Training tips for an adolescent dog

An adolescent dog will probably forget their training, stop listening to you and try to rebel against your authority. (So not that different from human teenagers, then…)

Your dog’s behaviour as an adult will be determined by the way you handle their adolescence. Firm and frequent reminders of the rules – and plenty of praise and rewards – will benefit you both in the long term.

If you’ve been putting off obedience training, it’s time to make it part of your dog’s routine. Try to fit in some training time each day if you can. Here are our tips for getting the best results from your training sessions.
 

Be consistent

Everyone in the household should agree on the same cue words for commands and on what your dog’s allowed (and not allowed) to do. Keeping the rules the same all the time will make training easier.
 

Be realistic

Although your dog can be difficult at times, adolescence is a natural stage in any dog’s development. And unlike teenagers, your dog will still really want to spend time with you.
 

Keep it short

Shorter, frequent training sessions are most effective. Ten minutes a day is perfect, and much better than doing an hour once a week.
 

Keep your cool

Try to stay patient and calm with your dog. If you get angry and frustrated it’ll only make future sessions more difficult.
 

Keep your dog motivated

Give your dog tons of encouragement, praise and small treats. Aim to end each training session on a high note so that your dog looks forward to the next. If your dog just isn’t getting what you’re trying to teach them, then finish the session with something easy that they will get right.