Has Your Adolescent Dog Suddenly Stopped Listening?
Your puppy hasn't forgotten everything you've taught them, but adolescence may make it feel like they have!
Seemingly overnight your sweet puppy class graduate went from coming running when you call them to forgetting their name and not listening to any of your cues. They’re jumping on neighbors, pulling you on walks, lunging towards dogs or squirrels, and sniffing in the yard instead of coming inside. Sound familiar?
If you feel like your puppy has suddenly forgotten everything they know or has a new “stubborn” streak, you’re not alone and your puppy hasn’t suddenly become stubborn. Welcome to adolescence!
Here’s the basics of our survival guide for your teenage pup,so that you can come out the other side with a confident, well-mannered dog.
What Is the Teenage Phase in Dogs?
Most dogs experience adolescence between six months and two years of age, with larger breed dogs often taking a bit longer to mature. During this time your dog is experiencing physical and hormonal changes that are bringing them from puppyhood to adulthood, including the pruning of brain pathways! These changes often result in higher levels of distraction, impulsivity, confidence, and overall ability to respond as we are used to.
While these changes may make it seem like your dog is being stubborn or ignoring you, this is not the case. Instead, they’re adjusting to their hormones, their increased interest in their environment, and trying to remember cues as their brain pathways adjust. So yes, you may feel like you are going back to puppyhood for a bit!
Understanding the reasoning behind this sudden shift can help you approach training with patience rather than frustration, leading to quicker and greater success!
My Teenage Dog is Struggling…
Every adolescent dog is different, and adolescence often exacerbates behaviors a dog is struggling with. Here are some behaviors owners struggle with during this phase:
Not responding to cues they previously knew well
Pulling on the leash
Jumping on visitors
Counter surfing
Becoming easily distracted outdoors
Getting overly excited around people or other dogs
Suddenly acting fearful of things
Increased impulsivity
While these behaviors can certainly test your patience and are in need of training guidance, you are not alone in these struggles!
Why is My Dog’s Training Falling Apart?
Oftentimes owners take training seriously in puppyhood and then assume it is finished once they have learned the basic cues. In reality, adolescence is one of the most important times to reinforce training!
Dogs don't generalize like people, meaning they need to practice behaviors in a variety of different environments and around different distractions to be able to perform them reliably.
During adolescence, your dog needs generalizing in every environment you want them to listen in! While their brains are pruning, they may briefly ‘lose’ some of their prior knowledge, now is the time to secure it by teaching and practicing it where you need it! The more successful experiences your dog has, the more reliable those behaviors become.
Remember, you probably wouldn’t go to work if you suddenly stopped getting paid. Your dog needs reinforcement to keep their behaviors reliable otherwise they are likely to find their own reinforcement!
How to Help Your Teenage Dog Succeed
Go Back to the Basics
If your dog is struggling, the first step is to make things easier and find the place where they can succeed! If your dog can't focus at the park, practice in your backyard first. If your walks have become frustrating, use a longer leash, walk at quieter times, and reward every success. Don’t forget to contact a trainer for support!
Keep Training Short and Fun
Training doesn't have to take hours. A few minutes, even two to ten minute sessions, throughout the day can be incredibly effective. In fact, this is how I train my own dogs as a trainer! End each session while your dog is still engaged and successful so they look forward to the next one.
Reward the Behaviors You Want
Adolescent dogs need reminders that making good choices is reinforcing, especially when the environment is reinforcing to them! Build up your training bank during this phase.
Whether your dog checks in with you during a walk, chooses to ignore a distraction, or settles calmly on their bed, reinforce those moments with praise, treats, toys, or another reward they enjoy. Positive reinforcement builds habits that last long after the treats are gone.
Prevent Bad Habits Before They Start, Management is ½ of Training!
Your dog will repeat what they rehearse, whether it is something you want or are trying to avoid. While you work on training, set your dog up for success! Here are a few examples:
If your dog loves stealing shoes, keep shoes out of reach
If they're jumping on visitors, use a leash or baby gate while practicing calm greetings
If your dog jumps on the counters to steal food, use a gate to keep them out of the kitchen or keep all food away when you can’t supervise
The less your dog rehearses unwanted behaviors, the less those behaviors become habits and the quicker training works!
Meet Their Needs
One of the biggest mistakes I see is that owners assume physical exercise is the only thing their dog needs. In addition to needing sufficient exercise, your dog needs mental stimulation in the form of training and enrichment. Here are a few enrichment ideas to help meet your dogs needs:
Try incorporating:
Food puzzle toys or treat dispensing toys
Sniff walks
Scent work games
Trick training
Scatter feeding in the yard/grass
Appropriate chew items
Short, engaging training sessions
Enrichment aids in relaxation, reducing boredom, and increasing overall fulfillment!
Progress Won’t Be Linear
Some days your dog will seem like they've matured overnight, the next it’ll feel like they have never heard their name. Meet your dog where they’re at and keep track of progress based on frequency of behaviors versus all or nothing.
Celebrate the small victories, set step by step training goals, and keep practicing! Every day you commit to training, you’re one day closer to the behaviors you want in your dog.
When Should You Get Professional Help?
While adolescence is a normal developmental stage, behaviors that are practiced are going to stick around. Behaviors are much easier to address early before they become lifelong habits and working with a qualified, positive reinforcement trainer can make a huge difference in working through this.
Some common behaviors trainers can help with include:
Leash pulling
Poor recall
Jumping on people
Reactivity toward dogs or people
Difficulty settling
Overexcitement
The earlier you have a plan and start working on things, the quicker you are able to enjoy your pup!
Shift Your Mindset
If you're currently living with a teenage dog, remember this: They aren’t trying to ignore you, they aren’t being stubborn or spiteful. They're having a hard time as their brain grows and changes. They're learning how to navigate a world that's suddenly much more exciting than it was as a young puppy.
This stage won't last forever, but it will be much smoother the sooner you start implementing the steps above!
Keep training, keep setting them up for success, you and your future dog will thank you!
Need Help With Your Teenage Dog?
At Centre Stage Dog Training, we specialize in helping owners navigate the ups and downs of adolescence so you can enjoy your dog in real life. Whether you're struggling with leash pulling, unreliable recall, jumping on guests, or simply a puppy regression, our private training or done for you packages will carry you and your dog through the teenage months and beyond.
Ready to enjoy your dog again? Contact us at contact@centrestagedogtraining.com to learn more about our customized training programs