Help! My dog has become a juvenile delinquent!
The transition from puppyhood to canine adolescence can be a rapid and jarring one. Seemingly overnight, your attentive, well-mannered, and respectful puppy has transformed into a teenaged monster; ignoring cues, breaking into the garbage, jumping up on visitors and recall? What recall?
Adolescence in dogs begins around 5-6 months of age and can carry on until upwards of 3 years of age. This developmental period marks the transition from puppyhood to adulthood.
According to a study done by the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), 47.7% of dogs are surrendered to animal shelters between 5 months and 3 years of age.
Coincidental? Maybe. Maybe not.
Adolescent dogs are a handful, no doubt, so I am going to go over a few frequently asked questions, in hopes that it will aid you as you navigate these teenaged waters with your own dog.
Q: How do I train (my dog) not to steal things off the counters?
A: Let’s not forget, dogs are naturally born scavengers, but us thoughtful humans have successfully eliminated much, if not all, of their need to scavenge by delivering their food to them in a dish.
Counter surfing is a problem that is best addressed from two different angles:
Management – prevent your dog from accessing the counters, especially when you are not around to interrupt any problematic behaviors. Keep your counters clean and free of any ingestible items (don’t forget, our definition of edible will vary greatly from the dogs!) If the dog jumps up on the counter and is never reinforced with delightful snacks, the behavior should decrease.
Increase scavenging opportunities – your dog needs to eat so let’s exercise their natural scavenging tendencies at the same time! Feeding through snuffle mats, interactive toys, kibble “hide & seek”, scattering food outside in the grass, scent work, etc. are a great way to not only meet your dog’s caloric intake, but tap into their natural dog desires to search for food. Win-win!
Q: My dog has started to lung and bark on the leash.
A: During adolescence is a common time to see new, unwanted behaviors pop up in our dogs; leash reactivity being one of them. Our adolescent dogs have big feelings and might be starting to change how they view certain things in their world. Problem behaviors like lunging and barking at other dogs or people when out on walks, are happening for a reason – is the dog excited? Frustrated? Worried? Fearful?
Barking is a conversation, so what is your dog trying to say right now? The conversation being had will change the training approach you might take to resolve this issue.
It’s important to note that leash reactivity, like most other ‘problem’ behaviors, is not something that is likely to resolve on its own.
Your dog most likely has a need that is not being met (by no necessary fault of your own) and they require our assistance to feel differently about these triggers or situations in the future.
My best piece of advice is to connect with a certified force free trainer to help you determine what those needs are, how to meet them, and how to help your dog feel better about these triggers moving forward!
Q: My dog has become extra active and is hard to tire out! What do I do?
A: The stamina of a teenaged dog is matched by no other! Our adolescent dogs are likely napping less during the day and are so much busier in general! When focusing on how to meet your dog’s exercise requirements I would encourage you to:
Incorporate variety – there are so many other options beside a traditional leash walk to help exercise your dog
Use interactive play – tug of war, fetch, hide and seek, flirt poles and other games that you can play together can not only meet your dog’s physical needs, but fill their social bucket too!
Don’t forget about their brain – mental enrichment and exercise is just as, if not more, important as physical exercise. Training, brain games, scent work, interactive feeding or puzzles are all great ways to get your dog practicing mental aerobics.
Q: My dog barks at me when s/he wants something!
A: It is not uncommon for our once quiet puppy to discover their voice as a teenager. And once they do, they can become quite persistent in their demands. Why? Because it’s usually super effective! Have you ever tried ignoring a dog who is persistently barking in your face? Not an easy thing to do!
While you might want to know how to stop the barking behavior, I would encourage you to first consider: “why is the dog barking in the first place?”
Chances are, your dog has a need that is not being met or fulfilled, and they are trying to communicate that. It’s our job as dog owners to determine what that need is and how we can best help the dog meet it. Do they need more playtime or interactive time with you? Let’s incorporate that before the dog feels the need to scream at us about it. Have they had enough physical exercise that day? What about mental? If not, let’s get a plan in place to address those outlets.
When the needs are being met, your dog will have much less reason to share their big feelings or frustrations with you, which will result in a more peaceful household!
Q: My dog is frustrated on leash if she's not allowed to greet other dogs!
A: This is a great reminder that reactive or explosive behavior on leash is not always the result of fear or aggression. Sometimes the dog is feeling excited because they really want to access the person or dog up ahead, but their attempts to do so are being blocked by that pesky leash. This can result in increasing frustration, which can look just like a dog who is unhappy about other dogs around them!
Again, let’s look at your dog’s needs. Is your dog getting ample social time with other dogs? Can we incorporate more social/play opportunities outside of walks to fill your dog’s social bucket? Once we meet the dog’s need for dog interactions, you should see a reduction in the on-leash behaviors, and it will be much easier to then teach your dog a new, appropriate replacement response to dogs encountered on walks. Let’s teach the dog what to do when other dogs enter the picture, and how to successfully navigate them and earn reinforcement for doing so!
Q: Help! My dog has lost their recall!
A: This is a commonly reported problem with dogs who enter their adolescent period. Your sweet puppy, who once stuck close and recalled at the drop of a pin has been replaced by a dog who runs off, or even worse, looks straight at you when you ask them to come, and continues running anyways.
So, what’s really going on here? First, recall is an expensive behavior for our dogs to perform. Often, we are recalling them away from something they find reinforcing and fun: sniffing, rolling in something we deem disgusting (they deem amazing), greeting other people or dogs, etc. Often the consequence of coming when calls is less than desirable: a leash clipped on to end their walk, no more play time, or denial of rolling in the dead animal carcass.
I think a couple things are happening when our teenage dogs lose their recall cue:
They realize that coming when called is not reinforcing
They are realizing just how motivating and reinforcing the world around them is – so you’re just not cutting it anymore.
Notice how dominance, defiance, or climbing the ladder to achieve alpha status aren’t on that list?
When your dog’s recall starts to lose its reliability, I almost always recommend that you go back to the basics:
Manage the environment to prevent your dog from rehearsing ignoring your recall cue. This is where my favorite long lines come into play – give the dog freedom, without giving the dog the freedom to run off when you need them to return to you.
Re-build the recall foundation – go back to the beginning and teach your dog that their recall cue results in a big payout (I’m talking a big payout, not a crumb of milk bone or an “Atta boy” as a reward.) Make that recall cue worth their while – every time!
Start in easy environments and gradually increase the difficulty of the distractions around you, continuing to manage your dog’s success and reinforce those recalls!
Teenaged dogs are tough. They will push your buttons regularly, and seem to be determined to break you, your spirit, and most things in your home. When we view our dogs are 'stubborn' or 'troublesome' or 'spiteful,' it makes it really difficult to see their unmet needs, the unrealistic expectations we (or society) might be placing on them, and the sweet, loving dog that has been there all along.
If you're looking for extra coaching for your dog's recall, my friend and colleague Lizzy runs an excellent virtual class. Go check her out at https://www.thegooddogpeople.com/
If you are feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or at the end of your leash with your teenaged dog, know that you are not alone in this feeling, and that you do not have to struggle through this alone.
Force free trainers are here to help you navigate these behavioral changes, investigate what needs your dog might need help meeting, and help create more harmony in your household.
At the end of the day, our dogs are so worth it.
Happy Clicking,
Vanessa
Vanessa Charbonneau, is the author of Dog Care for Puppies: A guide to Feeding, Playing, Grooming and Behavior. She owns Sit Pretty Pet Services, employing force-free training techniques to work with companion dogs and their owners. Charbonneau lives in Prince George, BC with her husband, two daughters, and one dog.