You survived puppyhood.
Things were starting to fall into place.
Your dog was listening to you. Training seemed to be working. Walks were becoming easier and you could finally see the dog all that early effort was going to produce.
Then something changed.
Suddenly they don’t seem quite so interested in you.
Recall isn’t as reliable. They’re more distracted outside. They may become more excitable around other dogs or people. Boundaries they previously appeared to understand suddenly seem open for negotiation.
It’s a conversation I’ve had with plenty of dog owners:
“What’s happened? They used to be so good.”
Often, one of the things worth considering is adolescence.
Dogs Go Through Adolescence Too
Puppies don’t simply become adult dogs overnight.
Between puppyhood and adulthood there is a developmental period during which behaviour can change – sometimes quite noticeably.
Exactly when this happens and how strongly you notice it varies between individual dogs.
For some owners, the transition is relatively uneventful.
For others, it can feel as though somebody has replaced their dog.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the training you’ve already done has failed.
Nor does it mean your dog has suddenly decided they no longer need to listen to you.
Why Does My Adolescent Dog Seem To Ignore Me?
There can be a number of things going on.
The world outside may suddenly seem considerably more interesting.
Other dogs may become more significant. Smells, people and the surrounding environment can compete much more effectively for their attention.
You may also start seeing behaviours that weren’t particularly noticeable during puppyhood.
That’s why I wouldn’t diagnose an adolescent dog’s behaviour simply as “stubbornness”.
It’s an easy label to use, but it doesn’t tell us very much.
The more useful question is what has changed and why?
Have They Forgotten Their Training?
This is another concern I hear from owners.
“But they know how to do this.”
And that’s often true.
The fact that a dog has previously performed a behaviour doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll respond identically in every environment, at every age and with every level of distraction around them.
That’s one of the reasons adolescence can be so frustrating.
Owners understandably feel as though they’re going backwards.
In reality, what’s happening may be more complicated than the dog simply forgetting everything they’ve learnt.
Adolescence Can Reveal New Challenges
This stage of a dog’s development can also be when owners begin noticing other changes.
Perhaps their dog becomes more interested in other dogs.
Perhaps they’re suddenly more distracted on walks.
Maybe recall becomes less reliable.
Perhaps behaviour around particular people, dogs or situations begins to change.
That doesn’t mean every adolescent dog is going to develop behavioural problems.
But when something does change, I think it’s useful to understand why rather than dismissing it as “just a teenage phase”.
Will My Dog Grow Out Of It?
Possibly.
But that’s not an answer I’d be comfortable giving an owner without knowing considerably more about the dog.
There’s a temptation to assume that any unwanted behaviour during adolescence will disappear once the dog matures.
Sometimes behaviour does change as a dog gets older. But behaviours can also become established through repetition.
It’s also worth considering what happens after the new behaviour occurs.
If the way an owner responds inadvertently rewards or reinforces that behaviour, the dog may become increasingly likely to repeat it. What began during adolescence can then become an established pattern that continues into adulthood.
That’s why I wouldn’t automatically dismiss a change in behaviour as something a dog will simply grow out of.
If something is causing problems now, understanding why it’s happening – and whether anything is inadvertently encouraging it – is more useful than simply waiting several months to see what happens.
Is My Dog Being Stubborn?
I don’t find “stubborn” a particularly useful diagnosis.
It describes how the behaviour feels to the owner rather than explaining what’s happening with the dog.
If a previously responsive dog suddenly behaves differently, I’d rather understand what’s changed.
Is it happening everywhere or only outside?
Is it around other dogs?
Has anything changed in their routine or environment?
Is it one behaviour or several?
Those details begin to build a much more useful picture.
And that’s the point at which individual training becomes far more valuable than generic advice.
When Should I Speak To A Trainer?
You don’t need to panic because your previously angelic puppy has suddenly developed opinions.
Adolescence is a normal part of development.
But if your dog’s responsiveness is noticeably deteriorating, walks are becoming more difficult, recall is becoming less reliable or you’re seeing other changes that concern you, it’s worth getting professional guidance.
The training approach that worked well with your younger puppy may need to be modified as your dog develops. The aim is to understand what’s changed and how the training can be adapted to help re-establish the responsiveness you had previously.
I’ve worked with many owners who feel as though all their earlier training has somehow unravelled.
It usually hasn’t.
What matters is understanding the dog that’s now in front of us rather than continuing to treat them exactly as we did several months earlier.
How I Can Help
My free 15-minute consultation gives us an opportunity to talk about the changes you’ve noticed and the problems they’re creating.
I can discuss possible reasons an adolescent dog might begin behaving differently and tell you about similar situations I’ve worked with.
What I won’t do during that call is diagnose your dog or give you a training programme.
If I believe I can help, I’ll recommend the number of sessions we’ll need to properly assess what’s happening, identify the issues we need to work on and support you through an appropriate remediation plan.
So, if you’re currently wondering what on earth happened to the beautifully behaved puppy you had a few months ago, book a free 15-minute consultation and let’s talk about what’s changed.