Dealing With an Adolescent Dog

Humane Dog Training Method Teaches Obedience and Respect

Oct 22, 2009

Sweet, obedient puppies can turn into little terrors almost overnight. It usually happens between nine months and two years of age, as they are approaching adulthood.

Suddenly, they don’t remember, or don’t pay attention to, commands they already know. In some ways, they become like rebellious teenagers, arguing about everything and pushing the boundaries to see if they still have to follow the rules and do what they are told. But basically they are still big puppies, more like toddlers learning about the world.

It’s an age when many young dogs drive their owners to distraction. If the dog is a dominant breed or strong-willed, there can be issues involving nipping, growling and food and toy guarding. If not resolved, it can result in a household where the dog is in charge, or the dog may end up at a shelter or even be euthanized. Shelters are full of young dogs that outgrew their cute stage and became too much bother for their owners.

Fortunately, there is a great book that offers solutions to this very common problem of canine angst.

Surviving a Dog’s Adolescence

Carol Lea Benjamin has been a professional dog trainer for more than 30 years, and was one of the first to promote new, humane training methods for dogs. She is the author of numerous dog training books. One of them is the 1993 publication, Surviving your Dog’s Adolescence: A Positive Training Program (Howell Book House, NY, ISBN #0-87605-742-3).

This book is a must-read for anyone who owns, or plans to own, a puppy, because it is virtually certain that every puppy will go through this rebellious stage eventually. Keep your copy handy for when the day arrives and your previously sweet, obedient pup says, “Sit? Stay? No way!”

Benjamin offers many useful ways to deal with a headstrong adolescent dog. There are chapters and sections on recognizing the onset of this developmental period, winning the dog’s respect, becoming the alpha (that is, the person in charge) without using harsh methods and understanding the dog.

Dealing With Problem Dogs

The author also takes on specific problems and explains how to resolve them. Among the most common are aggression, barking, grabbing hands or clothing without biting, guarding or stealing food, toys or other items and bossy behaviour. She also deals with how to handle dogs that exhibit shyness, fearfulness and lack of confidence.

Overall, this is an excellent training book that offers some great ways to train the family dog, regardless of age, but for the owner of a dog going through the Terrible Twos, it’s a must-have.

(The Boston Terrier pictured with the book is a Sandicast sculpture by artist Sandra Brue)

The copyright of the article Dealing With an Adolescent Dog in Dog Training is owned by Terry McNamee. Permission to republish Dealing With an Adolescent Dog in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.