Canine Adolescence: Understand Why Your Dog Acts Like a Teenager (Because They Are!) | Pupford

Adolescence in dogs can feel overwhelming for pup parents (even the most experienced ones!) 

Just when you think you’ve made it through the puppy phase of biting and potty training, your once eager to please pup is now ignoring cues, acting impulsively, and suddenly behaving differently around things they have seen dozens of times before. 

While this stage of life can understandably be frustrating for pup parents, it’s actually a completely normal (and critical!) part of your dog’s neurological and emotional development.

As pup parents, if we can understand what’s happening in our growing pup’s brains we can navigate this phase of life with more patience, compassion and strategy. Let’s dive into the why’s and how’s of canine adolescence from the slower growth rate of the frontal lobe to shifting hormone level and emotional sensitivity! 

Table of Contents: 

1. What Counts as Adolescence in Dogs?
2. Brain Growth Patterns: From Puppyhood to Adulthood
3. The Frontal Lobe and Prefrontal Cortex: Why Dogs “Forget” During Adolescence
4. Hormonal Surges and Their Impact on Behavior
5. The Brain-Behavior Connection: Risk-Taking, Impulsivity & Emotion
6. Training During Adolescence: What Works and What Doesn’t
7. Socialization 2.0: Why It Still Matters
8. Enrichment for the Adolescent Brain
9. Managing Expectations and Building Resilience
10. When Will It End? The Road to Brain Maturity

What Counts as Adolescence in Dogs?

Adolescence in dogs generally begins around six months of age and can last up to two years, this depends on the breed and size of the dog as well as individual genetics. 

Small breed dogs tend to reach maturity sooner, while large breeds may continue developing well into their second year of life. This stage marks the transition between puppyhood and adulthood and is characterized by both physical and behavioral changes. 

Many pup parents notice that their dog seems to suddenly become more “stubborn”, distractable, or reactive. It might even feel like your dog is "forgetting" everything they've learned, but these changes are rooted in developmental shifts, not defiance.

💡Did you know that dogs can’t actually be stubborn?? Learn about anthropomorphism! 

For me personally, I noticed my adolescent pups always needed even more outlets for enrichment - whether that was increased desire for social play or problem-solving opportunities! 

Much like in human teenagers, adolescence in dogs is a time when the brain is undergoing structural remodeling (think of the teenage brain like one big construction site🚧!)

Areas responsible for emotion and reward tend to mature first, while those associated with logical thinking, memory, and self-control lag behind. This can result in what many people call “teenage rebellion,” though the behaviors are often misunderstood signs of a growing brain in transition.

🐶 How to Survive the Puppy Teenage Phase! 🐶

Brain Growth Patterns: From Puppyhood to Adulthood

A dog’s brain development isn’t linear. In fact, while it reaches close to its full physical size relatively early (around 90-95% by six months) the internal architecture is still developing long after that. 

Brain growth in the early stages of life involves a rapid increase in neural connections, known as synaptogenesis, where new connections are formed to allow for learning and adaptability.

But as dogs approach adolescence, their brain begins refining itself. This means it starts to prune away neural pathways that are underused, while strengthening those that are consistently reinforced. This is called synaptic pruning, and it helps the brain become more efficient and specialized for adult life. 

However, this process also makes your dog’s behavior more unpredictable. Skills that were solid as a puppy might weaken temporarily if they’re not being actively reinforced.

This is why consistent training and environmental management are so important during adolescence. The behaviors and coping skills your dog uses most often during this phase are the ones that are likely to stick for life. By being aware of these developmental changes, we can set our pups up for success!

Even when it feels like they’ve regressed, your dog’s brain is working behind the scenes to solidify the traits they’ll carry into adulthood. Just because you can’t see all that construction work doesn’t mean it's not happening, so don’t take off your hard hat (or treat pouch 😉) just yet!

This is why you often hear us dog trainers say, “behaviors that are reinforced are repeated.” (We actually mean it!)

🐶 Related Reading: Primary vs. Secondary Reinforcers

The Frontal Lobe and Prefrontal Cortex: Why Dogs “Forget” During Adolescence

One of the most important parts of the adolescent dog brain is the frontal lobe, especially the prefrontal cortex. This region is responsible for complex behaviors like decision making, impulse control, working memory, and emotional regulation. 

It is also one of the slowest parts of the brain to mature, both in dogs and in humans (as I am sure all human parents can attest too). 

