Meeting Your Adolescent Dog’s Needs

Adolescence is an important stage of development in dogs, just as it is in humans. During this period of growth, which usually occurs between six and 18 months of age, owners may notice a variety of changes in their pup’s behavior. Some common behaviors associated with Adolescence include:

• Increased Vocalization

• Increased Chewing Needs

• Increased Jumping

• Reactivity

• More Restlessness

• More Distractibility

• Fear Periods

During this period, owners should emphasize positive reinforcement and consistent training while avoiding over-correction or punishment. By emphasizing positive reinforcement and being consistent with training and rules, owners can help their pup learn appropriate behaviors and become a well-mannered adult. It is also important to continue to provide plenty of socialization opportunities for the pup to help ensure that it stays comfortable around other people and animals.

Adolescence can be a difficult stage of life for dogs, and it’s important to remember that this is a normal part of growing up. With proper guidance, training, and care, owners can help their pup develop into a well-rounded adult.

Before attempting to modify the adolescent dog's behaviors, it is important to meet their needs first. Adolescent dogs generally need the following needs met:

• Time to Sniff (Sniff-aris)

• Access to chews

• Physical Exercise

• Time to Run ( off leash! )

• Mental Exercise

• Outlets for breeds specific instincts

• Enforced Naps throughout the day

• Approriate Food, Water, and Potty Schedule

Time to sniff or sniff-aris are extremely important to dogs. Sniffing is how dogs learn about their environment and the world around them. Allowing a pup to sniff and explore can help them become more confident and better adjusted.

Access to chews is another important step in meeting adolescent dog needs. Giving them an appropriate chew can help them manage their energy and emotions, while also promoting healthy chewing habits. Chews can also help promote good oral health.

Physical Exercise is the main thing people think of when they get dogs. Physical exercise is important to dogs, because it helps them engage in natural behaviors, burn energy, and improve overall health. Exercise also provides an opportunity for mental stimulation and socialization with other dogs and humans. Walking, running, and playing games are all good ways to provide physical exercise for adolescent dogs.

Along with physical exercise comes time to run off leash. Getting time to run at full speed, and move freely is very important for adolescent dogs. However, not every person who has a dog has a fenced in yard to meet this need. Some solutions to this are walking your dog on a long-line leash (be mindful of leash laws), finding an open fenced field, or renting a yard via SniffSpot.

Additionally, providing mental exercise for adolescent dogs is an important part of meeting their needs. Mental exercise can be provided through puzzle toys, agility courses, scent work, or training activities. Mental exercise can help keep dogs engaged and can also help manage anxiety and stress. Mental exercise is actually more tiring than physical exercise.

Something else that is enriching to some dogs is proving an outlet for their breed specific instincts. Each dog group & breed has a different basis for breeding. Some breeds have been bred for herding, others for protection, and loads more. Some instinct outlet sports may include: FASTCAT, Hunt trials, Treibball, Barn Hunt, etc.

Although adolescent dogs seem as though they need less rest, they actually need more. Enforcing naps throughout the day helps your dog get their much-needed daily rest. On average adolescent dogs need about 12-16 hours of sleep a day, depending on size & breed. Any less than this, and many adolescent dogs begin to display undesired behaviors due to being tired. Crate training & settle training are great ways to enforce naps for adolescent dogs.

Lastly, ensuring your adolescent dog is on a proper feeding schedule can aid in decreasing undesired behaviors. Most dogs should not be free fed as this contributes to training issues, and weight gain. Remember to ask your veterinarian when to switch off of puppy food. Some dogs stay on puppy food until 15 months or more! Access to water as much as possible is another important thing for most dogs. Withholding water or giving it twice a day increases the risk of kidney disease due to dehydration in dogs. Along with this, a proper potty schedule is essential for adolescent dogs. At this age, many dogs begin to "tell" when they have to go. However, this does not mean they should hold it for multiple, long hours. Some people may see increased soiling inside due to a lack of potty schedule or too few potty breaks.

At Helping Howls, we understand the importance of adolescence in developing happy and healthy dogs. Our courses and bundles are designed to help you provide your pup with the guidance and support they need during this time of growth. Schedule a free consultation with us today!