How To Manage The Behavior Of Adolescent Dogs

How To Manage The Behavior Of Adolescent Dogs

Both dogs and humans go through a period of adolescence. This means they will act up and try to explore the world in new ways.

Many dog parents are not ready for this phase in their dog’s life and have great difficulty getting through it. In fact, the majority of dogs abandoned are at the height of their adolescence, between ages eight and 18 months.

If your dog is approaching adolescence or is already there, you need to understand how to manage its behavior to keep the peace. Here’s what you need to know:

Signs of Adolescence in dogs

During adolescence, your dog’s attitude will change a lot especially if he/she is not neutered or spayed. Some signs of adolescence include:

  • A greater sense of adventure- Your dog will be more interested in exploring the world than you. Your dog might even stop listening when you say ‘come’ when caught up in the excitement.
  • More energy- Your dog will experience a surge in energy and will need more exercise to get it out.
  • Interest in sex- Male dogs will try to leave their home in search of mates and will mark their territory. Females will make themselves available. This can lead to aggression with dogs of the same sex.
  • Have a short attention span- Your dog might forget commands and seem confused at things they knew before.
  • Reach adult height- Your dog will lose the cottony puppy coat and become taller and gangly.

What You Can Do

Here are some tips you can use to get through this phase in your dog’s life

  • Puppy proof your house- Dogs love to chew during adolescence so you should consider puppy-proofing the accessible parts of the home with gates.
  • Increase exercise- Since your dog has more energy to burn which can lead to trouble sometimes, you should increase the amount of daily exercise.
  • Be consistent- You can’t let your dog get away with one thing today and get scolded for the same thing tomorrow. You must have consistent house rules.
  • Enroll in obedience class- A trainer can help you and your dog through this phase and will encourage positive behaviors into adulthood.
Back to blog