Help! My Puppy Has Suddenly Stopped Listening!

By Sarah Groves Dog Training: puppy training specialist Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot and surrounding areas

So you're just about getting used to having a puppy at home - you have surpassed the worst of the teething stage, nailed toilet training, they have been soaking in training like a sponge, then all of a sudden, they turn 6 months (ish) old and just stop listening!

So you start questioning yourself, your puppy, wondering what's changed, and is it something that you've done - 'why is my dog suddenly so defiant!?'

To put you at ease a little bit - this isn't something that you've done - it was going to happen no matter what because your puppy is just at a new stage of development - adolescence!

We can't halt or stop this stage from happening, but as a puppy training expert, here are my top pieces of advice for everyone who is working through the terrible teens with their puppy!

Why has my puppy suddenly stopped listening?

At roughly 6 months old, your puppy will be going through some changes where their brain and body is preparing them to transition from being a puppy, into an adult.

Not only is your dog's brain being completely 'rewired', they are also going through hormonal changes AND have to navigate an almost adult body as they've had rapid growth spurts in the past couple of months!

That's a LOT of change to have to get used to - no wonder your puppy has stopped listening!

And with all of these changes comes some behavioural differences too!

One of the most common traits of adolescence is a feeling of defiance, stubbornness, pushing the boundaries and just feeling like sometimes, you might as well be talking to a brick wall!

And these traits of adolescence actually serve an important role in development, pushing the boundaries with the intention of causing friction, with the aim of allowing the animal to leave the family home to find a mate outside of their own genepool.

Of course, you're not your dogs' biological parents - but unfortunately, you still have to temporarily deal with the brunt of it all!

And that's exactly what this stage is - temporary!

You might have some questions that need answering - here are some frequently asked questions and answers to get you started with moving in the right direction!

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Question 1 - How do I stop my dog from behaving like a fool, jumping up at people and running away?

Answer: Control and management!

Control and management is all about putting specific measures in place to prevent your puppy or dog from practising and rehearsing unwanted behaviours while you are trying to train in new more valuable and appropriate behaviours in a specific situation.

Examples of Control and management include using a baby gate in the house to prevent your pup from jumping up at guests while you are otherwise teaching alternative behaviours such as sit to say please or lie on the mat while people come in.

Using a long lead when out and about in a field or park while training recall to prevent your dog from learning that running away to say hi to people and dogs is more valuable than listening to you!

Learn more about control and management here

Question 2 - My dog is mouthing, biting and won't calm down! What do I do!?

First of all, it's easy to forget that your teenage dog is still a puppy - and as they are going through a lot of internal processing, they still need a lot of sleep in the day!

So if you start seeing unwanted zooming, biting/mouting and not listening at home through the day, it's likely that they still need a forced nap - just like they did when they were 3 months old!

Many puppy parents feel guilty that it feels like their dog is being put into the crate an awful lot - but usually it's just what they need at their stage!

Also let's not forget that your puppy will also need an appropriate amount of exercise and mental enrichment and stimulation to keep them satisfied - but don't get trapped in the mindset of 'more exercise is better' - sometimes bigger runs and walks can infact cause an increase in adrenaline and the appearance of more hyperactive behaviours!

If you're not sure where to start with mental stimulation and enrichment, take a look at my enrichment bundle here

Question 3 - How do I get my dog to listen on a walk?

Building focus and attention outside of the house is going to be one of the most valuable skills that you can teach your dog at this impressionable age.

Instead of taking your dog to busy small parks where you are confronted with a lot of temptation for your dog, you will be much more successful if you were to take them to quieter spaces at a time of day where there's less 'people and dog traffic'

And then you can start training - here are some of the things that I would advise to work on:

• Being close is valuable

• focusing on you brings a good outcome

• Recall

• Loose lead walking

• Sit or lie down and relax

Once you have practised these skills in a lower distraction space, you can start putting it into practice in higher distraction spaces!

Don't forget - there are going to be a TONNE of factors which affect your dog's focus and attention on any given day, including how they are feeling that day, and what competing distractions there are in the environment! You'll have some amazing days, and some not good days - this is normal and a part of this tricky phase.

Question 5 - When does the teenage stage end?

Adolescence typically ends at roughly 18 months old - depending on the individual dog. For some dogs it will end sooner, for others it can go on for a little longer.

But there WILL be an end, and eventually all of the hard work and training that you have put in will feel like it's been worth it - you finally have a dog who listens and 'remembers' all of the skills that you taught them!

Looking for puppy or dog training in Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot or surrounding areas?

GET IN TOUCH HERE!

Email: Sarahgrovesdogtraining@yahoo.com

Call 07891222454

Or take a look at The Puppy Solutions Program and fill in a form here