Puppy Series #3: Taming the Teenage Dog
In our first two articles we guided you through the puppy selection process and then shared some secrets to successful puppy raising. The focus was on the blissful puppy “honeymoon” phase. Everyone was still in love with the adorable furry bundle of joy and puppy could seem to do no wrong.
In this, our third article in the series, we will turn our attention to adolescence and give you some Tips For Taming the Teenage Dog. Most puppy owners are completely unaware of what is to come, while many others are in denial that their perfect pup will inevitably grow into a teenager.
What exactly is the teenage phase? Adolescence in dogs typically occurs between 6 and 18 months of age so, ready or not, here it comes! Do remember that this is a phase that your puppy will grow through. That is not to say that you should ignore what is happening during this critical time in your dog’s life. The quickest way to an ill-mannered dog would be to ignore his education at this phase.
The Teenage Stage:
6 – 9 months
Puppy hormones awaken and distractions begin to compete for his/her attention. Response to obedience requests become optional and puppy begins to exert influence in familiar surroundings. Mildly annoying behaviors such as jumping on houseguests and lunging on leash become more pronounced if left unattended. Your puppy will begin to repeat the most rewarding behaviors.
9 – 18 months
Your puppy’s search for leadership and boundaries is in high gear! Pushy, and often more vocal in this stage, your active youngster will find impulse control challenging. Many breed types will look like an adult at this stage, but still lack the confidence and polish of an adult. Often called the 2nd fear imprint stage, puppy can be reactive on or off leash at new, novel, and even familiar things.
How, then, to navigate the teenage phase? There are three key things to remember:
1. Adequate Exercise – most people will stop exercising their dog at this stage because the dog is getting harder to control, is not as cute and /or, has started to look so much like an adult dog that they just expect the dog to exercise itself. If you don’t provide a physical outlet for all of that energy you may find your dog seeking its own release in the form of digging, barking, or even stealing items to encourage a nice game of chase. Remember, a tired dog is a happy dog.
2. Don’t Quit Training – now that you have exposed your puppy to positive social and learning experiences, it’s time to become responsive and fluent in your communication. Many owners stop training after puppy class, yet this stage is the one in which your puppy will make the most progress! Puppies need owners who are consistent leaders, have appropriate expectations, and set up regular opportunities for the puppy to make good reward-able decisions. Fair and gently firm boundaries are important for the puppy to understand. Plan to practice 3,000 repetitions of each obedience command to become consistently dependable.
3. Manage the Dog Closely – many people will stop using crates and ex-pens at this stage, deciding that since their puppy was so good in those that they’ll be fine with complete freedom as the dog appears so grown up. It is much too soon for this as the puppy is not yet ready for the responsibility of making good decisions. One of the biggest mistakes people make at this stage is to start walking and hiking the teenage dog off-leash. When confronted by unusual situations (a hiker with a backpack, for example) your pup may become confused or intimidated…learn to alarm bark, or worse, become aggressive toward strangers. Dogs should be on leash, and practicing distance control, until adulthood.
So, do you have a teenage dog in your life? Remember to continue training, manage your pup, and offer adequate exercise.
