All about those teenage months inside this blog post:
5 signs that your dog is a teenager – 1
Exposing the truth behind this phase – 2
How to Thrive – 3
5 Signs that you are now living with a teenage dog
- Your dog is between 5-months and 2-years old.
- Your dog is less obedient and increasingly motivated to explore, interact and run away.
- It is like they are a different dog, who no longer wants to please you and instead is plotting against you.
- They are suddenly barking at people, dogs or inanimate objects they’ve seen1 00 times before with no issue.
- Nothing in your house is safe from them chewing, grabbing, running off with or tearing up.
Don’t worry I am here to help, read on to find out what you can do to not only survive this stage, and it is a stage, but instead thrive and enjoy it.
Exposing the truth behind this phase
I want to share something with you, life with a dog is a constant roller coaster. Whether it is worrying about how to help your dog settle in, concerns over their nutrition, health matters, emotional or physical aspects, and so much more. If you are anything like me, you will always be trying to figure out how to improve some aspect or another of their life. Something to keep in the forefront of your mind though is that if you are struggling with some of their behaviours, it is very likely they are struggling too. Your dog is not plotting against you or trying to make your life harder.
During this time, there are significant hormonal changes and a restructuring of the brain. Just like human teenagers, they can’t resist the need to engage in doing more of everything, with the environment around them and the people in it. More exploration, more play, more interaction with their friends (humans and not humans!), but they lack the necessary knowledge and experience to consider their actions and make good choices. It is the most common age that dogs are rehomed as it is not only tough for them but can be life-altering for their humans too.
Whether you live in a city, or a quiet rural environment, most places are overpopulated now, with ever-changing landscapes, people, noises, smells, surfaces being carved up and dug into weekly, not to mention the array of critters, all living very close to you.
Life is not easy and if you think back to your own teenage years, was it a peaceful, calm, easily navigated journey? Be honest.
This is a period that many owners don’t anticipate as they often expect their dog will just grow seamlessly from being a cute puppy into being a well-behaved adult, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. There is a reason why the most common age for dogs being given to rescue centres to be rehomed is between 6-18 months old, this is because canine adolescence can be a tricky time. In humans, it lasts a number of years, in dogs, it is a matter of months, 5-24 to be more specific! Talk about a fast track into adulthood and at a speed, we can barely keep up with them. We begin to see signs of this life stage when every day things start to become ‘different’ like putting your dogs’ collar or harness on becomes a challenge, touching your dog which used to calm them, now gets them really excited, they can no longer hear you calling them and get easily distracted by items they have seen numerous times before. Sound familiar?
“This life stage may be less than simple but it will be worth it. Enjoy the journey rather than wishing it was over.”
What you can do to Thrive
There are no hidden secrets. Here is everything you need to know to make the most of this time.
- Scale everything back, less is so much more, focus on short 10-minute training sessions, where you include Find It games.
- When you step out of your front door to go for a walk with your dog on lead only continue if your dog is able to play the find it game and isn’t pulling.
- When out with your dog reward them EVERY time they look at you, even when you don’t ask them to.
- Instead of the 45-minute walks you’ve built up to, which are now a chore, go for 15-minute walks, so that the chance for misbehaving is short and instead the walk is more successful.
- Whilst your dog may act like they need much less sleep, an adult dog needs a minimum of 14 hours sleep in a 24 hours period!
- Licking, chewing and sniffing can aid sleep.
- White noise is your friend, most smart devices or Youtube videos will provide the static which will help your dog sleep through the night, put it on when they are resting in the evening, at a very low volume and leave it on to help them sleep through.
Find It Game
- Show the dog a treat. Say ‘Find it’ drop the treat to your left or right in plain sight.
- Start moving around say ‘Find it’ drop the treat to your left or right in plain sight.
- Whilst your dog is picking up a treat drop a treat behind you, when your dog looks back to you say ‘Find it’ and using the same throwing action direct them towards the treat.
If you’d like to learn more I have designed a course especially for your Teenager, where we work together to transform them from juvenile delinquents into thriving delightful teenagers.
To book your place to reconnect and start moving forward click here to find out more or email me at info@nosetotrail.co.uk