Be Your Dog's Best Friend
Module 4- Section 2
Module 4- Section 2
ADOLESCENCE
1.Physically what to expect
2. Behaviour
3. How to get through adolescence
1.Physically what to expect
2. Behaviour
3. How to get through adolescence
Dr. Patricia McConnell discusses what she calls “juvenile-onset shyness” in her book “The Other End of the Leash”. Juvenile-onset shyness is a period in dog adolescence where they appear to become more cautious of and aggressive toward people and animals they are unfamiliar with. This may be indicative of the fact that dogs need continued socialization, with verbal and physical cues and guidance from their owners, throughout puppyhood, adolescence and adulthood.
The term adolescence is derived from the Latin word „adolescere“, which means „growing up“.
Anybody that has had a pup has probably experienced adolescence – and not always with laughter – many times we have heard that the pup turned into a ‘devil dog’ overnight!
Adolescence starts at approximately 6 months and goes through to about 18months, with 8-9 months being the average.
The first time you realize your pup has gone into adolescence is then the pup that always ran up to you when called, and looked at you in adoration, now spends 40 minutes running away from you with great glee and seems to totally ignore anything you ask it to do!
You may also find that when you ask your adolescent pup to Sit and are greeted with a look that says, ‘you want me to do what!!!’
Yes, boundaries are being tested, and your pup is figuring out what it can get away with – does any of the above behaviour remind you of a teenager? It should, the adolescent age can be compared with the teenager period in children – the good news here is that thankfully it does not last as long!
Unfortunately, this is an age that many pups end up in shelters – the owner just cannot cope and has not been given then knowledge or tools to manage the situation.
What is so important for owners to realize is that this is a natural process – the dog is not trying to spite them in any way or does not love them less – it is a time of enormous change and a totally natural process and your pup is developing its own personality.
1.Physically what to expect
Physically, this tends to be a time where the pup looks very gawky and ungainly, and on average the pup is getting close to reaching his full physical height – this can vary according to the breed, and quality of nutrition – as we have said before, feed the very best you can afford for at least the first 12 – 18 months. You will find that as the pup gets older the body will fill out more.
The pup will already have its adult teeth, however that does not mean the need to chew has gone – it is definitely still there, and often seems to be worse than when the dog was a puppy! At around 9 months to a year of age the back teeth are still settling into the jaw and chewing will help the adolescent to deal with this occurring so increase the number of chew toys remembering that it may be necessary to use a larger and stronger size than previously used.
You will also see that that gorgeous puppy coat is falling out and this often seems to happen during one huge shedding cycle – this allows the adult coat to start growing in. That lovely puppy smell will disappear, and one sometimes realizes that the pup now smells more like a ‘real dog’. There are changes taking place in the brain, and this really can be a challenging time, and often a time where relationship between pup and owner breaks down.
Anybody that has had a pup has probably experienced adolescence – and not always with laughter – many times we have heard that the pup turned into a ‘devil dog’ overnight!
Adolescence starts at approximately 6 months and goes through to about 18months, with 8-9 months being the average.
The first time you realize your pup has gone into adolescence is then the pup that always ran up to you when called, and looked at you in adoration, now spends 40 minutes running away from you with great glee and seems to totally ignore anything you ask it to do!
You may also find that when you ask your adolescent pup to Sit and are greeted with a look that says, ‘you want me to do what!!!’
Yes, boundaries are being tested, and your pup is figuring out what it can get away with – does any of the above behaviour remind you of a teenager? It should, the adolescent age can be compared with the teenager period in children – the good news here is that thankfully it does not last as long!
Unfortunately, this is an age that many pups end up in shelters – the owner just cannot cope and has not been given then knowledge or tools to manage the situation.
What is so important for owners to realize is that this is a natural process – the dog is not trying to spite them in any way or does not love them less – it is a time of enormous change and a totally natural process and your pup is developing its own personality.
1.Physically what to expect
Physically, this tends to be a time where the pup looks very gawky and ungainly, and on average the pup is getting close to reaching his full physical height – this can vary according to the breed, and quality of nutrition – as we have said before, feed the very best you can afford for at least the first 12 – 18 months. You will find that as the pup gets older the body will fill out more.
The pup will already have its adult teeth, however that does not mean the need to chew has gone – it is definitely still there, and often seems to be worse than when the dog was a puppy! At around 9 months to a year of age the back teeth are still settling into the jaw and chewing will help the adolescent to deal with this occurring so increase the number of chew toys remembering that it may be necessary to use a larger and stronger size than previously used.
You will also see that that gorgeous puppy coat is falling out and this often seems to happen during one huge shedding cycle – this allows the adult coat to start growing in. That lovely puppy smell will disappear, and one sometimes realizes that the pup now smells more like a ‘real dog’. There are changes taking place in the brain, and this really can be a challenging time, and often a time where relationship between pup and owner breaks down.
