Zen Dog's Point Grey Teenage Dog Training

Just when the puppy phase seems to be wrapping up, when the fog lifts and the person at the end of the leash can finally take a long-awaited exhale – the biting has dwindled, potty training is a check off the list, and daily routines feel like second nature…bam! Enter the teenage dog stage.

The Adolescent Dog

Suddenly, your once-cuddly fur baby morphs into a lanky, wild-eyed creature! You might catch a glimpse of environmental excitement or reactivity that’s brand new. Or perhaps you’re witnessing a sudden plunge in impulse control amidst high-octane situations. That reliable recall you were proud of? It’s now morphed into an invitation for a high-speed pursuit. All the gems you’ve painstakingly instilled in your puppy are now met with a look of utter oblivion.

Yep, welcome to doggie adolescence.

The reality is, most folks are somewhat braced for puppyhood. They’re geared up for a few sleep-deprived nights, a couple of carpet mishaps, and perhaps a sacrificial household item or two to those needle-like puppy chompers. They dive into puppy socialization classes and devour all the recommended reads. Yet, a surprising number are caught off-guard by the developmental hurricane that sweeps in somewhere between the 6 to 8-month mark, lasting until about 2 or 3 years, breed-dependent.

What The Adolescent Dog’s Training Needs Look Like

Adolescence is the prime time for potential lifelong behavioral challenges to take root. Tragically, this is also when a significant number of young dogs find themselves at local shelters or breed-specific rescue organizations. Many aren’t fully prepared or don’t fully grasp this developmental phase, viewing these new behaviors as a permanent fixture. What worked like a charm for the puppy and what will eventually resonate with the adult dog doesn’t quite cut it for the teenage canine, who finds themselves in a limbo between sexual and social maturity.

As part of our extensive lineup of Point Grey dog training offerings, we’ve designed a course tailor-made for your furry troublemaker. Our strategy shines a light on the key behavioral quirks that pop up at this age. Adolescent dogs prize their independence, grapple with impulse control, and often show a wavering focus on their humans. They may experience fear periods and struggle with risk assessment.

They could show a dip in motivation during training sessions and find it challenging to stay dialed into a task. Plus, they need heaps of sleep!

Point Grey’s Teenage Tyrant Dog Training Class

Zen Dog Canine Training’s Teenage Tyrants is a bespoke course aimed at addressing these evolving patterns. We arm you with exercises and tools to navigate this critical stage, ensuring your puppy’s current antics don’t become a lifelong scenario. Traditional Point Grey dog training classes might not tackle the trials you’re facing, and a personalized approach could reassure you that this whirlwind period will eventually stabilize as social maturity kicks in. Teenage Tyrants promises to recalibrate your training efforts, potentially making this transition phase an enjoyable discovery of your adult dog gradually coming into their own.

In Teenage Tyrants, your journey begins with a Zoom session, where you’ll receive guidance on concocting better management strategies, incorporating impulse control and focus exercises, revising your current training blueprint, and introducing game and choice-based training for effective learning. Following this, we’ll move to two in-person lessons in your home and neighborhood, concentrating on your biggest pain points – whether that’s outdoor distractions or fostering improved behavior indoors. Often, these challenges are intertwined.

What Zen Dog Canine Training Will Offer You

We’ll tackle how to grant your adolescent dog the freedom they crave without compromising safety. We’ll guide you in teaching your puppy to navigate reinforcement and make wise decisions that respect their autonomy. We’ll demonstrate how to instill relaxation when needed, and boost confidence through body awareness exercises.

Tailoring Teenage Tyrants to your dog’s unique needs, we’re committed to keeping you on course, especially through the rough patches. We’re also here to lend a sympathetic ear; sometimes, simply talking things through can work wonders. Like all our private dog training sessions, we offer full phone and email support throughout the duration of the course. And if you find you need additional assistance, extra lessons are always an option.

Zen Dog Canine Training boldly diverges from conventional obedience training with Teenage Tyrants, focusing instead on forging that crucial connection.