"Help! My dog's behavior is changing!"

Most of our clients have dogs between the ages of 6 months and 2 1/2 for a simple reason, these dogs are canine "teenagers." Just like human teenagers, their behavior can change quickly and may be difficult to predict at times.

Typical adolescent dog behavior may include:

• "Forgetting" previously trained behaviors
• Overexuberant behaviors like jumping up and leash pulling
• Pushy behavior with people or other dogs
• Resurgence of destructive or mouthy behaviors
• Emergence of new behaviors such as territorial barking
• Fluctuating confidence levels and/or fear periods

Adolescence is also the time frame when some serious behavior problems may emerge such as aggression to other dogs or fearful or aggressive behavior to people. However, even dogs that have no serious problems often present behavioral challenges during adolescence.

Adolescent dog behaviors can become permanent bad habits if the owner does not implement appropriate training and management. Fortunately there are many effective strategies that can help you ease your dog's transition into adulthood. At Cooperative Paws LLC, we have extensive experience working with adolescent dogs and their owners. We can educate you on how to address adolescent dog behavior problems, help you better understand and even enjoy your "teenage" dog! Contact us to learn more.