All of our puppy owners out there are likely falling madly in love with their sweet little pups. The snuggles, the puppy breath, the enthusiasm to do literally anything you ask of them.
And all of our owners with 9-14 month old dogs are wondering “Where on earth did my sweet puppy go??”
We call this fun age the “teenage phase”. By this age, your cute little puppy has grown into her adult-sized body, hormones are raging, and she’s feeling a little extra confident about herself. Which is exactly when we tend to see some undesirable behaviors pop up and your pup will likely start testing your boundaries. A lot. Kind of like you probably did as a teenager yourself.
So what can you do? First, remind yourself that this is a normal developmental stage. Your puppy isn’t broken, or bad, and you haven’t done anything to cause this.
Second, fall back on your training, routine, and structure. Go back to the basics and give your dog some extra training time to remind her of the rules. “No, we do not jump, or pull on leash, or bark, or tackle the kids, or… But try these behaviors that are appropriate instead.”
This stage is never easy, but it does pass. And you can get through it a whole lot quicker if you set some clear boundaries.