Why is puberty such a pain?

We all know that our dogs can become challenging during puberty.  We may have worked hard to train them to be the “perfect dog” and got to a stage where they came back when called and sat when we asked them.  We felt pleased and proud.  Then all of a sudden, our perfect dog starts running over to other dogs who are on the lead, we can say “sit” until we are blue in the face, and they still stand, and we find ourselves being taken for a walk, but Fido knows perfectly well how to heel!

Welcome to puberty!

Lets talk about why this happens and what we can do about it.

Boys

In male dogs’ puberty starts when the testes begin producing a large amount of the hormone testosterone, at around 6 months old.   Over the next few months, the levels of testosterone will keep going up and up until around 10 months.  The levels then slowly come down until about 18 months, at which point levels will remain mostly constant for the rest of the dog’s life, unless you have him neutered.      

This will bring about some physical changes as well as behavioural changes. 

Your boys head will widen, and he will become much bigger and more muscular.  The behaviours you will start to see will be sexual mounting, thrusting and when they have a wee, they will start to cock their leg.

This increased testosterone will make boys boisterous, especially with other dogs.  They may become over aroused quickly and mounting behaviour, which is naturally rewarding, can easily become a behaviour of choice, to help cope with their feelings.

Blade (left) going through puberty, with his more mature friend, Daisy.

Girls

In female dogs’ puberty begins when they start to ovulate (eggs are released from the ovaries).  You may be able to see slight changes in your girl’s behaviour that signal the start of puberty.  Just before ovulation, the female dog will increase marking behaviour and may be more playful and submissive to male dogs, she will also show greater interest in the scent marking of male dogs in comparison to female ones.  The posh name for “being in heat or season” is, oestrus, and during this time she may seek out males, be more vocal, restless and wish to explore.  Owners often wonder how long the heat goes on for.  The average is about three weeks, but it can be longer and to be on the safe side you should keep your dog away from entire males for three to four weeks.  It is not advisable to take your dog to parks, or anywhere dogs maybe off lead.  Entire male dogs will be able to smell your in-heat female from very far away and being on a lead won’t make your girl safe from his advances!

Behavioural issues are more likely to occur after your girl’s season.  This is when a phantom pregnancy can occur.  After a season the females body behaves as if she is having puppies, even if she isn’t.  This affects every female dog after each season, but many won’t show physical or behavioural symptoms.   If your dog is having a bad phantom pregnancy, you will see her mammary glands increase in size and they may start to produce milk.  She may also start digging holes in the garden to “nest” or do so inside with beds.  She may gather soft toys and put them in her nest and treat them like she would puppies.  At the more extreme end of things, she may start guarding her nest and/or become generally grumpier and more reactive.

Daisy, going through a phantom pregnancy as can be seen by her enlarged mammary glands!

Phantom pregnancy is a natural event but if your dog shows aggressive signs and/or is distressed it is important to go to the vet, as they can prescribe medication to help bring her out of it.  You may see advice saying to cut back her food and remove all her toys and bedding.  This may help reduce the length of the phantom but also may be psychologically damaging for your dog – especially removing the bedding and soft toys which she will feel are her pups.  The most up to date advice is to just support her through it or visit the vet if you are worried.

We now understand what happens to our dogs during puberty – hormones galore – but why does this make them go “daft?!”

Although our dogs are becoming sexually mature, unfortunately their brains are not socially mature.  The surge in hormones, especially in males, encourages risky and rash behaviours, but the part of the brain that enables dogs to control their urges, is not yet working properly.  Between the ages of 18 months to 3 years, connections will form between the frontal cortex and temporal lobes in the brain, and they become fully mature.  If temporal lobes are damaged, then it is difficult to learn new things.  If the frontal cortex is damaged, then it is hard to control emotions and there is a lack of impulse inhibition.  This helps us understand why our teenage dogs suddenly don’t “perform” at dog training classes and why they might decide to go off hunting on their own, instead of coming back to you when you call.

So, what should we do to help our dogs through this time?

Show them understanding, expect them to behave like idiots and be pleasantly surprised when they don’t!  If they mess up, just move on, and think about how you can stop the situation occurring in the future.  This is the key.  You, their owner, need to be their impulse inhibition.  You need to prevent their idiotic behaviour.  The reason this is important is because some of the behaviours your dog will “try out” during this time will actually be ALOT of fun for your dog.  These behaviours maybe very rewarding, remember that rewarding behaviours get repeated, so if these behaviours are unwanted, we don’t want the dog to do them.

A classic example is when recall goes out of the window.  Up until puberty your dog probably has come back when called.  The surge of hormones may have given them the courage to go after the rabbit they saw in the distance and ignore you calling.  Your dog may then go off and have a great time hunting the rabbit – a very rewarding activity.  Next time you call them they will remember how rewarding it was to ignore you and therefore ignore you again.  The more this is practiced, the harder it is to reverse.  If this is happening with your dog, use a long line to prevent the behaviour.  Be wary of using enclosed dog areas, they are great, but you must also use a long line here.  Allowing your dog to ignore you in an enclosed field will do the same as allowing your dog to ignore you out in the open!

Long lines are key when recall is a little patchy.

Another common scenario is when training suddenly is forgotten!  Actually, it isn’t forgotten but it seems that way on the outside.  You are at the park and its busy and to get out of the way you move and then ask your dog to sit.  They always used to sit whenever you asked, but you start to be ignored.  This is because the surge in hormones make our dogs quickly aroused.  There will also be newly interesting smells about, the male dogs may smell females and the female dogs may be interested marking more and smelling every bush.  They have no interest in you, your request, or the reward if they do it!  Don’t get frustrated or cross.  Just say ok and next time don’t ask for a sit in somewhere so busy and interesting.  Remember how when you had a puppy you start asking for behaviours in the garden, then the front of the house, then the street, then a busier street, then a quiet park, then a busier park and so on.  Do the same again, make the task a little easier and reward big when your dog gets it right.

So that is the low down on puberty.  It doesn’t last forever and when your dog is 2-3 years old, they will begin to come out the other side.  If you follow this advice, they won’t have acquired too many unwanted behaviours and will have increased impulse control and become a little more sensible!

If you are struggling, please ask for help.  The relationship between you and your dog is so special and it can take a battering at this stressful time, but getting help can make both of your lives easier.

Book a free call with me today and we can work out a plan to sort out any issues you are having.  If you are regularly standing in the park with a lead and no dog, you need our reliable recall course.  If you are getting pulled down the street check out our loose leaders course.  Rachael can also help with any other issue, so give her a call or email today.

Well done for getting to the end of this guide, celebrate by playing with your dog.

Website: www.teachdog.co.uk

Email: teachdog@yahoo.com

Further Reading

Beaver, Bonnie V. (2009). Canine Behavior: Insights and Answers. 2nd Edition. Missouri, Saunders Elsevier.

Overall, Karen L. (2013). Manual of Clinical Behavioural Medicine for Dogs and Cats.  St Louis, Mosby.