E331: Megan Foster, Julie Daniels, Amy Cook, and Erin Lynes on Adolescent Dogs
Nov 3, 2023
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Guests Megan Foster, Julie Daniels, Amy Cook, and Erin Lynes discuss the changes that occur during adolescence in dogs and how to navigate through this phase. Topics include emotional preparation, teaching potty routines, addressing separation issues, training vs natural behavior, flexibility in routines, and the need for open conversations about dog adolescence.
Training adolescent dogs should focus on life skills, not just sports skills, to help them cope and stay focused in challenging environments.
Adolescent dogs go through behavior changes characterized by stronger opinions, increased activity, and challenges in managing emotions; owners should adjust expectations and provide support.
During the adolescent phase, it is important to find the right balance between training for sports skills and life skills, addressing behaviors that may cause future issues and redirecting naughty behaviors towards desired ones.
Deep dives
The Importance of Adolescent Dog Training
During the podcast, the speakers highlighted the significance of training and preparing adolescent dogs for life skills rather than solely focusing on sports skills. They emphasized the need for balancing distractions and challenging environments to help dogs cope and stay focused during training. The speakers also mentioned the value of familiar environments and routines. They discussed how training sessions should be adjusted to account for the rapid changes in an adolescent dog's brain. Overall, the emphasis was on developing life skills and maintaining flexibility while training adolescent dogs.
Behavior Changes in Adolescent Dogs
The speakers discussed the typical behavior changes that occur in adolescent dogs compared to when they were puppies. They mentioned that adolescent dogs may develop stronger opinions, have increased levels of activity and arousal, and face challenges in managing their emotions. The speakers advised dog owners to be prepared for these changes and to adjust their expectations accordingly. They emphasized the importance of providing support and reassurance to dog owners, highlighting that adolescence is a temporary stage and can be managed with planning, patience, and understanding.
Addressing Challenges and Training Adjustments
The speakers shared their approaches to addressing training challenges during the adolescent phase. They emphasized the need for flexibility and adaptation in training plans. One common challenge discussed was the issue of distractions and overexcitement. The speakers suggested working at a distance from overwhelming stimuli and gradually reducing the intensity of distractions. They advised dog owners to establish trust and strengthen their connection with their dogs. The speakers also underlined the importance of reading and understanding individual dog behaviors and adjusting training approaches accordingly. Overall, the focus was on finding the right balance between training for sports skills and life skills while navigating the challenges of adolescence.
Navigating Adolescent Behavior
During the adolescent phase, it is crucial to address behaviors that may cause future issues. Separation anxiety is a common problem during this stage. It is important to take steps to prevent rehearsing unwanted behaviors. Evaluating whether a behavior will still be cute when the dog is full-grown can help determine if it needs to be addressed. Adjustments and training can modify behaviors in the long term. While some naughty behaviors are normal during adolescence, redirecting them towards desired behaviors is essential for their development.
Managing Novelty and Building Relevance
Introducing novelty to an adolescent dog's environment can be valuable, but it is crucial to avoid overwhelming them. Variety should be emphasized over difficulty. Exposing dogs to future scenarios they will encounter helps build familiarity and reduce fear. Changing one familiar item to be out of place in the environment daily can encourage curiosity without eliciting fear responses. It is also important to maintain relevance through ongoing training in the dog's preferred sport or activity. By proactively reinforcing desired behaviors and building start button behaviors, trainers can help adolescents navigate heightened arousal and maintain focus.
In prepping for the Adolescent Dogs One Day Conference, we brought on a number of the presenters and panelists to chat about what changes we see during adolescence and how we can best handle them.
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