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5 things to prepare for as your puppy becomes a teenager
If youre lucky enough to have a puppy at home right now, then you will either be excited or horrified to learn that the teenage stage is even harder.
Puppies are believed to enter the teenage period between six months and 12 months and are expected to end it before they hit the ripe old age of two. Mere months after youve trained the little bundles of fur, you are confronted with what the American Kennel Club calls the most challenging time. Heres why.
Some context
My cocker spaniel Maggie is now six and a half months old. Despite the breed being one of the most intelligent out there, training her was a task and a half, largely thanks to how curious she was about practically everything. From leaves on the ground to car doors being shut down the street, she wanted to know everything and everyone.�
Around two months ago, something clicked and she seemed to respond positively to the training we had implemented. But just when things seemingly evened out, I suddenly realised why my own parents hated me during my teenage years.
Was she even trained?
Just like their human counterparts, adolescent puppies have a surge of hormones and chemicals running through their bodies. As if overnight, its like theyve forgotten everything you spent months hammering into their adorable little faces. In fact, it seems like they are outright choosing to ignore it.
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For Maggie, she flatly refused to listen to commands. Anytime she was told to leave it or to stay , wed receive a disapproving stare before she continued to do exactly what she wanted to.
JAWS had nothing on this pup
Its commonly known that teenage dogs dont know how to properly regulate their emotions, often resulting in what can be viewed as aggressive behaviours like barking, biting, and howling. But dont worry, its not just you that they will nip; your furniture, clothing and personal belongings are also fair game in the puppy world.�
Although a relatively quiet dog, Maggie had always been a biter. It was easily excusable when she was teething and uncomfortable, but the behaviour has now become known as “land sharking.”
I now know that the reason she is so quiet is because she constantly has something in her mouth. Its usually me, hence why I am writing this with scrapes and scabs on my hands.
Get the girl a mood ring
Weve all been a teenager at some point and know that mood swings are but one gift in the basket of absolute delight you receive. Dogs are no different, only their communication skills are not quite as sophisticated as ours.
As such a smart dog, Maggie is well versed in sudden, often erratic, changes in behaviour. One minute she is curled up in your lap, and the next she is ripping a scrunchie out of your hair. Most of the time, this includes a good chunk of your hair as well. In recent weeks, she has also developed a new mood we like to call cat. This involves walking along the back of the sofa and attempting to jump onto the windowsill.
The bored bully
Its reported that a teenage dog will exhibit bossy and bully-like behavior when it comes to dealing with other dogs. For some, this manifests as humping, for others it can be domineering behavior.�
Maggie has a much older (8-year-old) brother called Murphy. They have a somewhat strenuous relationship, but that largely comes from the stark difference in their realities. Murphy wants to sleep all day in the sun, but Maggies wants and needs change as much as the weather.
We have found that, during the teenage stage, Maggies lack of care toward her brother has increased. She climbs all over him, lies on top of him, and will often thrust toys into his face with the insistence of playing. He very rarely obliges.�
Zoomies are a dog’s best friend
Doggie zoomies are a very well documented fact. Just look on TikTok where the tag has over 3.3 billion views. But teenage zoomies are another thing entirely.
At home, my little bundle of erratic joy often does laps downstairs. She starts in the living room, sprints into the kitchen and then straight out the back door. Weve had to install a temporary fence blocking off the swamp-like grass for this exact reason.�And don’t even try to catch her, because you won’t.
