for a visit to say, do a bit of window shopping, do lunch with friends at out side bistros/cafes etc. where they welcome dogs. Keep her life full of different interesting fun things, take her everywhere you're allowed too.
When a dog, any breed, is bored they will find varies ways to amuse themselves. And those ways are not generally compatible with our lifestyle
In the past one of my Sheppies actually spent his whole life living in an Apartment and he was never destructive, never grizzled, but he went pretty much everywhere with me, even to open air concerts and pyrotechnic shows, he loved fireworks, not all dogs do though so be careful on this one! He loved swimming and I lived right on top of a beach, so he got to swim a lot, plus have a grand time chasing seagulls, something he never out grew unfortunately but fortunately never caught one!
Hope this helps, keep your lassie well stimulated and she should settle down and don't forget, she's a TEENAGER and will test her boundaries quite a lot!
