handling adolescence

For most puppies, adolescence starts around 6 months of age and lasts until maturity at 2 years or more.

• Large and giant breeds take longer to mature. 

• Male dogs develop a little more slowly than female dogs.

• Dogs neutered or spayed very early might experience longer adolescence.

The most challenging phase is usually from 7–18 months but not always.

development

A puppy’s brain and body change a lot during adolescence.

• The brain gets turned into a major construction site and doesn’t always function well.

• The amygdala, the emotional center of the brain, is enlarged and reacts more often and intensely on environmental stimulation. 

• The prefrontal cortex, the place of main memory and decision-making, shrinks (simply put).

• The part of the brain connected with curiosity is developing, and it’s difficult to desist from interesting things.

• The reward system is more excitable.

• Sex hormones are working overtime at elevated levels.

• Stress hormone levels are highest. 

• The body is maturing, causing growing pains, body sensitivity, restlessness and comfort seeking.

behavior

Adolescence brings increases in activity, strength, fitness, vocalization, spookiness, destruction, reactive behavior, aggressive responding, distress, humping, distraction, toileting and marking, difficulty with calming and interest in the opposite sex. Your puppy likely will

• become more interested in the world than she is in you
  A puppy who once looked up to you with unwavering attention and ran to your feet when you called may start to ignore you.

• have lots of energy + need a good amount of exercise

• get excited more quickly
  A teen puppy takes less time to rev up, and her reactions are more impulsive.

• forget cues + behaviors
  Your puppy may look at you like you’re speaking Martian when you ask her to do something she did last week.

• have a very short attention span + experience up-and-down learning

• become shy or frightened of things previously taken in stride
  Teen puppies can have greater emotional swings, can be spooked more easily and may have strong fear responses. Manifesting as avoidance behavior, barking or even behavior that looks aggressive (snarling and lunging), these responses can be unpredictable and inconsistent. Teens also may show sensitivities to sounds, such as thunder, alarms, traffic and fireworks.

• experience more intense reactions to stressors

• be less tolerant of handling + touching

• wake up during the middle of the night or be raring to go at bedtime
  Disruptions in nighttime sleeping patterns come and go during adolescence.

• value resources more highly
  Your puppy may not be able to chew her stuff as cool headedly as she used to, especially when other dogs are around. She also might start taking objects that are important to her to safe places.

• experience a decline in socialization
  As puppies mature, they usually have fewer opportunities to meet unfamiliar people and dogs. Most parents have established a set routine by the time their puppy is 5–6 months old. Don’t forget to keep meeting new friends and going to new places throughout puppyhood.

• exhibit different play behavior +/or a loss of social skills with other dogs

  Your puppy may be bolder, shyer or choosier with fellow dogs. She also may experience a loss of social skills with other dogs, which happens more often with very small/large puppies.

• practice tolerance, patience + understanding
  Your mantra: My puppy isn’t giving me a hard time—she’s having a hard time.

• give your puppy plenty of physical + mental exercise
  Get outside and move your bodies together. Take a hike. Go on a snifari—take your puppy for a walk in a safe area and let her sniff until her heart and nose are content. You may not get far, but your puppy will tire (sniffing is great mental exercise), relax and enjoy herself. Dogs were born to sniff and do it incredibly well. Take advantage of what your puppy’s biological mama gave her! When offered, our Nosey Puppy class is a great option for teens.

• give your puppy down time + practice relaxation
  Teen puppies need lots of down time and relaxation practice—they know how to go crazy; they need help learning how to be calm. Take our Zen Puppy 1 and 2 classes to learn and practice this important skill.

• enroll in a training class
  Wonder Puppy offers a variety fun classes open to teens. Classes provide opportunities to learn and practice good behaviors, strengthen your bond with your puppy and get out and about together. Classes also provide the support of a Wonder Trainer as well as other people who are in the same boat with their teen puppies.

• provide enrichment
  A stuffed kong a day keeps the behavior doctor away! Your dog still needs some form of enrichment to pass the time when home alone. Stuffing your dog’s daily diet of kibble into a few food puzzles helps prevent destructive chewing, excessive barking and hyperactivity; it also alleviates boredom, stress and anxiety. Freeze your chewable food puzzles and top with dollop of peanut better for added duration.

• establish a strong management plan
  Behaviors practiced during adolescence tend to stick. Manage your puppy’s environment and exposures to prevent unwanted behaviors. Early boundary training is a parent’s and adolescent’s best friend. 

• practice good habits + reward good behaviors
  Practice good habits and routines (down for dinner, waiting at thresholds and reconnecting with you after crossing, daily nap/quiet time…). Capture, mark and reward behaviors you like. Use a clicker or word marker and high-value rewards.

• practice trades + thank-yous
  Continue to train against resource guarding. Practice daily and with a range of items. Provide your puppy with her own safe space (crate, pen…) to eat, chew and relax. Use high-value treats and be generous with your trades. If your puppy starts absconding with domestics (roll of toilet paper, sock, shoe…) or other items you don’t want her to have, resisit the urge to chase. Instead, redirect her to an acceptable toy (you might have to move it around like prey and make it super exciting) or say “thank you” in a happy voice and toss a generous handful of treats her way.

• keep training sessions flexible, short + fun
  Be prepared to go back a few steps and practice things your puppy learned previously. Continue to train your puppy’s auto focus, park it (matwork) and polite greetings consistently at home and out and about. Learn new skills and games to keep sessions engaging and fun for both of you. Remember that your teen probably has a very short attention span (read: several 1–3 minute training sessions are better than one that’s 5–10 minutes).

• work on increasing your puppy’s tolerance of frustration gradually
  A priorities list is useful, as your puppy’s supply of self-control is limited. Focus your puppy's self-control practice on situations where the trigger results in higher excitement levels.

• give your puppy plenty of space from things that scare her
  From things and situations that scare her, your teen puppy might dart away, stiffen and stare, tremble, bark or lunge. Learn to talk and listen to your puppy. Get her out of spooky situations as quickly as you can. Comfort her when she’s scared—talk softly and provide contact if that’s what she needs. If your puppy shows sensitivity to sounds such as thunder, alarms, traffic, fireworks, get help as soon as you notice from a qualified, compassionate trainer/animal behaviorist or veterinarian.

• continue with appropriate social + environmental exposure
  Socialization is the key to helping your puppy cope with adolescence. Continue to expose her to a variety of new canines, humans, places, sights and sounds appropriately (don’t scare or overwhelm her) and pair that exposure with good things. Make sure she get lots of space from triggers and gets to choose how she engages in social interactions.