Most adolescent dogs seem to be faster than ever and rush around at the speed of knots, and never seems to get tired. Many adolescent pups will be lying quietly or moving from one room to another when all a sudden it seems that a rocket has been let off under them, and they will run around in circles, jumping on furniture and acting a bit like a mad dog – often called the Zoomies - this is normal, don’t worry - if possible increase the exercise.
Where testosterone is concerned in male dogs, according to a study by Pathirana IN et al 2012, the levels of testosterone in dogs starts to rise just prior to puberty at about the ages of 4 – 6 months and then surges to its peak once the dog reaches puberty which is between 6 – 12 months, with about 8 – 9 months being the norm. As a matter of interest, if the dog is not sterilized, then the testosterone levels will remain the same until about five years of age, when the dog becomes a senior. At around this age the testosterone levels will start to decline.
It is during adolescence age that males will start to lift their leg against objects for urination rather than squatting. Due to the changes in hormones, if the male dog has not yet been sterilized, behaviours such as humping, inappropriate elimination inside the home often occur. The dog may start ‘marking’ its territory inside the home and to interest the ladies – the urine will signal by way of hormones that the dog is ready for mating– this is their way of preparing themselves for adulthood.
For many years, we have sterilized at 6 months of age to prevent both the surge in the hormones and prevent unwanted pregnancies, although research is now indicating that this may not be the ideal situation. Sterilization will not stop adolescence from happening, nor will it change the dog’s personality or make adolescence easier.
A female will come into heat (estrus) at about 6 – 8 months of age and she can then become pregnant if covered.
Female dogs may also start to urinate more, and especially inside – this is in preparation of announcing themselves ready to mate to any interested male dog.
There are also enormous changes taking place in the brain especially the amygdala and the cerebral cortex, which are beyond the scope of this course. Due to our profession, we do tend to touch dogs a lot, especially at Puppy school, and although there does not seem to be anything documented about ‘touch’ in relation to adolescence, from our own experience, we believe that adolescent dogs, do not like to be touched as much.
2. General Behaviour Changes
The adolescent dog often becomes wary of not just strangers, but people it already knows. Even though the pup may have been habituated to people in hats, carrying umbrellas, a dustbin in the road or a plastic bag blowing in the wind and so on, suddenly, some dogs will view objects such as this not only with hesitation, but also with fear. What is important, is not to ‘pander’ to the fear. Rather laugh, say ‘silly boy’ and move the dog away from the perceived fear. If this behaviour becomes extreme, please get professional assistance.
If the adolescent dog was at all fearful or aggressive prior to this stage, then any existing behaviour will increase and be magnified – with some dogs, it is almost as if its whole perceptive of its previously safe world has completely changed, and if the dog has been at all vocal, then this will also increase and intensify.
Where some female dogs are concerned, if they have been sterilized at about 6 months of age, an increase in reactive behaviour can occur and this would be due to an increase in the testosterone levels in their bodies. Although testosterone is seen mostly exclusively as a male hormone, on occasion it can affect a female dog, right from the womb and is known as androgenisation.
3.How to get through adolescence
On a serious note however – we bring these gorgeous creatures into our lives, and it is up to us to take on the responsibility and teach our adolescent life skills they need. Nobody said it would be a bed of roses, and during this difficult time, it really is up to you to do all you can to help your pup through it, by engaging in the suggestions above, and above all else have patience, and if you need help, please ask for it.
Once this stage is over, the worst really is past, and you have a wonderful future, with a loved and trusted companion to share it with.
Where testosterone is concerned in male dogs, according to a study by Pathirana IN et al 2012, the levels of testosterone in dogs starts to rise just prior to puberty at about the ages of 4 – 6 months and then surges to its peak once the dog reaches puberty which is between 6 – 12 months, with about 8 – 9 months being the norm. As a matter of interest, if the dog is not sterilized, then the testosterone levels will remain the same until about five years of age, when the dog becomes a senior. At around this age the testosterone levels will start to decline.
It is during adolescence age that males will start to lift their leg against objects for urination rather than squatting. Due to the changes in hormones, if the male dog has not yet been sterilized, behaviours such as humping, inappropriate elimination inside the home often occur. The dog may start ‘marking’ its territory inside the home and to interest the ladies – the urine will signal by way of hormones that the dog is ready for mating– this is their way of preparing themselves for adulthood.
For many years, we have sterilized at 6 months of age to prevent both the surge in the hormones and prevent unwanted pregnancies, although research is now indicating that this may not be the ideal situation. Sterilization will not stop adolescence from happening, nor will it change the dog’s personality or make adolescence easier.
A female will come into heat (estrus) at about 6 – 8 months of age and she can then become pregnant if covered.
Female dogs may also start to urinate more, and especially inside – this is in preparation of announcing themselves ready to mate to any interested male dog.
There are also enormous changes taking place in the brain especially the amygdala and the cerebral cortex, which are beyond the scope of this course. Due to our profession, we do tend to touch dogs a lot, especially at Puppy school, and although there does not seem to be anything documented about ‘touch’ in relation to adolescence, from our own experience, we believe that adolescent dogs, do not like to be touched as much.
