Teenage Pup Survival Guide

What’s wrong with my dog?

Between 6 and 24 months, dogs hit a chaotic but completely normal developmental stage that mimics human adolescence: hormonal changes, brain rewiring, and a surge of independence. Here’s what to expect — and why you’re not failing.

• Like human teens, dogs go through neurological changes in the limbic system (emotion) and prefrontal cortex (decision-making).

• There’s a temporary dip in impulse control and a spike in independence-seeking.

• The familiarity of the caregiver triggers emotional testing — “Will you still love me if I ignore you?”

Meanwhile, strangers = neutral, so they behave better.

(Sound familiar, parents of actual teenagers?)

Now, the good news:

• The rebellious phase is temporary. Most dogs mature out of it by 18–24 months, though large breeds may take longer.

• Dogs who were raised with force-free methods tend to bounce back stronger, because they associate their humans with safe structure, not punishment.

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“Dogs are more likely to disobey their owners during adolescence”

• Dogs aged 8–9 months (canine adolescence) were significantly less obedient to their primary caregiver, even if they’d previously been responsive.

• These same adolescent dogs still responded well to strangers giving the same cues.

• The disobedience wasn’t due to lack of training — it was specific to the caregiver-dog relationship, similar to adolescent rebellion in humans.

Lucy Asher et al. (2020), Published in Biology Letters

Common setbacks

RECALL BREAKDOWN	What it looks like:  • Selective deafness. You call, they sniff a daisy. You shout, they sprint in the opposite direction. Why it’s happening:  • The prefrontal cortex (decision-making centre) is under construction.  • Risk-taking behaviour spikes — “What happens if I don’t come back?”  • Their world is suddenly more interesting than you. What to do:  • Use long lines for safety and control.  • Reinforce recalls like they’re magic tricks.  • Play recall games at home before testing in distraction-heavy spaces.  • Keep off-leash time to a minimum, reinforce proximity.
LEASH PULLING (Or Tantrums)	What it looks like: Exploding with excitement. Lunging. Barking. Forgetting how to walk politely. Why it’s happening:  • Hormonal arousal + increased physical strength = more pulling power.  • Environmental stimulation becomes overwhelming.  • Your calm puppy is now a teenage kettle on full boil. What to do:  • Use decompression walks where they can sniff and decompress.  • Reinforce calm walking in low-arousal areas first.  • Avoid punishment-based tools (these increase frustration and arousal long-term).
CLINGINESS and ATTENTION SEEKING	What it looks like: Pawing, whining, barking, dramatic flopping, or “nudging your phone out of your hand with their nose.” Why it’s happening:  • Adolescents can swing between bold independence and insecure attachment.  • They’re confused about what works — and will test everything to get your attention.  • If something worked once, they’ll try it 500 times. What to do:  • Reinforce calm behaviour before the pestering starts.  • Offer outlets for connection (sniff walks, training games, tug sessions).  • Avoid only giving attention when they’re being annoying — it accidentally trains them to be annoying. (Frankly, that moment they finally focus on something appropriate is your cue to interact).
SEPARATION ANXIETY and ‘VELCRO’ BEHAVIOUR	What it looks like:  • Barking or whining when you leave  • Following you room to room  • Destruction near doors  • Not eating or settling when alone  • Sudden stress when previously fine being left Why it’s happening:  • Adolescence can bring a second wave of attachment sensitivity, especially if your dog had a smooth puppy phase.  • The world is suddenly more complex, and you are their safe person — so separation hits harder.  • Hormonal shifts can trigger new emotional vulnerabilities, especially around 8–14 months. It’s not “spoiling” — it’s developmental. What to Do:  • Rebuild gradual departures: Start with 30 seconds out of sight, build up.  • Avoid flooding: Long absences before they’re ready can backfire.  • Create safe routines: Predictable exits, calm greetings, food/toys during absence.  • Stillness > silence: Don’t sneak out — calmly leave and return with minimal fuss.  • Consider cameras: Check if they’re truly distressed, or just bored.

BONUS FACT: Studies on adolescent dogs (e.g. Lucy Asher et al., 2020) suggest that attachment styles can fluctuate during this phase — dogs may become more ambivalent or anxious, just like human teens. It’s normal for dogs to temporarily cling more, test more, or panic more, even if they were totally fine before.

TOILET TRAINING REGRESSION

What it looks like: Sudden indoor accidents after months of being clean. Why it’s happening:  • Hormonal shifts can affect bladder control and territorial marking.  • Routine changes or environmental stressors (e.g. new smells, building works, guests).  • Forgetting learned behaviours is part of adolescent cognitive wobble. What to do:  • Revisit your original house training plan.  • Praise like you did on day one.  • Keep a predictable routine.  • Rule out medical issues if it continues.

