What happens to our dogs during adolescence and why does it change their behaviour so much?
Adolescent dogs that have the highest rate of relinquishment due to unwanted behaviours (Powell et al, 2021). Understanding what goes on inside of your dog’s body during this stage can help you approach their training in a different way and understand why they behave the way they do.
If you ever had a dog, you have probably asked yourself this question before. The once cute and well-behaved puppy has suddenly developed into a crazy teenager with no manners, what used to be perfectly good recall is now you listening to the sound of your own voice while your dog is the other side of the field chasing a squirrel. Adolescence is one of the most challenging life stages for most dogs and their owners and it is often during this time that owners need extra help with their dogs. Don’t worry, you are not on your own.
What is adolescence?
Adolescence is the developmental period between juvenile and adulthood. In most dogs it starts at around 5-6 months of age and lasts until around 2 years but does vary between individual dogs. For example, small breeds go through adolescence and reach maturity earlier than large dog breeds as they have a lot less growing to do. Adolescence prepares our dogs for a lifetime of different social experiences and the capacity one needs to become an independent individual.
What happens during adolescence?
Dogs undergo a vast number of internal changes during adolescence. Certain hormones such as testosterone and dopamine rapidly increase in both males and females before reaching peak and decreasing again to base level. These hormones ‘tell’ our dogs to behave in certain ways, often resulting in unwanted behaviours. Dopamine increases the desire to perform certain behaviours and can result in frustration while testosterone can lead to more sensation seeking behaviours.
The brain also goes through some changes as it develops into an adult brain. There are certain brain regions which are affected more than others during these changes, including the ones which are responsible for emotional regulation, memory and decision making. During this period, your dog will be going through another ‘fear stage’. Fear stages are essential for all animals, they are designed to teach animals about potential threats to their safety in order to maintain fitness while becoming more independent. This will also have an impact on their confidence levels so some things that would never usually worry them, might now affect your dog’s behaviour.
There are also physical changes that happen through adolescence such as the growth of joints. This can often result in something called panosteitis, also known as growing pains. This means that dogs can experience periods of acute pain leading to sudden changes in their behaviour, you may notice lameness, ‘bunny hopping’, refusal to jump into cars and avoidance of slippery surfaces.
Most common behaviour changes during adolescence:
You may see your dog experience some, all or none of these behaviours, all dogs are different and this is not a one size fits all:
Lack of impulse control, they want to ‘do’ without thinking. More risk taking behaviours
Getting easily over excited
Getting easily frustrated
Struggling to focus, not responding to training as well
Random fearful or anxious behaviours around things they were never previously worried about
More interest in other dogs
Most of the unwanted behaviours your dog is performing are due to changes they are experiencing internally. It is no different to human teenagers who are likely to be involved in more risk taking behaviours!
What to do if you are struggling with your adolescent dog?
Take it back to basics - Taking it back to basics means teaching the things you taught your dog when you first brought them home. Bring the tastiest treats back out, reduce the distractions and go over the things your dog already knows.
Reduce your expectations - it is easy to think that as your dog gets older, they should be more obedient and well-behaved. This is often not the case around adolescence due to all of the changes happening in their brains and bodies. Try not to get frustrated with your dog if you see a decline in their behaviour, they are still a large puppy and everything they do is because their bodies are telling them to do so!
Make sure they are comfortable - have you considered that your adolescent dog may be in pain? This could be growing pains, muscle skeletal pain, allergies and much more. It is often during adolescence that many dogs get diagnosed with musculoskeletal pain, as your dog is growing and their body is developing and they are more likely to be in discomfort. Take them to their vet or canine therapist for a check up.
Less often means more - Rather than taking your dog to the busy park one afternoon, give them a snuffle mat or hide some treats around your living room and let them find it. Tire out their brain as well as body!
Protect them - your adolescent dog is going through their second ‘fear period’ in their life, if they are exposed to any stressors without protective factors they will struggle to recover from them and will be more likely to present psychopathological behaviours later in life. In other words, avoid putting them in scary scenarios and when they end up in one, be there for them!
Prevent the behaviours - sometimes the easiest way to manage unwanted behaviours is to prevent them from happening in the first place. If your dog has started counter surfing, make sure you don’t leave any leftover food on the table, if your dog is struggling with recall in the woods, keep them on the long line instead off letting them off the lead. Remember, be proactive not reactive.
Get help - this is no doubt one of the most challenging periods in your dog’s life and it can be very stressful for both of you. If you are struggling, reach out for help! Contact your local accredited dog trainer or behaviourist.
References:
Powell, L., Lee, B., Reinhard, C.L., Morris, M., Satriale, D., Serpell, J. and Watson, B., 2022. Returning a shelter dog: the role of owner expectations and dog behavior. Animals, 12(9), p.1053.
Marta Stec
BSc (Hons), PG-Cert, APDT M01587, ABTC
Registered Animal Training Instructor