Keeping an adolescent dog on track

As I work with dogs of all shapes and sizes, one thing is fairly consistent based on age. Once a pup is past 6 months of age, and assuming you have done your age-appropriate obedience training, many owners think that is all you have to do. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

Up until 6 months, pups are eager learners, absorbing training skills for rewards such as play, attention and food. They are little sponges, eager to learn and to please their owners. Then adolescence settles in, where they think they know everything and the reward systems are not as enticing.

This adolescent brain goes into challenging and independent mode, just like an adolescent preteen and young teenager. How do we work with dogs during this phase of their life? Mostly, it is consistency and practicing on a daily basis all the skills they have learned early on. It is a reminder to them that you still matter and they should still want to please and obey you.

We do change how we implement the training. I try to keep training sessions very short but do multiple sessions each day. Your best bet is to put the dog on a leash to be able to implement each command without them learning they can ignore you or just walk away. Each session lasts no longer than 3 minutes and is based on repetitions. I call them “skills and drills.”

Make sure you are using treats, preferably different ones than you used with early training. A treat to consider is freeze-dried liver or freeze-dried chicken, easily purchased in a brand called purebites. I want them to look forward to pleasing you and earning special rewards. As an example, you would use multiple commands very quickly, expecting immediacy as their response. I don’t want them to think about it, just do it! Mix it up and do different combinations during the day. Short and sweet, please.

Sit, wait, let’s walk.

Sit, wait, then back up and say come.

Sit, down, sit, down, sit, down.

Down, stay, then back up and return to the dog. Do again.

And you can make up any others that your dog knows. Keep it quick and fun. Be excited when they do them.

This may need to go on for a few months, usually until about 9 months to a year of age. Then periodically do them randomly to keep their attitude in check.

Your sweet and compliant puppy should start to pay better attention and with a much better attitude.

Abby Bird is the owner of Alphadog Training Academy. AlphadogTrainingAcademy@gmail.com