During adolescence, the emotional centers of the brain, such as the amygdala and the limbic system, become highly active. These areas mature earlier and are responsible for feelings like fear, excitement, and aggression. 

In contrast, the prefrontal cortex (in the frontal lobe), which helps regulate and interpret these emotions logically, is still under construction. 🚧

This means, just like human teenagers, they have BIG feelings and may become emotionally reactive because they lack the regulatory “brakes” to logically process those feelings and are less likely to stop and think before acting. 

Your dog might know the cue to “stay” or “leave it,” but their brain is prioritizing immediate gratification over logical thinking or prioritizing the long-term reward of their actions. This doesn’t mean they’re being stubborn; it means their prefrontal cortex hasn’t caught up with the rest of their brain yet.

As a result, you may see your dog struggle with attention span, self-control, and memory of previously learned cues. This is all NORMAL. It’s also temporary, especially when supported with patient, consistent reinforcement.

Arguably, puppyhood is the time to focus on socialization and creating positive experiences, while adolescence is the time to really buckle down on training behaviors. 

🐶Related Reading: The Science Behind Positive Reinforcement Dog Training

Hormonal Surges and Their Impact on Behavior

Hormonal changes during adolescence are another major contributor to changing behavior. This stage of development triggers a flood of hormones, not only sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen but also neurochemicals like dopamine, cortisol, and serotonin that influence mood, motivation, and stress responses.

Dopamine

Dopamine levels rise significantly during adolescence, which makes new experiences, sights, and smells incredibly rewarding for your pup! This helps explain why your previously attentive puppy may now seem obsessed with chasing squirrels or wandering off to explore instead of coming when called. Their brain is actively seeking novelty and stimulation, and they’re driven by internal chemistry to explore and push boundaries. 

So, while it might be frustrating, don’t take it personally 😉 Your pup is just experiencing the world for the first time, think of it like turning 16 and getting to drive a car for the first time! 

Cortisol

Cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, also becomes more reactive during this time. Adolescent dogs can be more sensitive to perceived threats or changes in their environment, which may lead to fearful or defensive behaviors that weren’t present before. You might also see new signs of reactivity toward other dogs, strangers, or loud noises.

💡Learn about the Spectrum of Fear (FAS) in dogs! 

Serotonin

Serotonin, the chemical that helps regulate mood and social behavior, is also still balancing itself out in the adolescent brain. If your dog is struggling to maintain calmness or social composure, part of the challenge may be tied to these shifting chemical signals.

❤️Trainer Tip: One of my favorite skills to teach young pups is how to do absolutely NOTHING. That’s right. Nothing. Practice taking your dog to a public space like a park, store parking lot, outdoor patio, etc. and teach them that doing nothing (just sitting there and looking cute) also brings high reward. 

For intact dogs, the surge in sex hormones can bring on additional behaviors like marking, mounting, or increased interest in other dogs. While spaying or neutering may reduce some of these behaviors, the larger picture of adolescent brain development is shaped by a wide array of hormonal and neurological factors, regardless of reproductive status.

🐶Check out our guide to dog and puppy playdates!

The Brain-Behavior Connection: Risk-Taking, Impulsivity & Emotion

So let’s review, during adolescence, your dog’s brain is still very much under construction. 

The emotional centers mature faster, while the prefrontal cortex (the part responsible for self-control and logical decision-making) is doing its best to catch up. That mismatch in development is why your dog might suddenly ignore cues they previously knew, bark at things that never bothered them before, or bolt after something moving even though they’ve been trained not to. It’s not defiance, it’s growing pains!

An adolescent dog’s brain is wired for exploration, risk-taking, and heightened emotional sensitivity. It’s an evolutionary trait that encourages young animals to leave the safety of their birth environment and learn how to navigate the world independently. 

In domesticated dogs, however, this behavior can feel random, erratic, or downright overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what’s going on beneath the surface.

Understanding the biology behind these behaviors helps reframe them as signs of growth rather than rebellion. While your dog may appear more reactive or impulsive during this phase, they’re also learning how to self-regulate, process emotion, and respond to the world around them. 

The key is to gently guide them through this phase with patience, consistency, and encouragement, not with punishment or frustration.

💡Are you unknowingly using aversive training methods with your pup? 

Training During Adolescence: What Works and What Doesn’t

The adolescent phase is often when pup parents feel like training has failed. But the truth is, this is a critical time to double down on positive reinforcement and adapt your training style to your dog’s current brain development.

