My dog has turned into a teenager — what do I do about dog adolescence behaviour?

You haven't failed. Your dog is a teenager.

We've all been there before. Your puppy was amazing at 6 months old, they followed you everywhere, hung off your every word and walked perfectly on the lead. Now at 8 months everything has changed, they no longer respond to even the most basic cues they previously knew so well, you recall them and they run in the opposite direction and it feels as though you never did a single session of training with them. Welcome to… the teenage phase!

This is one of the most common times for puppy parents to reach out to a dog trainer and it can be incredibly confusing not to mention frustrating. The important thing to remember is this is a completely normal part of puppy development and is nothing to do with the quality of your training or how much time you have dedicated to your puppy - It. Is. Not. Your. fault!

"It's like I never taught her anything!" is something a client recently said to me at the start of Bronze Life Skills after a break from Puppy Life Skills. And this is something I hear time and time again from puppy owners as their dog moves onto the next stage in their development. If you've found yourself thinking "my dog has forgotten his training," you're not alone, and it doesn't mean the training didn't work. And although this is a very necessary stage FEAR NOT! It doesn't last forever and your sweet dog is due to return again soon.

What is adolescence in dogs?

Adolescence is a developmental stage that all animals go through. It is the stage in which hormone changes occur drastically as that being reaches sexual maturity before moving into adulthood. It's a confusing time for many (cast your minds back to being a teenager yourself and I'm sure you'll remember right?!) desires change and independence creeps in leaving you often at odds with your dog's wants and needs. Dog adolescence behaviour typically starts at around 6 months and ends at around 12-18 months, this all depending on the breed of the dog, typically larger breeds mature a lot later as they have a lot more growing to do. This is why we see so many owners searching for support around dog training 6 months old, right as this stage begins to kick in.

During adolescence the prefrontal cortex which is responsible for impulse control is still developing and delayed wiring results in novelty-seeking and impulsive choices - sound familiar? It's very common for dogs to become more easily distracted during this phase by both the environment and other dogs. Let's not forget that hormonal changes and reaching sexual maturity can see that drive to find a mate increase and your dog may blow off their recall in favor of finding a new boyfriend or girlfriend. As impulse control is reduced their ability to resist temptation is tested and you can often find yourself frustrated by your dog's decisions to seemingly want to ignore everything you say, including dog ignoring commands during adolescence altogether!

Biology Letters demonstrates that adolescent dogs show temporary reduced obedience specifically toward their primary caregivers, increased stress, and impulsive behavior driven by brain reorganization and hormonal surges.

What you might notice

How will you know your dog has reached adolescence? Common symptoms include:

• Ignoring commands they knew perfectly at 12 weeks

• Suddenly pulling on the lead again

• Recall failures, especially outdoors

• More excitable, harder to settle

• Jumping up or counter surfing resurfaces

• In some dogs fearfulness or increased reactivity can occur during this stage

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If this list feels familiar, you're likely experiencing normal dog regression in training rather than anything going wrong.

What to do — and what not to do

DO: go back to basics, work through shorter training sessions with lots of quick wins for your dog. Remembering to lower that criteria to a starting point where they can WIN - winning is fun and keeps your dog engaged.

DO: increase mental enrichment — ensure your walks are filled with sniffing activities, provide plenty of outlets for frustration such as shredding opportunities or areas to run FREE. Sign up to a nice calm UK Sniffer Dog Scent Work class.

DO: manage the environment — if you know your dog is likely to fail their recall put their long line back on to prevent them practising ignoring you and getting the ultimate reward - a new mate!

DON'T: punish the dog for being a teenager — this is a confusing and frustrating time for your dog and fear can also be increased. Punishing them for normal developmental behaviours will damage your relationship and make them less likely to want to do what you ask in future. Again remember how it felt to be a teenager?

DON'T: give up on training — this is a perfect time to go back to basics again and work on finding ways to have fun with your dog, don't be tempted to skip the training for the easier route.

DON'T: expect puppy-level compliance — adjust your expectations for your dog and remember that training isn't always linear. This is a temporary dip in your training which will improve again in time provided you maintain your training.

How classes help during adolescence

Keeping in contact with a qualified and accredited dog trainer during this time is paramount to getting through adolescence successfully and practising your training in a controlled environment is a great way to keep you motivated throughout! Working alongside fellow dog parents in the same boat helps you feel less alone when walks in the park make you feel like a failure.

Our Bronze Life Skills class has been designed for adolescent dogs to keep you

and your dog on track, take things back to basics and help you to continue to prioritise their training in a structured and easy to follow class with follow up notes to keep you practising at home. If you're looking for teenage dog training in Southampton, or adolescent dog classes in Southampton more broadly, this is exactly the stage Bronze was built for. The sessions are fun and positive and we have a beautiful camaraderie in class between participants which keeps us laughing all the way through to week 6!

Not sure what comes next after puppy classes? Have a read of what comes after puppy classes to see how our programme progresses as your dog grows.

Giving you confidence is our goal and allowing you to practice and test things out in our enclosed field without the worry if things go wrong allows you to feel confident going out to the real world with your adolescent dog and working through the exercises feeling like a champ.

The transformation from week 1 to week 6 in Bronze Life Skills is incredible and you can see clients really starting to enjoy working with their dog again and feeling more like the team they used to be before pesky adolescents hit.

When does it end?

Most dogs come through adolescence by 18-24 months and things begin to settle down and become much easier as they settle into adulthood. By providing consistent training throughout you'll see all of your efforts pay off as the dust settles and your beautifully behaved dog appears in front of you. Stick with it and the results will show.

Struggling with your teenage dog? Bronze class is a great next step. Check upcoming dates.