2. General Behaviour Changes
The adolescent dog often becomes wary of not just strangers, but people it already knows. Even though the pup may have been habituated to people in hats, carrying umbrellas, a dustbin in the road or a plastic bag blowing in the wind and so on, suddenly, some dogs will view objects such as this not only with hesitation, but also with fear. What is important, is not to ‘pander’ to the fear. Rather laugh, say ‘silly boy’ and move the dog away from the perceived fear. If this behaviour becomes extreme, please get professional assistance.
If the adolescent dog was at all fearful or aggressive prior to this stage, then any existing behaviour will increase and be magnified – with some dogs, it is almost as if its whole perceptive of its previously safe world has completely changed, and if the dog has been at all vocal, then this will also increase and intensify.
Where some female dogs are concerned, if they have been sterilized at about 6 months of age, an increase in reactive behaviour can occur and this would be due to an increase in the testosterone levels in their bodies. Although testosterone is seen mostly exclusively as a male hormone, on occasion it can affect a female dog, right from the womb and is known as androgenisation.
3.How to get through adolescence
- Patience, and more patience, and more patience! Both of you are going through a challenging time and this could be as confusing for the dog as for its human. You are the pup’s person, and it is up to you to help and guide him through this difficult period for both of you.
- Don’t even consider trying to train anything new, it will be a waste of time and lower your expectations completely. The most important thing here is to try and ignore any ‘bad’ behaviour and really go overboard praising any good behaviour. Really focus on what the dog does well and do as much of this as possible.
- Daily walks will make the world of difference, don’t go tearing around the neighbourhood like mad things – look for areas where you pup can sniff around and smell – this really does help them to calm down and the daily walks (twice a day if possible), will really take the edge of adolescence and make life, in general a great deal easier.
- If the pup is showing any signs of reactive behaviour towards other dogs especially, avoid walking in the street or anywhere else there are dogs – rather get into your car and drive to the local shopping centre and walk around this area – odds are no other dogs. If your pup is showing any signs of reactive behaviour, please get help now. This can be relatively easily fixed if you are given the correct knowledge and tools to tackle a situation such as this.
- Play lots of games of fetch and if the dog has forgotten how to retrieve an article, rather don’t even try – have 3 or 4 balls or ropes and throw them one at a time instead. A wonderful way to entertain a dog and to tire it out is the use of a Flirt Pole. Don’t try to use obedience exercises combined with this at the adolescent stage, rather just use it for the dog to have fun and exercise. Good idea here is to refer to your notes on Mental and Physical Stimulation at the end of the course, and chop and change these, to provide entertainment and stimulation.
- Chew toys, chew toys, and more chew toys! The more you can supply the more you will provide entertainment and an outlet for stress. Chewing reduces stress and remember that your adolescent pup has its final teeth coming through. Have a look on our main website under the Classified Sponsorship – Toys – these are ones that we highly recommend and are all aimed at providing mental stimulation and help tremendously when dogs are stressed. www.friendsofthedog.co.za
- When you are out, provide entertainment such as varied chew toys which are changed daily and as mentioned above a good idea to consider larger and tougher chew toys. These can be taken away when you come home. If you have the time, take your pup for a walk before you go out or have a game with the Flirt Pole.
- The additional benefit of chewing is that not only does it keep an adolescent busy, it will relieve boredom and frustration it will help the back teeth that are settling into the gums. As the inside of the mouth is connected to the limbic centre of the brain which governs emotions, and is the seat of all learning, the chew toy will help the dog to be calmer.
- On the alternative side, we have found that bringing in either the General Anxiety or Extreme Anxiety of the Avalon Pure for Dogs range (now FOTD Dog Behaviour Sprays) really does help the dog to remain a bit calmer.
- If you can find a good obedience school that understands the changes that are occurring in the adolescent dog – a definite bonus and they can also help with the dog’s socialization skills at the same time – just don’t expect too much, view this as an outing rather than training. This should only be considered if the pup has already been to Puppy School and been socialized – to introduce an adolescent dog to new dogs without early socialization, can easily end with aggression being shown. Also, do make sure that the instructor is qualified to help your Adolescent dog.
- TTouch – this is a wonderful modality and really does help to reduce stress and over excitement. Either consider going for a weekend course, or having a practitioner come in and show you how to do the basic TTouches. www.ttouch.co.za. A note here, try to time doing the TTouches with when your pup is having a nap.
- Breathe – this period will pass!
On a serious note however – we bring these gorgeous creatures into our lives, and it is up to us to take on the responsibility and teach our adolescent life skills they need. Nobody said it would be a bed of roses, and during this difficult time, it really is up to you to do all you can to help your pup through it, by engaging in the suggestions above, and above all else have patience, and if you need help, please ask for it.
Once this stage is over, the worst really is past, and you have a wonderful future, with a loved and trusted companion to share it with.