Outdated training approaches that rely on punishment or dominance are not only ineffective during adolescence (and any stage of life), they can make things worse. 

Adolescent dogs are more emotionally sensitive and less capable of impulse control, so harsh corrections may increase stress without improving behavior. Instead of learning what to do, they may shut down or develop anxiety around training.

🐶Related Reading: Why Punishment Based Training Isn’t the Answer

Here are some tips as you navigate training an adolescent pup!

• Short, focused training sessions tend to be more effective than long ones
• Keep sessions engaging, fun, and full of rewards that compete with your dog’s growing list of distractions
• Practice cues in a variety of environments (If your dog knows “stay” at home but not at the park, that doesn’t mean they’re being difficult, it means their brain hasn’t fully connected the dots yet)
• Most importantly, maintain realistic expectations. Regression is part of the process. Stay patient, keep reinforcing good behavior, and celebrate small wins.

💡Learn how to master the 3 D’s of dog training: Distance, Distraction and Duration!

Socialization 2.0: Why It Still Matters

Adolescence brings a second sensitive period in your dog’s socialization journey, sometimes called a second fear period, when dogs may suddenly become more wary or reactive or fearful, even toward things they were once comfortable with. 

This stage is a normal part of development, but without gentle support and positive experiences, those fears can become more deeply rooted over time.

This phase is part of the brain’s way of reevaluating environmental safety, and it can happen even in well-socialized dogs. To support them, continue exposing your pup to a wide variety of experiences, people, dogs, and places in a gentle, positive way.

Structured playgroups, group classes, and calm outings can help maintain your dog’s social skills while also reinforcing that the world is safe and predictable. Avoid overwhelming or overstimulating environments and watch your dog’s body language for signs that they need space or support.

🐶Related Reading: Debunking Common Socialization Myths

Enrichment for the Adolescent Brain

The adolescent brain craves stimulation, not just physical, but mental too! Providing a rich environment full of puzzles, games, and problem-solving tasks helps reduce frustration and boredom while promoting healthier brain development.

Activities like scent games, food puzzles, hide-and-seek, and interactive toys give your dog the chance to exercise cognitive skills and fulfill their natural instincts in appropriate ways. Chewing, foraging, and sniffing are all essential outlets for adolescent energy and will be important skills to carry into adulthood.

Basic obedience training is also a form of enrichment, especially when framed as a game. You can teach your dog new tricks, revisit old ones in new environments, or introduce novel challenges like shaping new behaviors. The goal is to keep their brain busy and fulfilled, not just their body tired.

🧠Learn 5 Types of Enrichment to try with your pup!

Managing Expectations and Building Resilience

Perhaps the most important thing you can do during this phase is adjust your expectations. Adolescence is messy, unpredictable, and often frustrating. But it’s also temporary, and how you respond to it shapes your dog’s confidence and resilience as an adult.

Instead of focusing solely on obedience, prioritize emotional regulation and coping skills. Teach your dog how to calm themselves, how to recover from overstimulation, and how to trust you even when things feel overwhelming. Use calm routines, consistent feedback, and lots of positive reinforcement to help your dog feel safe and secure.

💡Trainer Tip: Try teaching your pup the Relaxation Protocol! 

Most of all, be kind to yourself. Every pup parent struggles during adolescence. It doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong. It means your dog is growing up and you’re both doing a great job!

❤️You’re a better pup parent than you think, and here’s why!

When Will It End? The Road to Brain Maturity

While physical growth may plateau around 12–18 months, the adolescent brain continues developing beyond that. Smaller dogs typically reach full brain maturity by around 15 months, while larger breeds may take closer to two years or more.

This means that your dog’s behaviors may continue to evolve and stabilize well after their body stops growing. It also means that continued training, enrichment, and support are essential for long-term success.

The end of adolescence doesn’t arrive in one dramatic moment, but one day, you’ll realize your dog is more thoughtful, more reliable, and more emotionally balanced than ever before. That’s the reward of all the hard work you’ve put in! ❤️

Recap: Canine Adolescence

Adolescence is a turning point in your dog’s life. It’s challenging, yes, but it’s also an opportunity to help your pup grow into a well-adjusted, emotionally intelligent adult.

When you understand the neurological and hormonal shifts happening beneath the surface, your dog’s behavior makes more sense and your role becomes clearer. You’re not just surviving adolescence. You’re shaping your dog’s future.

Be patient. Be consistent. And never underestimate the power of a calm tone, a safe routine, and a well-timed treat.

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