From Puppy to Adolescent: Handling the Transition
Tumbling puppies grow sturdy at impressive speed. Yelps turn into purposeful barks, and mischievousness turns into seriousness. Before you stand a youngster on her/his way into adulthood. The adolescent phase, the limbo between puppy and adult, can be a headache. This phase is full of change and can take time. Some dogs stroll through it with ease others take their toll on everyone. There is so much that changes within and around a dog reaching puberty.
Patience and understanding during the puppy period
If puppy time is over, let go of the puppy and look at your dog with new eyes. You will need a hefty dose of understanding, curiosity, and patience during this life stage. The adolescent phase may be teeth-grinding and give your grey hairs. Hold on to your hat and try to understand your dog.
Creating new routines for the young dog's new urges
Puberty can be challenging for our dogs, and they need our support. A significant change is that new urges and needs arise. They need to be met and directed into something appropriate. Many young dogs want to know what to do with their newfound power, stamina, instincts, and emotions (often linked to original breed characteristics).The knock on the door can start to arouse more than joy, perhaps mistrust, and vigilance. Into the hall bounces a dog to take on the intruder rather than greeting them nicely. That can happen when everything inside changes. It is natural and requires a new approach. New routines should be implemented and desirable behaviors reinforced. See the training Hallway manners in the Petli app.
The young dog and its relationship with other animals
Even the social game changes as your puppy become a teen. Other people, dogs, and animals may be looked upon differently. A puppy that stared wide-eyed at the cows in the meadow or marveled at the neighbor's rabbit can now face the feeling of wanting to chase, circle, perhaps even kill, or bring the animals to a halt (depending on the breed). The feeling fuels urges that can turn into actions. We need to direct these drives onto the correct stimuli to stay out of the way of disaster.
Adapting your approach to the young dog
If we handle an adolescent dog the same way we did the puppy, the situation can derail. From the dog's perspective, they behave naturally, on instinct. We need to understand and accept that conditions have changed and act accordingly. This can mean making the undesirable impossible and creating space for desirable behaviors which can be reinforced.In practice, you should (instead of arguing with the teenage dog in front of the rabbit cage) get out of there. At a suitable distance, you reward calmness; in another context, you give your dog a way to vent the desire to hunt or herd a permitted stimulus. Events like this scenario let your know that it is time to honor your dog's legacy. Start herding training, hunting, scent tracking, searching, agility training, or whatever your breed is meant to do.
The young dog changed the relationship with people
Even the dog's relationship with people may change. If your puppy enjoyed cuddling with most people, was okay with being picked up by strangers, or greeted everyone with a wagging tail, this might not be the case anymore. When the chest has widened and the bark darkened, this happy-go-lucky attitude may have ceased. Integrity increases during the adolescent phase. Your dog may start to shy away from a hand reaching out to a pet, growl at someone's intent to carry, or lunge at someone passing by.This may surprise and worry you, but don’t label your dog as unreliable. Your teenager is on a hormonal rollercoaster and has new needs you want to help others see, respect, and accept. Of course, this refers to normal teenage feelings and not scared or angry dogs who need adequate help. No, this is about young dogs who naturally become a little more defensive or offensive in need of a different approach than before. Imagine an aunt trying to put your teenage daughter in her lap for cuddles. "Knock it off!" is an expected response. The same goes for dogs, and it just sounds "Ggggrrrrrrr!".
The new dynamics of young dogs with other dogs
The dynamics between canine friends as well as strange dogs can also change. Perhaps the puppy rushed into the dog park eager to play, greeted everyone with a wagging tail, and the other dogs approached the puppy as the little one in the pack, with calmness and understanding. But now, as the same dog trots into the park, the tables are turned. The dog can both express and be approached by something completely different.Because the puppy has grown bigger, smells different, and enters with new emotions and drives. Perhaps feelings of competition, challenge, seriousness, or excitement. A previous playmate might start flirting, buts are sniffed, and humping tried out. Or dominance is demonstrated, a paw on someones back, a stiff craning neck hovering over another dog's withers. Everyone involved can get somewhat confused by the change. Most teenage dogs need guidance and help to put a lid on wanting to mate with or challenge other dogs.
Managing young dogs' new emotions and socialization
Letting an adolescent dog explore these new feelings too much can end in chaos. A necessary restriction is not what the dog wants, which can be difficult for some dogs to accept. Therefore it may be good to pause interactions with other dogs (or dogs outside of the closest circuit of friends) for a while, as this phase will cease for most dogs.
Understanding and adapting everyday life for young dogs
This life phase is full of changes; hormonal, need-related, and social. Don't try to hinder this natural progression. Understand and help by arranging everyday life, guiding, and framing your dog from running wild. Practice what needs to be trained, and remember to give plenty of breed-specific outlets. Excess energy will fuel the teenage fire burning inside if the latter is forgotten.It is our responsibility as dog parents to help our adolescent dogs out. It is a phase that tries our patience, but at the same time, it’s a natural and fun time in a dog's life.
Maturation rates of different dog breeds
Some breeds mature late, and the adolescent phase is prolonged. Other, usually smaller breeds, develop faster and get through this phase in a flash.
If you want to know more about your dog's growth periods and behavioral problems that may arise on the journey, take a look at Growth periods and behavioral problems.
Written by: Caroline Alupo
Caroline Alupo is Petli's co-founder. She has a master's degree in ethology and is also a trained dog trainer and dog psychologist. She has 19 years of experience as a professional dog trainer. Read more about Caroline here.
Your personal dog trainer on your mobile
Petli is the app where you can train your dog in a fun format, get personalized coaching from dog experts, meet like-minded people in a warm community and exclusive discounts on great products.
