Adolescent dogs

Adolescence—the season of teaching and mentoring. All of the adolescent stages are the core stages for a dog’s learning of our expectations, making good choices, and becoming a good team member. It’s much like a child’s development from ages five through thirteen. Age: Adolescence covers the period between the puppy stage (five months) and adult stage (three years).This is a period of physical, mental, and social growth.The physical growth stage will climax between nine months and one year in age. The mental and social growth stage continues from puberty through three years of age when the dog fully matures into an adult dog.

GOALS FOR ADOLESCENT DOGS Obedience Command Language . The first goal to be accomplished in the adolescent stage is to teach the obedience command language. The obedience commands will serve as the communication substitute for the nipping and mouthing you endured during the puppy stage. It is also the stage to formally introduce the boundary that dogs must not use their mouth on humans. Cooperation . To teach cooperation, do a short fifteen- to twenty-minute training session and follow it up with your puppy’s favorite activity: Frisbee, ball game, retrieving game, walk, run, or favorite chew toy. Your dog will quickly see that obedience is a vehicle to his favorite activities. Social Skills . Learning the concept of “social skills” is equally important for dogs in this age range. Use obedience skills, such as HEEL and SIT-STAY, in social situations to help your dog learn to have self-control around other dogs and people. Good social skills begin with self-control through obedience training. Realistic goals . Set realistic goals for these stages. As early as puberty, your dog can be exhibiting good self-control. He will continue to exhibit better self-control as you help him develop it through training and as he matures. Set small goals for each life stage and continue to build on them so that your guidance and his maturing go hand-in-hand. The “Loop of Learning .” During these stages, behavior patterns, manners, and daily skills are being taught and set. This loop or circle holds all of the valuable information your dog will need for his entire life. Use this time wisely to educate your dog fully so that the proper lessons will be carried into his adulthood. This “loop” remains open only until adulthood.