Trying times and adolescence
Dogs go through their teenage phase between six months and 18-months of age. They experience another fear imprinting stage during this time that can look like crazy, wild phobias and reactivity that appear ‘out of the blue’. Don’t overreact and assume your poor dog is a spooky fiend forever! I suggest revisiting threshold work and keeping their experiences around this new, sudden phobia positive and brief.
The phase will pass but any traumatic experiences during this phase will be more impactful and more difficult to fix. If in doubt, get out- Don’t let your puppy be traumatized by something they would never blink at before.
Some examples of this: Electra is suddenly slinky and shy at pet-friendly stores. If I can’t get her to cheer up with some happy voice, play, or yummy treats, I leave. She’s been to pet-friendly stores before with zero issues so I know this is something funky. There is always another day and I won’t risk running into something particularly spooky at the store when she’s already feeling insecure.
Sometimes the situations are unavoidable and you have to make the best of it. Your dog is looking to YOU for guidance and structure. Do not coddle them or tell them '“it’s ok, it’s ok” while fussing over them- this reinforces that they are correct to be afraid. When they feel insecure and fearful, show them your own confident, firm, nonchalant attitude. Make sure you celebrate and cheer them on when they conquer their fears for you.
Some examples of this: Electra is at the vet and feeling a certain way about the weigh scale. Well, we have to be here, so time to make the best of it. I use a happy, calm tone and lead her on to the scale with the leash and a firm hand. I do not ask her to sit or place on the scale. At this point, I do not care about using any formal commands. I want to get her weight-reading for the vet and release the pressure of being on the scale asap. After the reading, I let her move off the scale and I give her a treat a comfortable distance away from the scale and praise the heck out of her for being such a good brave puppy.
In addition to the fear period, teenage dogs are feeling their oats and testing boundaries. The darling puppy who NEVER put their nose to the table is now ON TOP of the table. The perfect baby who chewed only objects imprinted on them as appropriate toys has taken up a fresh love of socks and other undesirables. Whelp. The approach to this newfound audacity is similar to responding to fear-related behaviors. Stay calm, be firm. For the mountaineer dog on the table, tell them ‘off’ in a loud voice if that is your word for ‘four on the floor’ and make sure they get off the table. If it means picking them up and putting them on the floor so be it. Praise them for getting off if they required no physical assistance, but no treats- sheesh. For the sock pirate, walk over to them and their prized sock and trade them for an appropriate chew or treat. If you’ve worked on commands for ‘give it’ you can use those before the trade. If you encounter growling and resource-guarding behaviors, that is an entirely different discussion and you should consult a trainer or behaviorist. I never come in ‘hot’ when approaching a dog to take something away. I keep that confrontation minimal and I’ve yet to have issues with my poodles. Ultimately these boundary testing behaviors will extinguish as long as your response is timely and consistent (though, maybe put your socks away, too).
Good luck everyone!