BOUNDARY BREACH & ‘NAUGHTY’ BEHAVIOUR

What it looks like:  • Jumping on furniture they used to avoid  • Opening baby gates, bin raiding, counter surfing  • Ignoring cues they knew perfectly last week  • Testing every rule you thought you’d taught  • Sneaky behaviours when you’re not watching (but totally know the rules) Why It’s Happening:  • Teen brains = impulse-driven curiosity. They’re exploring cause and effect. What happens if I…?  • Your boundaries feel safe to test. Just like kids push their parents more than strangers, adolescent dogs test you because you’re their anchor.  • They’re not “forgetting” cues — they’re experimenting. “Can I still do this even if she says sit?” “What happens if I jump up and don’t get told off right away?” Adolescent dogs often experience a temporary drop in responsiveness, while the emotional brain takes the wheel and the logical brain fumbles with the map.  What to Do:  • Be boringly consistent. Same cue, same tone, same consequence. Every time. No big reactions. Calm and repetitive wins.  • Manage the environment. If your dog’s learning to open doors, put locks on. If they’re counter-surfing, don’t leave food out. Don’t test a teenager you’re not ready to chase.  • Don’t take it personally. They’re not rebelling against you. They’re growing through you.  • Reward the boring stuff. Catch them not doing the wrong thing. Reinforce chill behaviour like it’s winning the lottery.

Let’s Summarise

1) Your dog is not “manipulative” or “spoiled.”

It means their brain is going through a vulnerable phase — and with your help, they’ll come out more confident.

2) Normal ≠ Easy

Just because it’s normal doesn’t mean it’s not frustrating as hell.

But none of these behaviours are a sign of failure — they’re signs of development.

Support, structure, and patience will get you both through it.

3) Management Techniques

Temporarily, you should be aiming for ‘less training’ more ‘positive interrupters’ and enrichment.

ACE Free Work, developed by Sarah Fisher — it’s a brilliant way to support emotional recovery, body awareness, and choice-based engagement during the chaos of adolescence.

Decompression walks are slow, sniffy, low-pressure outings that allow your dog to just be a dog. No obedience, no expectations, no city chaos — just space, scent, and choice.

Mat training can be a brilliant tool for teaching teenage dogs how to switch off — if it’s introduced gently. If your dog is overstimulated, don’t force it — reset, decompress, and try again later.

Chewing isn’t just boredom relief. The repetitive motion releases endorphins and activates the rest-and-digest system, helping teenage dogs calm down and self-regulate. Horwitz, D. & Mills, (2009)

Item play helps teenage dogs process arousal, Build confidence, Explore textures, smells & outcomes. Offer safe objects to destroy. Rotate toys.

Chewing a cardboard box on purpose is better than your skirting boards by accident.

Positive interactions like gentle play, calm touch, shared sniff walks, or relaxed time together — strengthen trust and reduce conflict.

Scatter feeding isn’t just a way to serve dinner — it’s an easy, powerful tool to reduce arousal and engage the brain. Letting your dog sniff out food activates the seeking system, promotes calm through natural foraging and slows down frantic energy after high-stress moments.

4) Prevention

• Reinforce the Calm:

Your dog will get your attention when they’re being a pain — that’s inevitable.

So make sure they also get your attention when they’re not.

• Catch the stillness. Praise the ‘boring’.

That’s how they learn your rules are rewarding, not just reactive.

• Offer Extra Toilet Breaks

Teenage dogs get distracted, overexcited, and overstimulated.

Even if they can hold it, they might forget to.

Don’t wait for them to ask.

Give more frequent breaks than usual to prevent accidents becoming habits.

• Use a Long Line

Impulse control takes a dip during adolescence — but bolting doesn’t need to become a sport.

A long line prevents rehearsal of ignoring recall, chasing squirrels, or “peaceing out” when overstimulated.

Control = prevention.

•  Don’t Get Dragged

If your dog drags you down the street, and you keep walking…

Congratulations, you’ve just taught them that pulling works.

Instead: pause, reset, or change direction.

•  Avoid Going Over Threshold

A teenager’s fuse is short.

Overexposure to chaos (kids, crowds, busy parks) can tip them into meltdown mode.

Choose locations and durations carefully. Fewer triggers = better choices = faster learning.

 Remember: Dogs Learn Through Repetition

Every time your dog practises an unwanted behaviour, it wires in deeper.

Preventing the behaviour in the first place is 100x easier than undoing it later.

Prevention isn’t overprotection. It’s smart design.

5) Ultimately, it’s a win (...some reassurance)

If Your Dog Is Driving You Mad… You’ve Probably Done Everything Right

If your dog is:

• Ignoring you in favour of squirrels/joggers

• Testing rules they followed perfectly last month

• Suddenly glued to your side and bolting away in the same 5 minutes
  

Congratulations. You’ve raised a puppy who feels safe enough to grow up.

This isn’t regression. It’s development.

Puppies who were raised with fear, inconsistency, or punishment don’t “hit adolescence” the same way — they suppress it, shut down, or internalise it as anxiety. This can further result in destructive, reactive and obsessive behaviours, which require much more professional and even medical involvement.

And one day — sooner than you think — your dog will look at you mid-mayhem, and choose to come back.

Not because they have to.

But because they want to.